The Core Functions of Public Health, Essay Example

List and describe the Core Functions of Public Health

There are three core functions of public health. They include monitoring community health status in determining health problems. Secondly, it encompasses diagnosing and investigating health problems and hazards. The third core value is evaluating the effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal as well as population – based health care services (Lancaster, 2009).

Monitoring community health status in determining health problems entails regular water quality evaluations; screening for communicable diseases; bio-emergency preparation andcoordination.Diagnosing and investigating health problems and hazards allows public health officials to conduct wellhead assessments and evaluations; medical examinations and routine collection of epidemiological data.In evaluating the effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal as well as population – based health care services public health intervention focuses on informing; educating and empower people through community services to manage personal as well as community health issues (Center for Disease Control, 2013).

Example of the application of the Core Functions and howit relates to the Nursing Process

Nursing process applications involve assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention and evaluation. The major difference here lies, initially, in public health core values being three in number while nursing process stages are five. Both processes begin with an assessment evaluation phase because monitoring of the community health status in detecting health problems is the same as assessment/evaluation. There are comparable diagnostic phases directly linking nursing process to public health core values (Reed, 2009).

In the nursing process model the patient becomes the focus of diagnostic intervention whereas in public health it is the community/population. The third core value combines intervention and evaluation, but not as distinctly as in the nursing process model.Evaluating the effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal as well as population – based health care services do not specifically, state the intervention measures that will be taken to address health problems (Reed, 2009)

References

Center for Disease Control (2013).Core Functions of Public Health and How They Relate to the 10 Essential Services. Retrieved on January 28^th, 2013 from http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/EPHLI/core_ess.htm

Lancaster, J. (2009). Foundation of Nursing in the Community-Oriented Practice (4th ed). New York. Elsevier.

Reed, P. (2009) Inspired knowing in nursing. Springer publishers