Introduction to Community Health Nursing Perspectives
This course introduces students to the theory and practice of community health nursing through the ‘lens’ of primary health care (PHC). Throughout the term, we will focus on the health of various populations and explore the ways in which ‘health’ is largely a socially determined phenomenon. The care of diverse populations within Canada such as the homeless/under-housed, the incarcerated, rural dwellers, Indigenous Peoples, and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community will feature prominently in class readings and lectures as students develop a critical understanding of the complex contexts and everyday circumstances in which members of different social groups negotiate access to health. Students will explore a variety of key concepts throughout the course, including principles of primary health care, trauma-informed care, social determinants of health, cultural safety, harm reduction, population health, health promotion, social marginalization, disease prevention, and community capacity building. They will ground their understanding of these concepts in core values of primary health care, including social justice and equity, as they begin to develop their skills in caring for diverse communities of people. This course lays the theoretical groundwork for the senior year course in primary health care and community health nursing practice.
Delivery Format
In-person