Program: Bsc.

Nursing, 5th Semester, 3rd Year

BNSG503- Community Health Nursing-I

including Environmental Science & Epidemiology
Unit-1
Unit Name-Concepts of Community Health and
Community Health Nursing
Lecture – 1
Topic-Name-Concepts of Community Health and
Community Health Nursing

Mr. Gurkirat Singh Kaler

Tutor, SONS
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Outlines
• Community & Health
• Community Health
• Public Health
• Community Health Nursing
• Public health Evolution
• General Objectives of Community Health Nursing
• Scope Of Community Health Nursing
• Role of Community health Nurse
• Responsibilities of Community Health Nurse
• Assignment/Exercise
• Learning Outcomes
• SELO
• References

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Community & Health
• The word "Community has its origin from Latin word "Communis".
The word community is used in many different ways in a wide variety of
situations and therefore many definitions have come up.

• The WHO expert committee on Community Health Nursing in their

report agreed on the following definition "a community is a social
group determined by geographical boundaries and/or common values
and interests. Its members know and interact with each other. It functions
within a particular structure and exhibits and creates certain norms,
values and social institutions.

• The WHO in 1946 defines "Health is a state of complete physical,

mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity"

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Community Health
• According to American Association of Public Health, Community health
is defined as "the art and science of maintaining, protecting and
improving health of people through organized efforts“

• The definition given by WHO expert committee was "the community

health refers to the health status of the members of the community to the
problems affecting their health and to the totality of health care provided
for the community.”

• Aims of Community Health

• Health promotion
• Disease prevention
• Management of factors affecting health

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 Public Health
• Public health refers to the science and practice of preventing disease,
prolonging life, and promoting the health and well-being of populations. It
focuses on improving the overall health of communities through various
measures such as disease surveillance, health education, vaccination
programs, sanitation, access to healthcare, and policy interventions. The
goal of public health is to protect and improve the health of a population,
rather than just individuals, by addressing various health determinants and
promoting healthy behaviors.
• Public health is related to global health which is the health of populations
in the worldwide context. It has been defined as "the area of study,
research and practice that places a priority on improving health and
achieving equity in "Health for all" people worldwide".

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Public Health Nurse
• An European conference on nursing
administration 1959 defined a public health
nurse as “ The nurse mostly concerned
directly with giving health education and
care to individuals and their families in
community”.

• In India, public health has evolved over time

with various initiatives and policies aimed at
improving the health of its vast and diverse
population. The country has made progress
in areas such as immunization, maternal and
child health, sanitation, and communicable
disease control.
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 Community Health Nursing
• "Community health nursing practice is synthesis of nursing practice and
public health practices which in general and comprehensive services are
provided and are not initiated to a particular case and diagnostic group”.

• Community Health Nursing includes all services organized by community

or agency to carry out all nursing aspects of health in schools, home,
industries, health institutions and such other centers.

• Community health nursing draws knowledge from various disciplines like

medicine, surgery, obstetrics, gynecology, pediatrics, health education,
sociology, psychology etc., In the present trend community health nursing
will be opted by the people who like to work with people from different
culture.
• "To raise the level of citizens by helping communities and families to cope
with the discontinuities in and threats to health in such a way as to
maximize their potential for high-level wellness”.
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Public health Evolution
• Historical development in the world ancient period:
• The history of public health and public health nursing can be traced far
back in the past. In earliest times people struggled for their survival by
devising their own methods to deal with life event such as births,
sickness, deaths etc. People were concerned about dis eases and had some
knowledge of its treatment. Medical care was given by religious leaders
or priests who were revered by the society. Medical measures were mix of
mystical, magical and religious practices.
• The development of modern public health nursing took place form the
middle of 19th century both in England and America and various other
countries as a result of occurrence of great epidemics of bubonic plague,
leprosy, small pox, cholera etc. industrial revolution and resultant public
health measures, social reforms and research work.

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 Public health Evolution
• During 18 century and early 19th century England faced Industrial
Revolution which created tremendous social impacts in terms of Socio-
economic imbalance, exploitation of workers, development of slums, over-
crowding, poor sanitation, broken families, child abuse, maternal and child
health problems. During this period, there were great epidemics of small
pox, cholera, yellow fever and plague in the western countries like
America and Britain.
• During 19th century in spite of the act being passed and implemented to
improve the environmental sanitation, diseases continued to occur in the
western world. This was because of the fact that epidemiology of the
diseases were not fully understood. The period from 1800 was the dark
period because physicians of that period especially a well known
physician Benjamin Rusk who had lot of influence upon others did not
believe in the contagious nature of diseases. According to their theory the
diseases were due to outside causes like bad odour, decaying animal and
vegetable matters, earthquakes.
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 Public health Evolution
• Ms. Florence Nightingale has been recognized as one of the foremost
pioneers in the public health and public health nursing movement in
England. She is acclaimed as the founder of modern nursing. She began
her work in nursing services which were established by religious order,
has withered way with the decline of church power and influence.
Florence Nightingale created an atmosphere of dignity and self respect
for nursing. She visualized nurse as a professional person who is trained,
efficient, responsible and highly paid.

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 Public health Evolution
• Historical Development of Community health in India
• The development of public health in India started much the later as
compared to developed countries of the west. But public health in India
was in practice much before its development in the western countries. The
India History revealed its public health practice as early as5000BC. The
period can be classified as Vedic Period (5000BC-500BC) and Post Vedic
Period (500BC-700AD).During Vedic Period the sacred books,
Upanishads and Vedas-especially the Atharvaveda documented all
knowledge about medicine, personal hygiene, prevention of sickness etc.
According to authorities this knowledge of medicine is developed into
science of Ayurveda i.e. the Veda of Life which when practiced prolongs
life. This science advocated holistic concept of health. The integrated
aspects of physical, mental, social and spiritual life are described in Manu
Samhita. It also describes the principles of personal hygiene, dietetics and
hygienic rituals at the time of birth and death. These were called as laws of
Manu and were referred as code of personal hygiene.
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 General Objectives of Community Health Nursing
• To increase capability of individuals, families, groups and community to
deal with their own health and nursing problems.
• To strengthen community resources and to make people to best utilize
them
• To promote measures to control and protect environment.
• To prevent and control communicable and noncommunicable diseases.
• To provide specialized services for mothers, children, adults, workers,
elderly, handicapped and eligible couples etc.
• To conduct research and contribute to the further refinement and
improvement of community health nursing practice .
• To participate in preparing health personal to function at the level of the
community.
• To supervise, guide and help health personnel in carrying out their
functions effectively.
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 Scope Of Community Health Nursing
• Community health nursing services at center.
• Industrial nursing services.
• School health nursing
• Domiciliary nursing services.
• Mental heath health nursing services
• MCH and family planning.
• Rehabilitation centers.
• Geriatric nursing services.
• International health agencies.
Setting for community health nursing practice
• Homes
• Ambulatory service
• Schools
• Occupational/industrial setting
• Residential institutions
• Voluntary Organizations
• Vaious centers R1,R2,R3
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Role of Community health Nurse
• Health Care Provider
• Health Educator
• Collaborator
• Counselor
• Advocate
• Researcher
• Manager
• Evaluator
• Consultant

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 Responsibilities of Community Health Nurse
• Planning, identifying, execution and evaluation of care.
• Providing comprehensive care to the individuals, families and groups by
teaching, counseling and guidance.
• Demonstrates and teaches skilled nursing care to family members of sick,
chronically ill in the home.
• Cares for the chronically ill, handicapped & disabled in the community.
Provides assistance to the families in improving environmental conditions.
Helps the families in the adjustment of social, emotional aspects of health.
• Organizing, planned group classes regarding the sanitation, nutrition, child care,
family welfare services and parent craft to the various members in the
community. Supervises the work of MPHW, health visitors and Dias.
• Conducts epidemiological investigations in the field of communicable disease
such as TB, sexual transmitted diseases & leprosy etc.,
• She revises the plans, programmes in her area and collects the vital statistics,
conducts research to study the existing health problems, evaluates effectiveness
of various health problems

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 Assignment / Exercise
• Define public health, community health and community health nursing.
• Explain the evolution of public health in India and scope of community
health nursing.

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 Learning outcomes
• Students will able to learn about the public health, community health and
community health nursing and the evolution of public health in India and
scope of community health nursing.

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SELO
4. Lifelong learning ability.

13. Adaptive thinking skills.

14. Team work skills in cross cultural environment in different level of

competencies.

19. Knowledge and ability for effective professional communication.

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REFERENCES
1. Comprehensive Textbook of Community Health Nursing including
Environmental Science and Epidemiology for Bsc Nursing Students.
2. Rao (KS),Introduction to Community Health Nursing, S, I.
Publications, Chennai, 7th Edition. New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers.
3. Piyush ,Textbook of Preventive and social Medicine, 2nd Edition,
Piyush.

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