Importance of using Theory and Models in Community and Public Health Practice Conceptual frameworks, theories, and models have been key elements used in guiding community health nursing practice. A study carried out by the Canadian Public Health Association revealed that the first importance of theories and models in guiding public and community health practice stems from the fact that these theories and models combine knowledge from various disciplines both within and out of the nursing realms (Schoenfeld & MacDonald 2002). These theories and models bring together knowledge from wide disciplines such as medicine, psychology, and sociology, which are further combined with public health science, primary healthcare, and nursing science. The interdisciplinary nature of these models and theories, therefore, provide different perspectives through which community and public health nursing can be examined. According to Whitehead (2004), theories and models provide a basis for community and public health practice. A wide range and models related to community and public health focus on community participation, promoting and maintaining health, illness and injury prevention, and community development. It is from these elements and concepts that community and public health practice is based and applied. Community and public health practice is guided by a set of values and beliefs. A number of these are derived from theories and models that describe important aspects in the nursing profession. An example of this is the nursing meta-paradigm which was identified by Fawcett and later updated by Schim and Benkert et al (2007). This model describes key aspects of the nursing knowledge particularly in relation to organizing beliefs, principles and values of community and public health nursing. These key aspects include person, health, environment,
3 COMMUNITY CONCEPTUAL MODEL COMPARISON nursing and social justice. In the community and public health context, this model links the five key concepts which are then used to organize principles, beliefs, and values to be used in community nursing practice. Conceptual Models Two important models in community and public health include Pender’s Health Promotion Model and Milio’s framework for prevention. Pender’s Health Promotion Model Nola Pender developed the Health Promotion Model (HPM) in 1982 after which she later revised it. Pender formulated her model with the aim of helping nurses in educating clients who had entrenched behaviors such as drug abuse and smoking (Whitehead 2004). According to Pender, health promotion comprised of activities that were designed to increase the well-being of families, individuals, societies, and communities. The initial model formulated by Pender comprised of the decision-making phase and an action phase. The decision-making phase comprises of individual perceptions and modifying factors. Stan…….
Importance of using Theory
