Expanding horizons: innovations in community health nursing education

Application of this learning process (problem assessment, program planning, intervention, and evaluation) at the aggregate level, was a creative, enjoyable, growth producing experience for the senior nursing students. It is a process that is not only useful in the local community, but also prepares nurses for working at county, state, and national levels. They learn to make valid observations and firm decisions, to carry out actions, to overcome obstacles, to alter behavior, and to evaluate results. It does not replace other practices and former services of community health nursing, but complements them. There exists a tremendous potential for nurses in planning health care, already being realized in many settings. Certainly grass roots communities, rural populations and urban neighborhoods are in the highest need of creative, effective health programs that take into account the total population. Given such creativity, it is possible by the year 2000, that the Community Health Nurse may become a combination medical advisor, health instructor, community leader, playwright, photographer, author and television director; certainly a captivating career for people of the New World.