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. The course focuses on the health of various populations and explores 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, First Nations Peoples, and the GLBTQ community 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 explore a variety of key concepts 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. Students 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

Instructors

Joanne Louis & Sarah Alisch