The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #66374

Cynthia Bork, EdD, RN, Department of Nursing, Winona State University, 327 Stark Hall, Winona, MN 55987, 507-457-2470, cbork@winona.edu

Partner’s with Passion for Public Health

Winona State University, Augsburg College, and the University of Minnesota Schools of Nursing in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Public Health, and Wabasha, Winona, Houston, Dodge, and Olmsted County Public Health Departments have innovatively created a variety of public health experiences for the nursing students. The goals of this project are: 1) to broaden nursing students’ views of public health nursing, 2) develop greater understanding of public health theory, and 3) create stronger partnerships among schools of nursing and public health nursing departments. Faculty and public nursing mentors together plan possible activities from which students choose. These menus of activities include, but are not limited to: county board meetings, WIC clinics, regional public health directors’ meetings, immunization clinics, bioterrorism meeting, and jail nursing. The role of the preceptor at the agency is to familiarize the student with the activity and help the student identify how this activity fits into agency’s overall programs. The schools of nursing with the county agencies developed a Public Health Nursing Log Sheet. The log sheet allows the student to identify the activity with the Cornerstones of Public Health and the Seventeen Public Health Interventions (developed by the Minnesota Department of Health – Public Health Nursing Section). The student also identifies the level of prevention that the activity entails. The log sheet is a way to bring the theory of public health nursing together with the clinical practice of public health nursing.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to:
• Identify innovative clinical opportunities for nursing students in a variety of community settings.
• Develop a menu of activities tool based on the student experiences, the Cornerstones of Public Health, and the identified Seventeen Public Health Interventions by the Minnesota Dept. of Health - Public Health Section.
• Explore developing opportunities for summer internships for nursing students.

Keywords: Community-Based Public Health, Partnerships

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.