Vaccination competence of public health nurses

ABSTRACT Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the vaccination competence of Finnish public health nurses. Design and Sample: A survey design was used. Participants (n=405) were public health nurses working in health centers in Finland. Measures: The data were collected using a structured instrument and were analyzed by SAS. Results: The mean of self‐assessment was 8.3 and the proportion percentage of correct answers in the knowledge test was 83 %. According to the self‐assessment, public health nurses felt they were most competent in achieving the desired outcomes of vaccination implementation and poorest in their qualities as vaccinators. In the knowledge test, the public health nurses were familiar with vaccination recommendations and common contraindications, but showed room for improvement in managing an anaphylactic reaction, aseptic practices, and knowing the names of vaccines. There was a statistically significant link between the results on the self‐assessment and the knowledge test. Conclusions: Further training should be organized in the areas where knowledge was lacking. It would be useful to further investigate differences in competence between public health nurses working different sectors. These results could be utilized in education, clinical nursing practice, administration and research. This study demons2 trated that vaccination competence can be measured by means of the structured instrument.     

社区护士应对突发公共卫生事件救援能力评价指标的构建

目的 构建社区护士应对突发公共卫生事件救援能力评价指标.方法 基于文献研究、理论分析、质性访谈初步拟订评价指标,2020年8月—9月采用德尔菲法对20名专家进行2轮咨询,结合层次分析法和平均分配法计算各级指标权重.结果 2轮专家咨询的问卷回收率为90％、100％,有效率均为100％;专家权威系数均为0.866;专家意见...     

Attitudes toward Web-based distance learning among public health nurses in Taiwan: a questionnaire survey

BACKGROUND: Public health nurses (PHNs) often cannot receive in-service education due to limitations of time and space. Learning through the Internet has been a widely used technique in many professional and clinical nursing fields. The learner's attitude is the most important indicator that promotes learning. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate PHNs' attitude toward web-based learning and its determinants. DESIGN: This study conducted a cross-sectional research design. SETTINGS: 369 health centers in Taiwan. PARTICIPANTS: The population involved this study was 2398 PHNs, and we used random sampling from this population. Finally, 329 PHNs completed the questionnaire, with a response rate of 84.0%. METHODS: Data were collected by mailing the questionnaire. RESULTS: Most PHNs revealed a positive attitude toward web-based learning (mean+/-SD=55.02+/-6.39). PHNs who worked at village health centers, a service population less than 10,000, PHNs who had access to computer facility and on-line hardware in health centers and with better computer competence revealed more positive attitudes (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Web-based learning is an important new way of in-service education; however, its success and hindering factors require further investigation. Individual computer competence is the main target for improvement, and educators should also consider how to establish a user-friendly learning environment on the Internet.     

Developing population health competencies among public health nurses in Georgia

As part of a new vision for public health in Georgia, the role of the public health nurse (PHN) is shifting from a predominantly individual and clinic-based care model to a population health practice model. Based on focus groups conducted with management and frontline PHNs in 2001, nurses in Georgia were unprepared for this transition and lacked a strong understanding of population health concepts and competencies. To prepare nurses for their new and expanded responsibilities, an online population health course was developed specifically for currently employed PHNs. The Quad Council PHN Competencies (2003) provided the roadmap in identifying the population health online course and continuing education training program priority competencies for PHNs in Georgia. Along with incorporating the competencies into case studies and didactic learning, the required projects served as evidence of competency application. The population health online course was offered from fall 2000 to spring 2005 in collaboration with Georgia schools of nursing and has enabled a cohort of nurses to lead the way as Georgia transitions into a new public health model. Nurses who completed the course reported greater experience with and an understanding of population health competencies.     

公共卫生护士核心能力评价指标体系的构建

目的 构建公共卫生护士核心能力评价指标体系,为培养及发展符合我国国情的公共卫生护士提供依据。方法 通过国内外文献回顾、半结构式访谈初步拟定公共卫生护士核心能力评价指标体系,以德尔菲专家咨询法对全国18名专家进行2轮函询,并对条目进行修改、补充及删减,采用百分权重法计算各级指标条目的权重。结果 2轮专家咨询的问卷有效回收率均为100%,专家意见提出率分别为89%和67%,专家权威系数为0.864,肯德尔和谐系数分别为0.172~0.404和0.198~0.422（P均<0.001）。最终形成的公共卫生护士核心能力评价指标包括一级指标5项（基本公共卫生实践能力、项目管理与实施的基本能力、突发公共卫生事件应急反应能力、流行病学调查能力、领导力）、二级指标26项、三级指标79项。结论 公共卫生护士核心能力评价指标体系具有科学性、可靠性、本土适宜性及实用性,明确了公共卫生护士准入条件和工作职责,为中国未来培养及发展高素质公共卫生护理人才提供参考和借鉴,也为医疗机构制订临床护士转岗培训方案及考核标准提供依据。     

Effects of an empowerment-based education program for public health nurses in Taiwan

Aim and objectives. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of an empowerment‐based education program (EBEP) on employee empowerment, job satisfaction, job productivity and innovative behaviours for public health nurses (PHN) in Taiwan. Background. Empowerment is an important consideration among nurses trying to function in ever‐changing health care and education settings. Several studies focused on the trend of public health nursing revealed that PHN have experienced a severe feeling of powerlessness. Developing empowerment strategies through organisations may be a means of helping employees recognise powerlessness in difficult situations and take appropriate action. Design. Quasi‐experimental design. Methods. PHN in two health bureaus in Taiwan were assigned into an empowerment group (n = 29) and a control group (n = 32). Twenty‐four hours of the EBEP lasted four weeks included four empowerment classes and four group workshops following each curriculum for PHN to apply principles of empowerment in their work environment. Data were collected at baseline and four weeks after the intervention. Analysis of covariance (ancova ) was used to examine the intervention effect. Results. The experimental group reported significantly higher psychological empowerment [F (1,47) = 5·09, MSE = 3·25, p = 0·001, η² = 0·18] and competence [F (1,47) = 3·96, MSE = 28·78, p = 0·05, η² = 0·22] and impact [F (1,47) = 4·98, MSE = 44·79, p = 0·002, η² = 0·20] subscales, job productivity [F (1,47) = 4·88, MSE = 5·18, p = 0·002, η² = 0·19] and innovative behaviours [F (1,47) = 5·09, MSE = 3·25, p = 0·001, η² = 0·24] than the control group after the EBEP. Conclusion. The EBEP had significant effect on psychological empowerment and subscales of competence and impact, innovative behaviour and job productivity but no effect on organisational empowerment and job satisfaction for PHN. Relevance to clinical practice. Our findings suggest public health administration could design empowerment‐based education to improve employee empowerment and job productivity for PHN. Furthermore, using multiple components to design empowerment education should be considered in further studies.     

阿克苏地区基层护士突发公共卫生事件应急救援能力的影响因素研究

目的了解基层护士对突发公共卫生事件应急救援能力现状,并分析影响因素。方法采取分层整群抽样法,抽取阿克苏地区21所一级医院和3所二级医院350名护士为研究对象,采用基层护士突发公共卫生事件应急能力评估量表进行调查。结果基层护士突发公共卫生事件应急救援能力总均分为(3.46±0.72)分,处于中等水平;条目得分现场救护技术最高,为(3.66±0.71)分,突发公共卫生事件相关法律、法规最低,为(3.39±0.72)分;学历、科室、应急培训以及应急演练是基层护士突发公共卫生事件应急救援能力的主要影响因素。结论基层护士突发公共卫生事件认知和应急救援总体水平不高,加强基层护士积极应对公共卫生事突发情况的应急救护能力的培训势在必行。开展应急模拟演练和专业技术培训,提高基层护士危机意识和综合素质。     

Developing public health competence among RN-to-BSN students in a rural community

A new RN/BSN nursing program offers rural students in a western state the opportunity to address significant health care needs on a local level by developing public health leadership competencies in their home communities. The innovative program, funded by a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration, makes it possible for RNs to complete their BSN degrees without travel, as they position themselves to provide critically needed health care leadership in their local areas. Partnerships between the university, community colleges, and local health agencies allow students in the RN-to-BSN program to benefit from a streamlined BSN admission process, onsite mentoring, and newly developed courses that lead students to reflect on health needs in their home communities. On the basis of Public Health Nursing Competencies as defined by the Nursing Quad Council (2004), the re-designed curriculum prepares students for public health leadership by encouraging application of competencies while participating in the delivery of essential public health services in their communities. Initial response to this new opportunity indicates that students can develop as leaders by developing public health competencies, and facets of the program may encourage more students to commit to completing the BSN while increasing capacity among PHNs.     

Cultural competence immersion experiences: public health among the Navajo

Holistic nursing practice requires cultural competence. The author describes a cultural immersion experience involving public health among the Navajo as having four components: inspiration, preparation, immersion, and reentry. Such experiences require faculty with requisite attitudes and abilities, as well as a supportive academic environment to nurture this student learning opportunity. Important faculty development issues discussed include faculty cultural competence and interpersonal skills, fiscal support, curricular coordination, and administrative commitment.