Reiko Okamoto, RN, PHN, ND¹, Misa Shiomi, RN, PHN, MS¹, Kimiko Nakayama, RN, PHN, MN¹, Yoko Hatono, RN, PHN, Mn², and Yoshiko Sekito, RN, PhD¹. (1) Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Kobe University, 7-10-2, Tomogaoka,Suma-ku, Kobe, 654-0142, Japan, 81-78-796-4531, okamotor@ams.kobe-u.ac.jp, (2) National Institute of Public Health, 2-3-6, Minami, Wako-city, Saitama 351-0197, Japan, Wako, Japan

Purpose: As Japan is passing through a transition period concerning the legal status of the community health care, accordingly, the PHNs have also been trying to adjust their practices for a new era. The purpose of this study was to clarify the intentions of the researchers which contributed in updating PHNs practices through mutual cooperation. Method: The subjects were 6 PHNs working at public health centers in H prefecture of Japan. The method was a qualitative research by participant observation. The data was collected descriptively and interpreted, along with the contents and meanings, and categorized. The duration of collecting data was two years for every subject, while they were working to solve the problems on their workplace. Results: The main categorized intentions of the researchers were A) to establish specialization update, B) to stabilize the best-practice in the field and have its ripple effects, organize by PHNs themselves. The steps to realize category A were distilled from data. The researchers intended to upgrade the practices in order to have PHNs (1) find a specialized identity, (2) understand and create consciousness about the identity, (3) explain their specialization, (4) put forth the specialization, (5) receive wide social recognition on the specialization. The elements to achieve category B were that PHNs would improve their practices based on (1) the practice based knowledge, (2) evidence based practice, (3) plan-do-see based process. As a result of these practices, PHNs would make their practices (4) further developed, and (5) more stabilized and disseminated. In order to proceed all of the practices, researchers promoted collaborative study and training for PHNs. Discussion: It is necessary to clarify the approaches of the researchers, especially concerning PHNs, and its effects on the working of the PHNs.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the researcher's roles and actions for updating PHN's practices through the mutual cooperation

Keywords: Public Health Nursing, Public Health Research

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.