Developing the community environmental health role of the nurse.
This paper is a report from one phase of an exploratory case study. It investigated the environmental health concerns of members of communities within one city in the North East of Scotland. Individual interviews with stakeholders (n=21) and four focus groups were conducted with a convenience sample of community nurses (n=19). Community nurse participants believed that their environmental health role remains underdeveloped. They indicated that they do not view the NHS as a resource for environmental health information. An environmental role is constrained by the NHS not being perceived as a source of information or expert in environmental health. They described limited contact between community nurses and public health medicine and uncertainty and conflict of interest between clinical groups regarding the scope of an environmental health role. Policy makers could support the development of an environmental advocacy role--a pilot of this is required.
Carnegie
Elaine
E
Centre for Advanced Studies in Nursing, Centre of Academic Primary Care, University of Aberdeen. elaine.carnegie@googlemail.com
Kiger
Alice
A
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004782:Environmental Health / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D006801:Humans; D016294:Models, Nursing; D020380:Needs Assessment; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010348:Patient Care Team; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011637:Public Health Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012606:Scotland; D013222:State Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration*