Community Nursing Practice: Theory, Skills and Issues

Community practice is a stimulating and diverse field of nursing. Community nurses often work without direct support from other health professionals and need, not only excellent clinical skills, but also skills in communication, research, and health promotion. Community Nursing Practice offers a thorough introduction to the role of the community nurse. Based on principles of primary health care, it outlines the theory, knowledge, and skills required to make a difference to the health and well being of individuals, families, groups, and even whole communities. The contributors make a point of articulating knowledge that is often taken for granted among experienced practitioners. Community Nursing Practice is based on the premise that community nursing is a specialist field of nursing practice in its own right, and nurses require a specific body of knowledge to work effectively in a community setting—no matter what their clinical focus or location. Contributors outline the foundations of community practice, including principles of disease prevention and wellness promotion, as well as a social model of health. Together with the skills required for work with different population groups, the contribution of research is explored. Professional skills including program management, advocacy, teamwork, home visiting, and self management are also covered. With contributions from leading nurse educators and researchers, Community Nursing Practice is richly illustrated with case studies and examples from a variety of practice settings. It is an essential student text and valuable professional reference.