Common elements in in-service training in public health nursing and social welfare: UN Seminar on Casework, Keuruu

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|H Seniinar on Casework3 Kouruu ISTE/Sem.6
C OEM OH ELEMENTS IN IIT-SERVICE TRAINING IN PUBLIC
HEALTH TOPS BIG AND S PC IAI WELFARE
by Lyle Crcelman, Nursing Consultant, 7/*H,0^
I aDi taking a few liberties with the title of the assignment
which was given tt me.. I feel that before we can discuss common
elements in in-service training- we need to have a common understanding of Yi'hat pu"bli-c health nursing is and of its functions, the preparation of its•workers and their relationships with other workers in
quite evident that the principles which, apply to in-service training
in social welfare apply also in the field of public health nursing,
With 3/"our permission I would, therefore, like to discuss first some
of the common elements in public health nursing and social welfare
and in doing so to explain what we commoner mean by public health nursing.
II • Common elements 1 n Public Health. Nursing and Social 5 elf a r' e«
1o Both of these professions are concerned with people - with
■ helping people to help thomselTcs 0 V'/KOTs definition, of health, is*
I am sure, well known to all of you* It is"Health is a state of
complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the
absence of disease or inf i-rffiity\„" It is, therefore, concerned v/ith
helping people to help themselves. This helping of people to help
themselves has not in the past boon understood by others as so definitely a part of public health nursing* I shall try later to show
you how this concept, as a part of xoulolic health nursing, is g-rowing,
2. Both public health nursing and social work are new professionsc
The first public health nursing service started in England in 1859»
It was concerned at first mainly with the nursing care of the poor
in their homes but the opportunities for health teaching ^eeree very
qui0kly recognized*
The first visiting nursing service in the United States started
1885• It is interesting to note that in some other countries a
different type of visiting service originated„ For example in Germany
due to the high degree of hospitalization, there was not the same
need for bedside nursing care in the heme? In this country as well
preparation is basically social work* In Prance we have the "assistant
social15 whose preparation is based, on purging but who is trained also
in social work and who carried oiet social work functions o
The profession of social welfare is younger than public health
nursing., There has been some riva.lry between the two professions, Some
it is not healthy and it can easily be prevented* We • cannot completely
separate the areas of responsibility and it is the lack of understanding
and re^ogr^tion of this which has caused somo of -:b.r; •;inb^,n] thy rivalry a