NURS 451

NURS 451: Community Health Nursing

Prerequisites: NURS 352, NURS 443, NURS 448.

Corequisites: NURS 453, NURS 454, NURS 457.

Credit Hours: (5) credit hours: (4) hours lecture, (1) hour clinical

Focuses on client/environment interactions incorporating clinical experiences with diverse populations in a variety of community settings and with individuals, families, aggregates, and communities.

Note(s): When NURS 451 is offered in the summer, it is open to RN-BSN students only.

 

Detailed Description of Content of the Course

The objectives and content of this Level 4 course facilitate achievement of the College’s program outcomes as well as the Essentials of Baccalaureate Education (AACN). Additionally, the major topics and skills covered in this course represent content covered on standardized achievement examinations and the NCLEX-RN test plan. Current research, advanced nursing theory, and evidence based clinical practice guide content development and course design. 
 
Topical Outline: 

1. Community Assessment
   
   1. Community structure and function
   2. Frameworks, methodologies, and tools for standardizing data collection and analysis and reporting 
   3. Culturally sensitive community partnerships
   4. Data information sources 
2. Principles of epidemiology 
   1. Morbidity and mortality 
   2. Natural history 
   3. Disease control and surveillance 
   4. Screening 
   5. Clinical decision making 
3. Providing a safe and healthy environment 
   1. Health policy 
   2. Regulatory Processes (OSHA, CDC) 
   3. Methods/tools for data collection/analysis 
   4. Injury registries/ergonomics 
   5. Program planning 
   6. Bioterrorism 
   7. Domestic violence 
   8. Abuse and exploitation of children, elderly and disabled 
4. Measuring performance, effectiveness, and outcomes of health services 
   1. Comprehensive health planning/Healthy People 
   2. Identify assets and gaps in service structure 
   3. Health status indicators 
   4. Effectiveness of interventions 
   5. Accessibility and quality of individual and population-wide health services 
5. Promoting Healthy Communities 
   1. Evolution of the US health care system and community nursing and how these affect the health of communities. 
   2. Effective use of the media to encourage both personal and community responsibility for informed decision making 
   3. Public awareness/marketing campaigns/Health Fairs 
   4. Mobilizing the community for action 
   5. Ethical issues of social justice and individual versus aggregate rights 
6. Providing targeted outreach and forming partnerships 
   1. Global/international health care 
   2. Capitalizing on cultural diversity 
   3. Working with vulnerable populations 
7. Providing health care services for high risk aggregates that threaten the health of the community 
   1. Primary health care 
   2. Preventive health services 

Detailed Description of Conduct of Course

The following teaching strategies will be employed but not limited to: Lectures, discussion, multimedia, case studies, and guided clinical practice.

Goals and Objectives of the Course

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: 

1.  Apply scientific principles of nursing knowledge in partnership with individuals, families, and aggregates in order to improve the health of the population. 
2. Discuss the historical evolution of the U.S. public health care system and community oriented-nursing and their influence on the health of individuals, families, and population aggregates. 
3. Perform theory and evidence based therapeutic nursing interventions within the scope of community health nursing practice. 
4. Apply principles of epidemiology, community health organization, and health policy to provide a safe and healthy environment. 
5. Recognize and intervene in the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of children, elderly, and disabled clients encountered in the community. 
6. Access inter-professional and intra-professional resources to resolve ethical and other practice dilemmas and exhibit accountability for care delivery in various community settings. 
7. Collaborate with community members and other members of the health care team to implement culturally sensitive, holistic care for population aggregates that reflects an understanding of the multi-dimensional aspects of community health nursing across the health-illness continuum, across the lifespan and in all community healthcare settings. 
8. Advocate for consumers and communities on a regional, state, national and global level to influence health care policy and promote the health of populations and the advancement of nursing practice. 
9. Utilize effective written, oral, and nonverbal communication skills in collaboration with community members and other health professionals to improve the health of individuals, families and populations. 
10. Utilize knowledge and skills in health care and information technologies to support a safe community environment for individuals, families, population aggregates, and health care workers. 
11. Evidence commitment to lifelong learning to support excellence in community nursing practice and foster professional growth and development. 

Assessment Measures

May include, but are not limited to: 

• Exams; Quizzes 
• Paper 
• Project, Individual or Group 
• Care Plan 
• Oral Presentations 
• Class Participation 

Other Course Information

N/A

Review and Approval

Date Action Reviewed by

February 2011, Kim Carter, Director

March 2021, Iris Mullins, Director

March 25, 2026