Page 321 - fourth year book

ADVANCED ROLE OF COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSING

Traditional role of Community Health Nursing

1. Care Provider (Functional Role or clinician):

 The most familiar role of the community health nurse is that of

clinician or care provider. It means that the nurse ensures that
health services are provided not just to individuals and families,

but also to groups and populations.
 The goals for the nurse as clinician are to reduce disease,

discomfort, disability, and premature death for the total
community.

 The CH. Nurse uses many different skills in the care provider role
such as skills in observation, listening, communication and

counseling.

2. Educator role:

 Health teaching, a widely recognized part of nursing practice, is

one of the major functions of the community health nurse provide
people with information, knowledge, or skills that they need to

make appropriate choices or decisions.
o As educators, CH. Nurses facilitate client’s understanding

and learning facts about health and health promotion. This
could be achieved by sharing information with the client

either formally e.g. through health classes in different clinics
or informally at home.

o CH. Nurses also act as counselor to individuals and groups.
Counselor role help people choose the most appropriate

solutions, not by deciding for them, but by strengthening and
guiding peoples own decision-making skills or processes.

Key tasks for the counseling role include listening, and
providing feedback and information. It involves providing

emotional, intellectual and psychological support.
o Counseling requires therapeutic communication skills.

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