ABSTRACT
AIMS: There is a paucity of data regarding the care and support provided by Norwegian school health services to siblings of children with complex care needs. Public health nurses are an integral part of these universal services, which focus on health promotion and disease prevention in primary and secondary schools. This study aimed to explore health promotion interventions by public health nurses for siblings in Norwegian schools and to identify regional differences. METHODS: An online national questionnaire was distributed to Norwegian public health nurses and leaders of public health nursing services (N = 487). The questions were related to how the nurses support siblings of children with complex care needs. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. An inductive thematic analysis of free-text comments was conducted. ETHICAL APPROVAL: The study was approved by the Norwegian Centre for Research Data. RESULTS: The majority of public health nursing leaders (67%) reported that the services in their municipality had no system to identify siblings or to provide them with routine care. However, 26% of public health nurses reported that routine support was provided to siblings. Regional differences were identified. STUDY LIMITATIONS: This study included responses from 487 PHNs from all four health regions in Norway. The study design is limited and gives a brief outline of the current situation. Further data are needed to provide in-depth knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: This survey provides important knowledge for health authorities and professionals working with siblings, about inadequate support and regional differences in care provided to siblings by school health services.
Subject(s)
Nurses, Public Health , Humans , Child , Siblings , School Health Services , Public Health Nursing , NorwayABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Norwegian public health nurses prevent diseases and promote health in children and young people aged 0-20 and their families. Public health nursing programs prepare students for their practical role and provide relevant theoretical knowledge. OBJECTIVES: To gain knowledge of the literature in the Norwegian public health nursing curricula, and to examine further the nursing base in these curricula. DESIGN: An explorative and descriptive design was chosen. SAMPLE: Reading lists based on syllabus documents from the 10 higher educational institutions in Norway offering programs in public health nursing. MEASUREMENTS: A summative content analysis and a categorization of content from reading lists were performed. RESULTS: Numerical information on the content and categorization of reading lists shows that social science and humanities literature dominates, followed by psychology and medicine. Nursing texts, theories and philosophy comprise only a minor part of the curricula. CONCLUSION: The paper provides valuable data on the theoretical focus in Norwegian public health nursing and raises important questions about the paucity of nursing texts in the curriculum. The imbalance in reading lists in Norway should be studied further and similar studies conducted in other countries to encourage reflection on the theoretical content of public health nursing education globally.
Subject(s)
Nurses, Public Health , Public Health Nursing , Adolescent , Child , Curriculum , Health Promotion , Humans , NorwayABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Public health, primary health care, and nursing are founding principles of public health nursing. Thus, the underpinning curriculum needs to reflect these core principles. Public health nursing educators sought to delve deeper into curricula and training of public health nurse (PHNs) in Ireland and Norway OBJECTIVE: To compare PHNs' educational training in Ireland and Norway through a collaborative process DESIGN: This study used a descriptive comparative design SAMPLE: A panel of expert educators (the authors) compared national Public health nursing education strategies, guidelines, and curricula used to train PHN students RESULTS: Four core categories emerged from the analysis: general characteristics, theoretical and empirical knowledge base for PHNs practice, applying theory to clinical practice, and professional/ethical dimensions for practice. Results revealed more similarities than differences in both countries' educational models. The central difference related to the specialist role in Norway versus the generalist role in Ireland CONCLUSIONS: Workforce requirements drive the delivery of Public Health Nursing programs and educational curricula. However, it is imperative that educators evaluate their curricula in terms of fitness and practice, not just purpose.