“News from the Field” of the Colorado Public Health Association Nursing Section~ an Organizational Affiliate of CNA.

The CPHA Nursing Part members are Public Well being Nurses (PHNS) employed in city and rural settings fulfilling various and sophisticated roles. Many PHNs are members of different public well being associations/organizations domestically and nationally. Their employers embrace however aren’t restricted to; state well being businesses, foundations, and native public well being businesses. Nevertheless, their Nursing apply considerations and challenges mirror these of different nursing practices, corresponding to staffing ratios, protocols/insurance policies, competencies, advocacy, well being disparities/fairness, in addition to skilled scope and requirements of apply. Does this sound acquainted? So, what are Public Well being Nurses in Colorado doing to guard and enhance their nursing apply?

Through the previous two years, the Director of the Nursing Part, Daybreak James, MSN, APRN, CNS, CDCES, and Affiliate Director, Ann Scarpita, MSN, MPH, BSNRN, Tuberculosis Nurse Advisor, CDPHE, have offered management to perform a powerful physique of labor to enhance and keep work environments, affected person security, skilled requirements, advocacy for well being fairness, in addition to public {and professional} schooling. As well as, they’ve developed and co-authored Colorado Skilled Scopes of Apply in Public Well being Toolkit and the Public Well being Nurse Orientation Toolkit, which have obtained nationwide recognition. These instrument kits function user-friendly guides and instruments to help public well being employees and well being administrators in understanding the obligations and limitations of their licensing or public well being function. The Colorado Skilled Scopes of Apply in Public Well being Toolkit was offered in June 2023 on the American Public Well being Nurses (APHN) nationwide convention. As well as, the Nursing Part is within the technique of finalizing a evaluation and replace to their skilled competencies. These state-wide competencies embrace:

* Emergency Preparedness & Response (2010),

* Immunization (2012), and

* Communicable Illness (2012).

Extra competencies are being developed, and these competencies are particular to Colorado PHNs and information their apply along with the Quad Council Coalition (QCC) of Public Well being Nursing Group Public Well being Nurse Competencies (2021) and the ANA Public Well being Nursing Scope and Requirements of Apply.

You’ll be able to be taught extra concerning the CPHA Nursing Part and entry the Orientation Toolkit referenced above at: www.coloradopublichealth.org/public-health-nursing

That is only a sampling of the continued skilled growth work the CPHA Nursing Part has just lately accomplished along with their on a regular basis advanced Public Well being Nursing roles. With that being stated, with out nurses who encourage and promote the voices of what we do, we might not be empowered to proceed on the trail to reestablish and help the vital and impactful initiatives and work that nurses do on behalf of public well being day-after-day.

Please be at liberty to hitch our month-to-month Zoom conferences held on the third Friday of every month from 12:00 -1:15. To get the assembly hyperlink, please contact [email protected] or [email protected]

Respectfully submitted by Rita Beam, MS, RN, Liaison to the Colorado Nurses Affiliation