Qualitative analysis: Public health nursing curriculum in India: Inadequacy and differences in education and practice

<p>Jessica N Waghmare</p>

Qualitative analysis: Public health nursing curriculum in India: Inadequacy and differences in education and practice

Jessica N Waghmare

Wanless College of Nursing, India

: J Nurs Patient Care

Abstract

The present qualitative analysis of community public nursing curriculum was undertaken to assess inadequacy and differences in public health education and practice among five graduate and post graduate Nurses in India. There are many trained nurses completing their degree and diploma program from different nursing colleges and schools to set their currier in Nursing as professionals. The job opportunities are widen in different specialties. But when it comes public health, there is still narrow view among nurses to practice in this field there are specialties and super specialty training programs are set by Indian Nursing Council and Government of India but according to investigator’s analysis these curriculum are far beyond actual healthcare delivery system in India. Investigator used hermeneutic approach in this study. During open session of interview of experts from this specialty it was been analyzed by their views that many educators and experts were agree for limited scope in Public health as practice. One graduate Nurse said “it is interesting to learn public health as subject but to choose as currier or practice as community Health Nurse, we have no clear role and also scope in government as well as in private sector. Roles are not adequately defined neither the positions. So I feel inadequate when I think about public health as practice”. “Lot can be done but no strategies when it comes to post graduate specialized Public health Nurse. So there is only one currier option stick to academics” says one of the experts in Public health Nursing. Most of the Nurses after post-graduation in Public health choose to be at nursing academic side than in actual specialty sector due to limited scope. This directly effects on preparing and training student Nurse towards public health practice. Students are having mandatory education related to public health nursing, but in actual situation they are list interested to select community health as their currier. Infact in India there is drastic need of such qualified nurses to increase more accessibility toward health. But unfortunately only ground level health workers are only resource on which entire healthcare delivery system is dependent. Our Indian Health care system is based on concept of primary healthcare where Nurses have varieties of effective roles and responsibilities to perform. Investigator felt the need to compare with developed countries community health nursing practice with Indian CHN practice. This will explore a wide gap between nursing education and practice. Currently public health and education is fragmented and not uniform across the institutes. Public health institutes and association could play a proactive role in reshaping the curriculum parallel with practice.