An Evaluation of Undergraduate Public Health Nursing Clinical Sites Using the Cornerstones of Public Health Nursing

Background: There exists a shortage of clinical sites for undergraduate public health nursing students.  Many programs have expanded their use of community-based sites to meet this shortage.  Little evaluation has been conducted to determine whether these sites meet the competencies of public health nursing compared to county/city government agency sites. 

Methods: Using the Cornerstones of Public Health Nursing as a framework, an evaluation was completed comparing student experiences at two sites—one a traditional county governmental agency with students shadowing public health nurses (Site A), and the other a community-based organization that focuses primarily on clinical services and outreach (Site B).  Following their clinical experience, students completed a survey that addressed how well the site met the cornerstones for public health nursing.  Twenty-nine students completed the survey (Site A: n = 14; Site B: n = 15).

Results: Significant differences were found on six of the ten variables (p < .05), demonstrating that the sites were not perceived the same by students.  A statistically significant difference was found when scores of all cornerstones were summed (p = .005). 

Conclusion: All public health nursing clinical sites should be evaluated to determine whether they meet the Cornerstones of Public Health Nursing.  When nontraditional sites are needed, evaluation should occur and formative assessment used to enhance the learning experience.  Preceptors within the nontraditional sites can be mentored to provide appropriate enhanced learning experiences for students that assist the students in meeting these criteria.