The health promoting nurse

Area of Science:

• Nursing Practice
• Health Promotion
• Healthcare Policy

Background:

• Health promotion integration in nursing faces significant challenges.
• Existing nursing philosophies and role perceptions may impede proactive health promotion.
• The disconnect between hospital and community settings creates barriers for consistent health promotion efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key obstacles to integrating health promotion into nursing practice.
• To explore strategies for overcoming these barriers.
• To define the characteristics, actions, methods, and settings of a health-promoting nurse.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of nursing philosophy and practice.
• Exploration of nurses' perceptions of their roles.
• Examination of the hospital-community interface in health promotion.

Main Results:

• An individualistic nursing philosophy obstructs holistic health promotion.
• Nurses' self-perceptions can limit their engagement in health promotion activities.
• The hospital-community divide fragments health promotion strategies.

Conclusions:

• Addressing philosophical, perceptual, and structural barriers is crucial.
• Developing a health-promoting nurse requires a shift in practice and perspective.
• Clearer definitions of the health-promoting nurse role are needed for effective implementation.