Developing public health competence among RN-to-BSN students in a rural community.

Full Abstract

A new RN/BSN nursing program offers rural students in a western state the opportunity to address significant health care needs on a local level by developing public health leadership competencies in their home communities. The innovative program, funded by a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration, makes it possible for RNs to complete their BSN degrees without travel, as they position themselves to provide critically needed health care leadership in their local areas. Partnerships between the university, community colleges, and local health agencies allow students in the RN-to-BSN program to benefit from a streamlined BSN admission process, onsite mentoring, and newly developed courses that lead students to reflect on health needs in their home communities. On the basis of Public Health Nursing Competencies as defined by the Nursing Quad Council (2004), the re-designed curriculum prepares students for public health leadership by encouraging application of competencies while participating in the delivery of essential public health services in their communities. Initial response to this new opportunity indicates that students can develop as leaders by developing public health competencies, and facets of the program may encourage more students to commit to completing the BSN while increasing capacity among PHNs.

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Author information

Author/s: Ouzts, Karen N (KN); Brown, Julie Watson (JW); Diaz Swearingen, Connie A (CA);

Affiliation: Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA. kouzts(-atsign-)uwyo.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.; Review

Journal: Public health nursing (Boston, Mass.) (Public Health Nurs), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: -2006 Mar-Apr; vol 23 (issue 2) : pp 178-82

Dates: Created 2006/05/10; Completed 2006/07/11; Revised 2007/11/15;

PMID: 16684192, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Career Choice
Curriculum
Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate - organization & administration
Education, Professional, Retraining - organization & administration
Faculty, Nursing - organization & administration
Humans
Leadership
Models, Educational
Models, Nursing
Needs Assessment
Nurse's Role

Nurse's Role
Nursing Education Research
Practice Guidelines as Topic
Professional Competence - standards
Program Development
Program Evaluation
Public Health Nursing - education; organization & administration
Rural Population
School Admission Criteria
Students, Nursing - psychology; statistics & numerical data
Wyoming

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