Health educators should strive to understand the origins and roles of curanderas (herbalists) and brujas (witches) in Mexican American culture and appreciate both the advantages and the related problems that these people bring to their patients and their communities. (CMJ)

Expert community health nurses (n=28) described crucial clinical situations. Content analysis revealed that decision making was both rational and intuitive. Eight themes were identified: decision-making focus, type, purpose, decision-maker characteristics, sequencing of events, data collection methods, facilitators/barriers, and decision-making…

A 6-year collaboration between home care professionals and academic researchers shows how to identify the right research partners, mobilize resources, sustain long-term effectiveness, and ensure return on investments of time, energy, and resources. Despite the challenges to both community and university, research partnerships result in benefits to…

Primary health care goes beyond the individual focus of primary care to build interventions for improved health for the entire population. It embodies these principles: equitable distribution, appropriate technology, focus on promotion and prevention, community participation, and a multisectoral approach. (SK)

Responses from 159 of 837 health and mental health professionals in Alaska showed the following: (1) 54% said community services for the aging were inadequate; (2) 55% felt health professionals' knowledge of aging was insufficient; and (3) 91.8% needed further training in aging and geriatrics, especially regarding mental health and Alzheimer's…

Interviews with 11 key stakeholders uncovered strategies used to prepare rural Canadian nurses for transition from acute care to community health centers. Strategies included broadening the focus of care, involving community and staff, implementing a phased transition, offering continuing education, and ensuring systemic organizational support.…

The Health Systems Nurse specialist program is an innovative master's curriculum in community health nursing, nursing administration, and nursing informatics. Students learn to work collaboratively to determine health priorities, develop and implement interventions, and monitor and improve patient outcomes. (Contains 11 references.) (JOW)

Discusses respective roles and responsibilities of public and private sectors in corrections field. Describes service contracting and use of private sector for rehabilitation programs carried out in community. Maintains the importance of assuring accountability and assessing the value of services, and the legitimacy of cooperation and…

The Florida National Forum on Health Care drew 75 participants who agreed that schools should be a place for continuing education and a resource for information on community needs for health care. The highest goal is developing a caring, competent generation of children. (SK)

Health promotion and occupational therapy are a natural partnership. Therapists can expand their roles to include enabling, mediating, and advocating by incorporating health promotion and community concepts into their practice. (SK)

The master's of science in nursing curriculum at Seattle University leads to the designation Community Health Clinical Nurse Specialist. The School of Nursing's goal is to educate leaders in nursing who advocate for those least able to speak for themselves and least able to access resources available to the majority of people. (Author/JOW)

In Hawaii, one of four national "vision for nursing education" projects focused on identifying themes for a community-based curriculum. Focus groups selected nursing history, culture, identity, knowledge, and practice as well as cross-disciplinary themes. (SK)

Discusses the role of evaluation both in improving programs and in determining program effects. Explains how to conduct a strong and methodologically rigorous evaluation and discusses additional factors policymakers and practitioners should consider when interpreting the results of home-visiting program evaluations. (SLD)

Aggregate health care focuses on subgroups at high risk for illness or premature death. The University of Wisconsin prepares nursing students for aggregate care through community projects involving diagnosis, planning, intervention, and outcome evaluation. (SK)

Twenty-four of 54 nurses who attended a continuing education program on immunization responded to a 6-month follow-up survey. Knowledge scores increased significantly, but practice behaviors changed only moderately. (SK)