Editorial

Nurses’ role in public health

All UK government policies emphasise the importance of improving public health. There is a greater need to help people, not only to live longer, but also to stay healthy, and nurses have an important role in supporting these aims.

All UK government policies emphasise the importance of improving public health. There is a greater need to help people, not only to live longer, but also to stay healthy, and nurses have an important role in supporting these aims.

A new report by the RCN (2016) demonstrates that nurses are well placed to provide such support. The report, which presents the views of people in and outside the profession about the role and value of nurses in public health, shows that they are valued for their local knowledge, communication skills, compassion and motivation. Problems in designing public health services that involve nurses include a lack of resources, a training deficit and a lack of knowledge among commissioners about how nurses can best contribute.

The report affirms that nurses are well placed to give public health messages, are seen as approachable and have good clinical knowledge. Nurses, especially community nurses, were said to understand the needs of the communities in which they work better than most other professionals.

Supporting and promoting healthier lifestyles is fundamental to what nurses do, but they may not always think of it as ‘public health’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, organisational restructuring has meant that many nurses are based away from these communities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supporting and promoting healthier lifestyles is fundamental to what nurses do. However, nurses may not always appreciate that what they do is ‘public health’. There is a need, therefore, to highlight this work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To this end, the RCN has launched a public health nursing website, at www.nurses4PH.org.uk, that features a series of case studies demonstrating the diverse ways nurses work to support public health. It is clear that the nursing role is essential across a wide range of areas, such as smoking cessation, living with HIV and advice for young people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Given the recent reorganisation of services and commissioning, the value of nurses to the public health of the UK may be greater than ever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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