As health moves outside the boundaries of the hospital, community nurses are spearheading a movement of access, prevention and patient empowerment. Their efforts are reshaping how the most vulnerable are reached with care.

Health care is transforming rapidly. Patients aren’t always visiting clinics, so nurses are stepping out into neighborhoods, homes and school districts to see them in the community. Community-located or community-based care is becoming more critical in today's care environment, especially in underserved communities.

This is not only practical, but personal. And for students in training, the best online DNP FNP programs  are already prioritizing the delivery of care in actual community environments.

What is community-based nursing?

Community-based practice is all about bringing the care to the people, not bringing the people to the care. It is founded on the principles of trusting relationships and close familiarity of the population. Not in the cold, antiseptic environment of the hospital room, but out of the mobile unit, community facility or even living room.

The goal is to bring daily health needs to where they exist: at home, in the workplace or in school. This strategy is most useful in the chronic disease management, the delivery of prevention instruction and for individuals who would not otherwise gain access to care.

Community nurses are not merely symptomatic treatment providers. They also support individuals in dealing with the conditions and surroundings that influence their health; anything from nutrition and housing to stress and transport.

Meeting Patients Where They Are Via Mobile Clinics and Home Visits

For many, particularly those in rural or financially challenged areas, the issue of transportation may become a significant barrier to receiving healthcare because distances are so far or public transport is so limited that regular care is not accessible for everyone.

The home visit and the traveling health unit are changing that. The service brings the nurse to the client, often providing anything from blood pressure screening to immunizations to psychiatric screening.

In individuals who are elderly or have disabilities, this care is of extreme importance. It reduces the need for costly emergency visits and inpatient care. In young families and children, it provides for early preventive care that can establish the building blocks of a lifetime of health.

More than anything, it fosters trust. When nurses visit a patient's community or household, they are able to show commitment, accessibility and respect. Trust results in better communication, as well as more regular care.

Closing Gaps in Rural and Underserved Regions

Health inequalities are persistent all around the globe and rural and poor communities, in general, are short of facilities and stretched resources. Community nurses are the most important lifeline for such communities.

These nurses work singly or in small teams to provide health care in wide geographic areas. Their education prepares them to assess, diagnose, educate and follow up, all in the face of limited resources. Where the doctor may have contact with a community once a month, the nurse is the face of frequent care.

The same is true in urban underserved areas. Community nurses intervene for the good of populations plagued by language barriers, deprivation or structural injustices. They will collaborate with neighborhood associations, school districts or shelters to give care in the places most in need.

Not only do they fill the gaps in the delivery of medicine, they also provide continuity. They get to know the community. The community gets to know them.

The Role of Nurse Advocates in Prevention and Education

The community-based practice is not only reacting to illness but also preventing it even prior to its occurrence.

These nurses also specialize in health education; they teach patients how to manage chronic conditions like asthma or diabetes, hey cover nutrition, smoking, mental health and exercise and they instruct individuals regarding medication and health recommendations, which is of utmost importance in low-health literacy groups.

More importantly, they empower people to own their health. When people understand why the change is necessary and are supported, they’re much more likely to make it.

That's especially true for caregivers, parents and patients with multiple conditions. Empowered patients develop better communities. And community nurses are the ones working that day in and day out.

Training and Partnerships Are The Secret to a Successful Community Nursing Program

Providing care in nonclinical environments demands a wide and adaptable skill set. Community nurses need to be independent thinkers, good communicators and innovative problem-solvers. They are not only caregivers, they are also coordinators, educators and patient representatives.

Education programs for advanced practice nurses increasingly do the same. Cultural competence, public health and community assessment are now staples of the curriculum.

Successful community-based care is also dependent on local partnerships. Nurses will also partner with school districts, social service agencies, nonprofits and faith communities in a effort to reach more people. These partnerships enable better assessment of need and the provision of effective care.

 

Healthcare is no longer contained within the corridors of clinics and hospitals. It meets others on their own ground, in their own environment. It respects their day-to-day problems and aims to reduce impediments. And it places nurses in the center of a new, improved model of care. As the healthcare system evolves, the community nurse will continue to be in the spotlight. Not only are they healing the patients, they’re transforming communities, visit after visit.