Nursing Clinics of North America, Coursework Example

Introduction

The United States Public Health Service is a group of commissioned officers who are trained and educated in many different areas of healthcare practice in order to provide the general population with support, safety, and security to improve the management of public health (Department of Health and Human Services, 2014). This group provides leadership and support in many areas related to public health on a continuous basis, including but not limited to infectious disease and preventive care within communities; furthermore, this group offers its knowledge and expertise in the wake of a disaster or a community public health concern that requires urgent attention and focus, thereby increasing their scope of responsibility and their level of support in managing population needs effectively through the work that is performed (Department of Health and Human Services, 2014).

Body

The U.S. Public Health Service also provides support in advancing many of the Healthy People 2020 objectives, including but not limited to the public health infrastructure, as this requires continuous support and leadership in order to effectively meet the needs of communities through enhanced training opportunities, continuous communication with community residents, and a coordinated and expert response system to manage emerging and urgent public health needs on a continuous basis (HealthyPeople.gov, 2014). This organization also provides a group of nurses with vast experience in a number of areas that impact public health, including supporting and enhancing the infrastructure in order to improve the delivery of services to local populations (Debisette, Martinelli, Couig, & Braun, 2010). In this context, it is necessary to identify specific areas where commissioned nurses might play an important role in serving public health needs through an expanded strategic approach to improve the response to specific conditions that impact public health, such as epidemics or natural disasters (Valdmanis, DeNicola, & Bernet, 2014). In this capacity, the US Public Health Service fills a void that is often observed because it aims to provide core infrastructure services and other offerings to ensure that patients facing specific public health challenges are served by the public health sector and are not ignored or forgotten in the wake of a serious tragedy or other emerging series of events (Valdmanis et.al, 2014). These opportunities encourage the development of new strategies for which the US Public Health Service fills a void and aims to meet the challenges of public health, particularly in communities where these needs are largely underserved and less than adequate (Valdmanis et.al, 2014).

Nurses working with the US Public Health Service work in many different capacities, from research and educational roles, to clinical providers and senior management positions that have a significant impact on the organization and its intent to provide effective public health service to communities throughout the United States and where public health needs are emerging in other areas (US Public Health Service, 2014). Nurses who fill these roles must continue to advance the strategic agenda of the organization and aim to be proactive in meeting patient care needs effectively in this context, using their knowledge and resources effectively in this regard to meet demand (US Public Health Service, 2014). Nurses in this capacity must be able to utilize their knowledge in many different ways, from working collaboratively with community residents and public officials to address emerging needs, to exploring other needs that continue to impact communities, such as the prevention of disease and other areas where patient needs within communities are very high (US Public Health Service, 2014). From this perspective, nurses must be able to provide specific tools and resources that will have a positive and lasting impact on patient populations within communities, particularly where these needs are currently underserved or are ineffective, based on the resources that are available.

Public health nurses working in a Commissioned Corps capacity may increase the impact of nursing on public health within communities because they represent a strong level of leadership that will have a lasting influence on community-based tools and resources that is not equivalent within other public health agencies. These factors demonstrate that public health nurses within the US Public Health Service are likely to garner greater respect and attention because of their training, education, knowledge, and leadership in these roles, along with their expertise in providing support and in advancing the overall infrastructure of public health within different communities. These factors must continue to support the demand for services and to be effective in meeting public health needs in a comprehensive manner that will have a lasting impact on patient care and treatment within communities where public health needs are significant and emerging on many levels.

Conclusion

The US Public Health Service was created to provide many levels of leadership, expert knowledge, and guidance in the areas that impact public health in many ways. The organization offers an experienced team of experts, including public health nurses, to support many different objectives, including supporting and advancing the public health infrastructure, a Healthy People 2020 objective. These efforts are instrumental in supporting outcomes and in driving the success of the US Public Health Service in providing leadership and guidance to communities that are underserved in the public health sector. These factors support the development of new initiatives to improve public health in many areas so that communities are prepared to manage their health  and emerging needs in a positive manner.

References

Debisette, A. T., Martinelli, A. M., Couig, M. P., & Braun, M. (2010). US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Nurses: responding in times of national need. Nursing Clinics of North America, 45(2), 123-135.

Department of Health and Human Services (2014). Mission and core values. Retrieved from http://www.usphs.gov/aboutus/mission.aspx

HealthyPeople.gov (2014). Public health infrastructure. Retrieved from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/public-health-infrastructure

Valdmanis, V., DeNicola, A., & Bernet, P. (2014). Public health capacity in the provision of health care services. Health care management science, 1-8.