title: Exploring the contribution of district nurses to public health.
abstract: To date the public health role of district nursing has been less well defined than in other branches of community nursing. A qualitative study examining the public health role of district nurses was undertaken in a West Yorkshire primary care trust. The study explored the range of public health activities currently undertaken by district nurses, the agendas perceived as most conducive to input and the organizational barriers that prevented greater involvement in public health from district nurses. Focus group and individual semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 21 members of the district nursing team and analysed using thematic content analysis. The findings suggest that district nurses were already undertaking a range of public health and health education activities but much of the work was opportunistic. District nurses perceived themselves as well placed to undertake locally based health action because of their profile in the local communities together with local intelligence. However, ineffective referral criteria were considered to be the most prohibitive barrier against making a greater contribution to health improvement.
authors.affiliation: Bradford South and West Primary Care Trust, Bradford, UK. phil.arnold@bradford.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Phil
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Topping
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Honey
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004506:Education, Nursing; D004739:England; D017144:Focus Groups; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D011634:Public Health / Q000193:education; D011637:Public Health Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration; D012944:Social Support