COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course builds on Nurse students’ professional experiences to prepare them for population-focused clinical practice in public/community health nursing by meeting selected, collective health needs of the community and society. Theories from nursing, public health, and social and behavioral sciences are utilized to provide culturally competent nursing care to total populations or to individuals, families and groups within the context of that population. Primary prevention strategies for populations at risk are emphasized to promote and protect health, and prevent disease across the life span. Local, state and national health policies, political and economic influences will be part of the analysis of community issues and activities. An interdisciplinary, collaborative approach is taken in public/community assessment, decision-making, planning, implementation and evaluation throughout community health nursing