CULTURE OF HEALTH IN NURSING PRACTICE



A culture of health is both an aspirational concept and guiding framework. The concept recognizes that health is shaped by community conditions in which we live, learn, work, and play. It also acknowledges that health inequities are inextricably linked to social, economic, and environmental obstacles to health (e.g., discrimination and poverty); and that health improvement requires multi-sector partnerships to increase opportunities for everyone to thrive (e.g., access to good jobs, homes and schools). Embedding this concept and framework in professional preparation programs benefits us all.



WHY FOCUS ON NURSES?





Nurses are uniquely positioned to significantly impact community health. They are the largest segment of the healthcare workforce and practice in diverse settings that impact population health, such as health departments, schools, homes, community clinics, correctional facilities, and work places. Preparing nurses to address population health needs is key to maximize their impact at individual, family, community and systems levels.



WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO BEST PREPARE NURSES?





Preparing nurses for their population health role requires an ecological understanding of health and a complementary set of tools, such as the Culture of Health Framework developed by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). This type of understanding and tools help nurses confidently exercise their population health function; lead dynamic community health efforts; and provide the highest quality of public health nursing practice.






WHAT YOU'LL FIND ON THIS WEBSITE





This website is a clearinghouse of population health tools, primarily for faculty in academia and public health nursing practice. Resources available on this website will help apply the RWJF Culture of Health Framework in nursing curriculum and enhance the preparation of
pre-licensure nursing students for population/community-based nursing. This website was made possible through funding by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for leaders in academia and practice settings.



About a Culture
of Health



Before nursing faculty can improve nursing programs and curriculum, there must be an understanding of the term “Culture of Health” coined by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. This section offers tools to further define the concept of a Culture of Health and introduces the framework that identifies actions that move diverse sectors from aspiration to reality.


Tools for All
RN Programs



Integrating a Culture of Health in all pre-licensure nursing programs emphasizes the importance of making health a priority and the unique factors that drive it no matter what nursing specialty and setting a student chooses. This section offers tools for pre-licensure Registered Nursing programs, including public health competencies, to augment or redesign curricula and experiential opportunities so that they incorporate foundational public health tenets and apply the principles of the Culture of Health concept and framework.


Tools for PHN
Class Rotation



This section offers tools to augment or redesign the public health nursing class rotation to ensure nursing students better understand and employ the culture of health concept and framework. Having resources that are specific to the public/community health rotation allow faculty in academia and practice to assess current strengths and areas that may need improvement in their PHN class rotation curriculum. From public health nursing competencies to guidelines on clinical experiences, faculty will be able to utilize these resources to prepare the future public health nursing workforce, all with the focus on culture of health.


Glossary of
Terms


To promote a common understanding, this section offers a list of key terms used throughout this website.



CONTACT US



Have a question, want to suggest a resource, or want to stay abreast of any updates? Let us know!








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CALIFORNIA DIRECTORS OF
PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING



P.O. BOX 861 PISMO BEACH, CA 93448




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