Community health nursing: Essential education elements

Community health nursing has undergone significant reform over recent decades in response to ongoing advances in medical technology and increasing national living standards. Taiwan's nursing manpower projections indicate a strong and growing demand for nurses working in primary and tertiary settings. Can our nurses address social trends and face the new challenges of the 21st century? The baccalaureate nursing degree is the minimum preparation for entry-level professionals working in community health nursing in most advanced countries. Significant improvements are necessary in this degree track to improve the quality and quantity of community health nurses. This article introduces the Essentials of Baccalaureate Nursing Education for Entry Level Community/Public Health Nursing proposed by the Association of Community Health Nursing Educators (ACHNE). It is hoped that nursing schools and community health nurses responsible for professional training in Taiwan will reference the ACHNE proposal and develop appropriate domestic curricula that will form an effective professional development consensus and further advance community care.