The document outlines several principles of community health nursing: 1) Community health nursing is community focused and requires understanding the defined community and establishing relationships. 2) Services should be based on identified community health needs and integrated within total community health programs. 3) Health services should be available and accessible to all without discrimination. 4) Community health nurses are accountable to health authorities and should function as part of a team within the policies and goals set by health agencies.

4. PRINCIPLES OF
COMMUNITY HEALTH
NURSING

5. PRINCIPLES
• Principles or precepts are rules for practice or
action.
• These are the guidelines or directives derived
from concepts, theory and philosophy of
community health and nursing.

6. NEED OF PRINCIPLES
• Ensuring relevant, safe, and correct practices to
meet the health needs of the individuals,
families, groups and community.
• More important in changing socio-economic
conditions of the people. More knowledgeable
of what is wrong or right, and are more
demanding.
• Knowledge on working principles and apply
them in their daily activities regardless of their
position and training.

7. PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY HEALTH
• Health care should be shaped around the life
patterns of the population. it should serve and
should meet the needs of the community.
• Primary health care should be an integral part of
the national health system and other services
should be designed in support of the needs of
the peripheral level.
• Health care activities should be fully integrated
with the activities of other sectors involved in
community development.

8. Contd…
• The local population should be actively involved
in the formulation and implementation of
health care activities, so that health care can be
brought into line with local needs and priorities.
• The health care offered should place a maximum
reliance on available community resources,
especially those which have remained untapped
and should remain within the cost limitations
relevant to each country.

9. Contd..
• Health care should be an integrated approach
of preventive, promotive, curative, and
rehabilitative services for the individual,
family and community.
• The majority of interventions should be
undertaken at the most peripheral practice
level of the health services by the workers
most suitably trained for performing these
activities.

10. The above principles involve the new
philosophical base of community health in
the Alma Ata declaration (1978):
• Availability of health care for all
• Promotive and preventive aspects of health
care
• Integration of curative and preventive care

11. Contd..
• Active involvement of individuals and
communities in planning and providing care.
• Development of maximum potential for self
care
• Utilization of all levels and types of health
man power.
• Inter-sectoral approach (multisectoral
approach)

12. PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY HEALTH
NURSING
• Community health
nursing is community
focused; it is therefore
essential to know the
defined community,
make a map and
establish effective
working relationship.

13. • Community health
nursing is based on
identified community
health nursing needs
and functions within
the total community
health programmes.

14. • Health services should be based on the felt
needs.

15. • Health services should be available and
accessible to all without any discrimination.
• Health services should be available to all
people irrespective of their origin, culture or
social and economic resources and also it
should be available to people irrespective of
age, sex, creed, nationality and political
affiliation.

17. • The community health nurse should maintain
professional dignity and must never accept
any gifts or money as bribe.
• Community health nurse must be non
political and non sectarian in her relationship
with people.
• The community health nurse should be
qualified.

18. • Community health nurses are accountable or
responsible to authorized health authority and
functions within the policies, general goals and
objectives set by the health agency.
• Job condition should be conducive for optimum
satisfaction.
• Effective health worker irrespective of position
or place of work, functions as a team. / All
community health nurses and supervisors
should function as a team.

19. • In the community health, community is the
focus and than the individual which is the
unit of all health care services.
• Professional relationship and etiquette are
essential in community health services.
• Health services should be realistic in terms of
available personnel and facilities.
• Follow up services are effective service and it
is must in community health.

20. • Evaluation of services is an important factor in
community health programme. / Periodic and
continuous appraisal and evaluation of health
situation and health services are basic to
community health.
• Facilities for further training and continuing
education should be provided by the health
authority.
• Any influential people in an area or the
community development staff should help to
carry out the health activities.

21. • Teaching is an essential part of all health
services.
• Supervision and guidance are needed to help
the workers to produce a high quality of work.
• Health education, guidance, and supervision are
integral part of the community health nursing
services.
• The family and community are the units of work.

22. • Records and reports are very essential in
community health services. / Well developed
system of records and reports is essential for
community health services.
• Community health authority should provide an
opportunity for in-service education for all the
female and male components periodically.
• Community involvement is integral part of
community health nursing practice.

23. • Individuals and families participate fully in all
decision making relating to attainment of
health.
• Continuous services are effective services
and community health nurse must provide
continuous health services.