Nurses from developed countries who have advanced degrees, such as MSN and PHd. are strategically positioned to meet the growing need of Nursing Leadership development of nurse leaders in developing countries. Today in many developing countries, nursing is still yet to be recognized for its significant impact on quality patient care. As a result, these nurses are seen more as subordinates to physicians and lack the opportunities to develop to their full potential as leaders in healthcare organizations and in the provision of quality patient care.
Curative primary care is essential for at least 30% of our patient healthcare problems, and we must continue our efforts to provide and teach high quality curative services. However, if we wish to provide high quality, evidence-based care for the remaining 70%, integration of community health with primary care is essential- especially on the missions field. The integration of primary care and community health was one of the main themes of the 2008 WHO World Health Report which was devoted entirely to Primary Care:
http://www.who.int/whr/2008/en/index.html This integration is also being promoted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the AMA for physicians in our country: Roadmaps for Clinical Practice. A Primer on Population-Based Medicine.-See AMA website:
http://www.ama-assn.org/ The following will demonstrate how an evidence-based holistic health education program can be used to integrate primary care and community health evangelism at all levels of the WHO health care pyramid (Hospital, Clinic/Health Center, and Family/Community), in both rural and urban areas, and in developed as well as developing countries.
The Comprehensive Rural Health Project (CRHP), Jamkhed, India, has been a pioneer in developing sustainable comprehensive community-based primary health care (CC-BPHC) since 1970, which has empowered communities to address their own health problems and development. Villages are transformed into caring and sharing communities, working together to improve the health of the whole community, especially poor, marginalized and women. Over the years it has continued to be innovative in its work in various aspects of health, now including non-communicable conditions and mental health, as well as various aspects of development. The program is based on the building capacity of communities, especially through village health workers, and dealing with root causes (social determinants of health). Its principles are equity, integration and empowerment. The Jamkhed Institute shares this experience with people from all over the world, training leadership in CC-BPHC. Its experience influenced the Alma Ata Declaration on Primary Health Care by WHO/UNICEF in 1978, which is currently being revitalized by WHO and others worldwide. The session will describe the philosophy, principles and practice developed by the CRHP staff and villagers of the Jamkhed area, and discuss the effectiveness and sustainability of this approach, which has been shared with people all over the world, including religious organizations.
How to integrate community health into curative health programs.
Hospital programs often have little community orientation. Communigty health efforts may create tension with curative programs. This talk will discuss how curative care and community health complement each other and how to integrate them effectively together
