Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Concepts of Public Health, Public Health Nursing, and History of Community Health Nursing
Community Health Nursing
The history of Public Health Nursing is embedded in the
● Public Health - A science and art of preventing history of the Department of Health which was first
disease, prolonging life, promoting health and established as the Department Public Works, Education and
efficiency through organized community effort for hygiene in 1898.
the sanitation of the environment, control of ● 1912. The Fajardo act (Act NO. 2156) created the
communicable diseases, the education of sanitary divisions
individuals in personal hygiene, the organization of ○ PGH sent 4 nurses to Cebu to take care of
medical and nursing services for the early mothers and their babies.
diagnosis and preventive treatment of disease, and ● 1914. School nursing was rendered by a nurse
the development of the social machinery to insure employed by the Bureau of Public Health in
everyone a standard of living adequate for the Tacloban, Leyte.
maintenance of health, so organizing these ● Two nurses, Mrs. Casilang Eustaquio and Mrs.
benefits as to enable every citizen to realize his Matilde Azurin were employed for MCH and
birthright of health and longevity. (Dr. Charles sanitation
Edward Winslow) ● 1916-1918 - Ms. Perlita Clark took charge of the
● Public Health - is dedicated to the common Public Health Nursing work.
attainment of the highest level of physical, mental ● 1917 - Four graduate nurses paid by the city
and social well-being and longevity consistent with of Manila were employed to work in the city
available knowledge and resources at a given time division.
and place. (Hanlon) ● 1918 - The office of Miss Clark was abolished
● Public Health - is the art of applying science in the due to lack of funds.
context of politics so as to reduce inequalities in ● 1919 - Ms. Carmen del Rosario, the first Filipino
health while ensuring the best health for the nurse supervisor was appointed under the
greatest number. It points to the fact that public Bureau of Health.
health is a core element of the government’s ● 1923 - Two government schools of nursing were
attempts to improve and promote the health and established
welfare of their citizens. (WHO) ○ Zamboanga General Hospital School of
● Public Health Nursing Nursing
○ The practice of nursing in national and ○ Baguio General Hospital
local government health department, and ● July 1, 1926 - Ms. Carmen resigned and Ms.
public schools. Genara Manongdo, ranking supervisor of
○ It is community health nursing practiced in American Red Cross replaced her.
the public sector. (Standard of Public ● 1927 - The office of District Nursing under the
Health Nursing in the Philippines, 2005) Office of General Inspection of Health Service was
● Public Health Nursing - is a special field of abolished and replaced by the Section of Public
nursing that combines the skills of nursing, public Health Nursing with Mrs. Genara de Guzman as
health and some phases of social assistance and consultant to the Director of Health.
functions as part of the total public health ● 1928 - First convention of nurses was held until the
programme for the promotion of health, the advent of World War II.
improvement of the conditions in the social and ● 1930 - Conversion of Section of Public Health
physical environment, rehabilitation of illness and Nursing into Section of Nursing
disability.(WHO Expert Committee of Nursing) ● 1933 - Reorganization Act 4007 transferred the
● Community Health Nursing - is a unique blend of Division of Maternal and Child Health of the Office
nursing and public health practice woven into a of Public Welfare Commission to the Bureau of
human service that when properly developed and Health.
applied has a tremendous impact on human ● 1941 - Transferring of activities and personnel of
well-being. Its responsibilities extend to the care the Metropolitan Division and Bureau of Health
and supervision of individuals and families in their transferred to a new department with Dr. Mariano
homes, in places of work, in schools and clinics. It Icasiano as City Health Officer of Manila; also and
is one of the basic services of the health Office of Nursing was established with Mrs. Vicenta
departments. C. Ponce as Chief Nurse and Mrs. Rosario A.
● Community Health Nursing - is the utilization of Ordiz as her assistant.
● Individual is a single human being, a person, a Section 9. Private property shall not be taken for public use
distinct indivisible entity. without just compensation.
● The CHN deals with individuals; sick or well on a
daily basis. Section 10. No law impairing the obligation of contracts shall
● Since the health problems of individuals are be passed.
intertwined with those of the other members of the
family and community, Section 11. Free access to the courts and quasi-judicial
● Individuals are considered as the entry point in bodies and adequate legal assistance shall not be denied to
working with the family and community. any person by reason of poverty.
D. The Rights of an Individual Section 12. (1) Any person under investigation for the
commission of an offense shall have the right to be informed
Article III: Bill of Rights of his right to remain silent and to have competent and
1987 PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION independent counsel preferably of his own choice. If the
ARTICLE III, BILL OF RIGHTS person cannot afford the services of counsel, he must be
provided with one. These rights cannot be waived except in
Section 1. No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or writing and in the presence of counsel. (2) No torture, force,
property without due process of law, nor shall any person be violence, threat, intimidation, or any other means which
denied the equal protection of the laws. vitiate the free will shall be used against him. Secret
detention places, solitary, incommunicado, or other similar
Section 2. The right of the people to be secure in their forms of detention are prohibited. (3) Any confession or
persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable admission obtained in violation of this or Section 17 hereof
searches and seizures of whatever nature and for any shall be inadmissible in evidence against him. (4) The law
purpose shall be inviolable, and no search warrant or warrant shall provide for penal and civil sanctions for violations of this
of arrest shall issue except upon probable cause to be section as well as compensation to the rehabilitation of
determined personally by the judge after examination under victims of torture or similar practices, and their families.
oath or affirmation of the complainant and the witnesses he
may produce, and particularly describing the place to be Section 13. All persons, except those charged with offenses
searched and the persons or things to be seized. punishable by reclusion perpetua when evidence of guilt is
strong, shall, before conviction, be bailable by sufficient
Section 3. (1) The privacy of communication and sureties, or be released on recognizance as may be provided
correspondence shall be inviolable except upon lawful order by law. The right to bail shall not be impaired even when the
of the court, or when public safety or order requires privilege of the writ of habeas corpus is suspended.
otherwise, as prescribed by law. (2) Any evidence obtained Excessive bail shall not be required.
in violation of this or the preceding section shall be
inadmissible for any purpose in any proceeding. Section 14. (1) No person shall be held to answer for a
criminal offense without due process of law. (2) In all criminal
Section 4. No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of prosecutions, the accused shall be presumed innocent until
speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the the contrary is proved, and shall enjoy the right to be heard
people peaceably to assemble and petition the government by himself and counsel, to be informed of the nature and
for redress of grievances. cause of the accusation against him, to have a speedy,
impartial, and public trial, to meet the witnesses face to face,
Section 5. No law shall be made respecting an establishment and to have compulsory process to secure the attendance of
of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free witnesses and the production of evidence in his behalf.
exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, However, after arraignment, trial may proceed
without discrimination or preference, shall forever be notwithstanding the absence of the accused: Provided, that
allowed. No religious test shall be required for the exercise of he has been duly notified and his failure to appear is
civil or political rights. unjustifiable.
Section 6. The liberty of abode and of changing the same
within the limits prescribed by law shall not be impaired Section 15. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall
except upon lawful order of the court. Neither shall the right not be suspended except in cases of invasion or rebellion,
to travel be impaired except in the interest of national when the public safety requires it.
security, public safety, or public health, as may be provided
by law. Section 16. All persons shall have the right to a speedy
disposition of their cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial, or
Section 7. The right of the people to information on matters administrative bodies.
of public concern shall be recognized. Access to official
records, and to documents and papers pertaining to official
Section 18. (1) No person shall be detained solely by reason 6. The patient has the right to expect that all communications
of his political beliefs and aspirations. (2) No involuntary and records pertaining to his care should be treated as
servitude in any form shall exist except as a punishment for a confidential.
crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.
7. The patient has the right that within its capacity, a hospital
Section 19. (1) Excessive fines shall not be imposed, nor must make reasonable response to the request of patient for
cruel, degrading or inhuman punishment inflicted. Neither services. The hospital must provide evaluation, service
shall death penalty be imposed, unless, for compelling and/or referral as indicated by the urgency of care. When
reasons involving heinous crimes, the Congress hereafter medically permissible a patient may be transferred to another
provides for it. Any death penalty already imposed shall be facility only after he has received complete information
reduced to reclusion perpetua. (2) The employment of concerning the needs and alternatives to such transfer. The
physical, psychological, or degrading punishment against institution to which the patient is to be transferred must first
any prisoner or detainee or the use of substandard or have accepted the patient for transfer.
inadequate penal facilities under subhuman conditions shall
be dealt with by law. 8. The patient has the right to obtain information as to any
relationship of the hospital to other health care and
Section 20. No person shall be imprisoned for debt or educational institutions in so far as his care is concerned.
non-payment of a poll tax. The patient has the right to obtain as to the existence of any
professional relationship among individuals, by name who
Section 21. No person shall be twice put in jeopardy of are treating him.
punishment for the same offense. If an act is punished by a
law and an ordinance, conviction or acquittal under either 9. The patient has the right to be advised if the hospital
shall constitute a bar to another prosecution for the same proposes to engage in or perform human experimentation
act. affecting his care or treatment. The patient has the right to
refuse or participate in such research project.
Section 22. No ex post facto law or bill of attainder shall be
enacted. 10. The patient has the right to expect reasonable continuity
of care; he has the right to know in advance what
Appendix B appointment times the physicians are available and where.
PHILIPPINE PATIENT’S BILL OF RIGHTS The patient has the right to expect that the hospital will
provide a mechanism whereby he is informed by his
1. The patient has the right to considerate and respectful physician or a delegate of the physician of the patient’s
care irrespective of socio-economic status. continuing health care requirements following discharge.
2. The patient has the right to obtain from his physician 11. The patient has the right to examine and receive an
complete current information concerning his diagnosis, explanation of his bill regardless of source of payment.
treatment and prognosis in terms the patient can reasonably
be expected to understand. When it is not medically 12. The patient has the right to know what hospital rules and
advisable to give such information to the patient, the regulation apply to his conduct as a patient.
information should be made available to an appropriate
person in his behalf. H has the right to know by name or in E. Determinant of Health
person, the medical team responsible in coordinating his
care. ● Many factors combine together to affect the health
of individuals and communities. Whether people are
3. The patient has the right to receive from his physician healthy or not, is determined by their circumstances
information necessary to give informed consent prior to the and environment.
start of any procedure and/or treatment. Except in ● To a large extent, factors such as where we live, the
emergencies, such information for informed consent should state of our environment, genetics, our income and
include but not necessarily limited to the specific procedure education level, and our relationships with friends
and or treatment, the medically significant risks involved, and and family all have considerable impacts on health,
the probable duration of incapacitation. When medically whereas the more commonly considered factors
significant alternatives for care or treatment exist, or when such as access and use of health care services
the patient requests information concerning medical often have less of an impact.
alternatives, the patient has the right to such information. ● Determinants of health are a range of factors that
The patient has also the right to know the name of the influence the health status of individuals or
person responsible for the procedure and/or treatment. populations. At every stage of life, health is
determined by complex interactions between social
4. The patient has the right to refuse treatment/life – giving and economic factors, the physical environment and
measures, to the extent permitted by law, and to be informed individual behavior. They do not exist in isolation
of the medical consequences of his action from each other.
5. The patient has the right to every consideration of his ● The social determinants of health are the conditions
privacy concerning his own medical care program. Case in which people are born, grow, live, work and age.
discussion, consultation, examination and treatment are
confidential and should be conducted discreetly. Those not