PUBLIC HEALTH, NURSING AND MEDICAL SOCIAL WORK

PUBLIC health nursing offers service in the health field to the individual, the family and the community. When first started it was confined mainly to the nursing care of the sick in their homes but it has now expanded to include the teaching of positive health. These activities are carried out with qualified medical guidance and advice. All over the world, therefore, public health nurses have many contacts with pediatricians because of their special interest in health protection and education. Since this function demands experience beyond the standard education of the registered nurse, public health nurses, or as they are called in some countries, health visitors, should be fully qualified nurses who have in addition received special preparation. This preparation should cover the public health aspects of such specific subjects as maternal and child health, tuberculosis, venereal diseases, nutrition, school health, problems of chronic disease and so forth. In addition to the theory there must be field observation and experience so that the nurse has an opportunity to apply her knowledge under supervision. Emphasis on health teaching is of fundamental importance; not only is it necessary to know what to teach but the nurse must understand how people learn, and she must know the most appropriate technic to make that learning as effective as possible. For example, just telling a mother that her child needs vitamin D does not necessarily mean that the mother has learned this fact and will put her learning into action by giving the child foods which supply vitamin D.