Fundamentals of Health Promotion for Nurses
Second Edition
Edited by Jane Wills
Short Answer Questions
Chapter 17: Health promotion and nursing in the community
1. What is the role of the school nurse in preventing unplanned pregnancies?
Sex and Relationship Education, advice and counselling and drop-in "clinics".
2. How might a health visitor support new mothers with breastfeeding?
Positioning of the baby on the breast, emotional and psychological support, dietary advice.
3. What contribution does the practice nurse make to the immunization programme of the under-5s?
Checking the primary immunizations programme and child health records to ensure that the infant is well and able to be immunized. Then obtaining verbal consent from the child's mother to ensure there is full understanding of the implications of immunization and then administering the vaccine. After-care is offered and the child is kept in the surgery for about 30 minutes to ensure there is no immediate reaction. Instructions about what to do should there be any further reaction are given in writing.
4. What is the continuing programme of immunization for children in the UK?
Check the current Green Book (National Guidance for Immunisations book) for up-to-date information.
5. A child (age 5) comes into the community clinic with a discharging ear, the mother claims he fell on it while playing in the garden. What would you do?
Speak to mother, speak to the child to get details of the incident, check medical records, refer child on to qualified medical practitioner, record the incident and consult with senior colleague. It may be important to consider issues of safeguarding.
6. You visit a family at home and the mother says that according to the headteacher two of the children have head lice. She asks your advice. What do you do?
You examine the children to establish if there are live lice present. If there are, you recommend attending the pharmacy or GP for treatment. If there are no live lice present, you should teach the mother wet combing as a preventative intervention.
7. Name three key conditions that may be treated by the district nurse at home.
Venous leg ulcer, progressive carcinoma, and COPD.
8. Name three key health promotion issues which would be addressed by the health visitor or school nurse.
You may include: smoking cessation, prevention of obesity, stress and mental health issues, domestic abuse.