In the Spotlight
Public Health
Lori Ann Laramee, Public Health Nurse at St James Community Public Health Nurse
We asked Lori Ann Laramee to provide some suggestions and ideas to inspire public health nurses about how they can help facilitate improved patient flow. Here are her thoughts:
Role confusion
One of the biggest problems is the public health nurse role is not well defined or understood. For the past two years, I've been working with a group to develop the first ever nursing practice model in Canada. Promoting, protecting and preserving the health of the population is a public health nurse's role. You can read more here.
Proactively impacting patient flow
Being visible in the community, public health nurses have a unique chance to work with people - from babies to seniors - before they have substantial health problems. We have the chance to build trust and relationships with people, which creates a comfort level and clients then phone us first, asking for help.
The purpose of public health is to keep people healthy and alleviate pressure on the healthcare system by creating population level health improvements.
If the public health system is achieving its full potential, this will reduce the need for acute care services and improve patient flow in doctor's offices, emergency rooms and hospitals.
Addressing barriers to health
People have all kinds of barriers to health care. If we reach out to them where they're at, and help them recognize that changes can't be made all at once, we can help them improve their health.
Public health takes a harm reduction approach. We can't stand in front of people and tell them to make ginormous changes. It's about meeting people where they're at to begin with, and encouraging small changes toward health.
Primary health prevention
Primary health prevention focuses on health promotion and protection before the onset of disease. We're in the right place in the right time for primary prevention - in the community. It's a privilege, going out to people in communities, rather than waiting for them to come to us.
Examples of primary prevention where public health nurses can have an impact are smoking cessation, regular physical activity, good nutrition and occupational safety requirements.
The annual influenza immunization campaign is a good example of primary health prevention. Vaccination is the safest, longest-lasting and most effective way to prevent influenza. We need to keep in the forefront of our minds as we immunize people that prevention like this can help to keep people out of the emergency department.
With home visits through programs like the Baby Friendly Initiative, Healthy Parenting and Early Childhood Development, as well as Families First home visitors and other community partners we are able to screen every family. We can do a whole family assessment, mental health assessment, and do a resource and risk assessment as far as coping. Then we know how we can basically target more intense services to support health and wellness.
We offer a voluntary service. Because we are visible in the community, people know us and are more familiar with our role. The trust is there. We are welcomed and that gives us a fantastic avenue to be delivering the services we do, which makes a really happy and healthy community.
Secondary health prevention
If a disease is detected early, its impact can be minimized or interrupted. That can prevent irreversible damage. Examples include pap smears, blood pressure check ups, mammograms, and other forms of screening.
Public health nurses in general and centralized programs receive notification of communicable diseases such as tubercolosis, HIV, hepatitis, syphilis, and food and water borne illnesses follow-up with clients to reduce disease spread and also the severity of complications.