The interactive and organizational model of community as client: a model for public health nursing practice

The Interactive and Organizational Model of Community as Client is presented as a conceptual framework for the specialty of public health nursing. A descriptive study was undertaken that explored a construct of the model, community-focused nursing. The study used a survey mailed to a stratified, random sample of directors of public health nursing (n = 145) in local health departments in an eight-state region of the midwestern United States. Seventy-nine percent (n = 115) of the directors responded. The vast majority reported performance of community-focused nursing functions. Implications for nursing-model development, education and practice are discussed.