Abstract
Responding to the mandate to prepare nurses for practice in population-based healthcare, the faculty at Cleveland State University (CSU) developed a unique Master of Science in Nursing program to prepare Population Health Nurse Experts. The program prepares nurses to examine the health status of populations and to design, implement, and evaluate nursing interventions accounting for the varied factors impacting on the health of a defined group. The speciality of population health nursing is practiced by nurses who can use population sciences (epidemiology, demography, population projections, and population behavioral theories) along with post-baccalaureate nursing competencies to work with defined populations across care environments. The authors discuss a curriculum that prepares nurses for this emerging speciality.
In the fall of 2000, the faculty at Cleveland State University (CSU) initiated an Master of Science in Nursing program in Population Health. The program prepares nurses to examine the health status of populations, and to design and implement interventions taking into account the impact of the political, economic, environmental, social, and cultural factors on health beliefs, behaviors, and outcomes. In addition, the program enables graduates to collaborate with stakeholders to promote optimal health for defined populations at each level of prevention. A population health nurse expert is able to address the needs of client groups across care environments, providing assessments and population-level interventions in acute care as well as community settings.