Theoretical Basis of Community/Public Health Nursing

1. Primary prevention is the priority in selecting appropriate activities. The nurse should focus on preventing homelessness in the first place, rather than just treating the symptoms. This could involve working to improve housing availability and affordability, or providing job training and other services to help people avoid homelessness.
2. Public health nursing focuses on selecting strategies that create healthy environmental, social, and economic conditions in which populations may thrive. The nurse should not only focus on the individual homeless people, but also on the factors that contribute to homelessness, such as poverty, lack of affordable housing, and mental illness.
3. A public health nurse is obligated to actively identify and reach out to all who might benefit from a specific activity or service. The nurse should not wait for homeless people to come to her. She should actively seek them out and offer them the services they need.
4. The optimal use of resources and creation of new knowledge and strategies is necessary to assure the best overall level of health in the population. The nurse should use her resources wisely and efficiently. She should also be creative and innovative in finding new ways to improve the health of homeless people.
5. Collaboration with other professions, populations, organizations, and stakeholder groups is the most effective way to promote and protect the health of people. The nurse should work with other professionals, such as social workers, doctors, and mental health providers, to provide comprehensive care to homeless people. She should also work with community organizations and businesses to create a more supportive environment for homeless people.

By following these principles, the community health nurse can make a significant difference in the lives of homeless people. She can help to prevent homelessness, improve the health of homeless people, and create a more just and equitable society.

In the specific case of counting and interviewing homeless people sleeping in the local park, the nurse can use the following strategies to adhere to the 8 principles of public health nursing:

• Identify the population. The nurse should first identify the population of homeless people who are sleeping in the park. This could involve talking to local businesses and residents, or conducting a survey of the park.
• Collaborate with others. The nurse should collaborate with other professionals, such as social workers and outreach workers, to count and interview the homeless people. This will help to ensure that the process is done in a respectful and effective way.
• Use primary prevention strategies. The nurse should focus on primary prevention strategies, such as providing information about resources and services, or connecting homeless people with housing and employment opportunities. This will help to prevent homelessness in the first place.
• Respect the rights of the homeless people. The nurse should respect the rights of the homeless people, including their right to privacy and confidentiality. She should also be sensitive to their cultural and linguistic needs.
• Use resources wisely. The nurse should use her resources wisely, such as by conducting the count and interviews in a cost-effective way. She should also be creative in finding new ways to gather data, such as using social media or crowdsourcing.
• Work with the community. The nurse should work with the community to address the issue of homelessness. This could involve working with local businesses to provide job training or affordable housing, or advocating for policy changes that will help to prevent homelessness.

By following these strategies, the community health nurse can adhere to the 8 principles of public health nursing and make a positive impact on the lives of homeless people.

Yes, the community health nurse should consider the 8 principles of public health nursing when completing the assignment. These principles are:

1. The client is the population. The public health nurse's client is not an individual, but rather the entire population of homeless people in the community. This means that the nurse must consider the needs of all homeless people, not just the ones she interviews.
2. The primary obligation is to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number. The nurse must use her resources to help as many homeless people as possible. She cannot focus on helping a few individuals if it means that others will not receive the care they need.
3. Public health nurses collaborate with the client as an equal partner. The nurse must work with the homeless people to understand their needs and concerns. She must also respect their right to make their own decisions about their health care.