NURSES ROLES TO THE COMMUNITY: ACHIEVING MAXIMUM HEALTH CARE.

NURSING is far beyond wearing the White dress, a Starched cap or a colouful scrub.Nursing is the very heartbeat of health care which ensures that humanity is not starved of quality health, Not just physically, but Mentally, Socially and Spiritually as well.

Before I Proceed,I Would like to Define these Key Terms:Nurse, Health and community

Who is a Nurse? According to International Council of Nurses (ICN), a Nurse is a person who has completed a program of basic, generalized nursing education and is authorized by the appropriate regulatory authority to practice nursing in his/her country. This individual must be prepared and licensed; to practice the general scope of nursing which includes promotion of health, prevention of illness, and care of physically ill, mentally ill and disabled of all ages in all settings; to carry out health care teaching; to actively participate in the health care team; and to be involved in research (ICN, 1987).

Now, what is Health? Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity". While a COMMUNITY, is a group of people with diverse characteristics, who are linked by Social ties, share common perspectives and engage in joint actions in geographical locations and settings. As Nurses, it is very important that we understand this, in order to Ensure Maximum Health care, which is a health care at it best, holistic health care dealing with the entire wellbeing of man In the Nation or globally, then it is expedient that we begin from the grassroot, the very foundation of the nation which is the community.

My aim is to use this medium to enlighten our minds on nurses role in ensuring Maximum Health care in the community. Since we are dealing with the community then the Health care provided to the people in the community must be Accessible, Affordable, fully engaged by the people coupled with locally available supplies used in Delivering this care to solve Health problems within the community. A Nurse is A RESEARCHER. A nurse who neglect the importance of understanding the needs of the community is likened to a mother who gives no regard to the needs of her children. As nurses one of our major role is to go into the community, actively engage the people, make findings and research about the challenges and wide range of factors Affecting their physical, mental and social wellbeing so as to identify the needs of the community as well as draw out possible solutions and interventions to solve these problems with the goal of attaining quality health within the community. Futhermore, as Nurses we Stand as ADVOCATES. Advocacy is the core of nursing practice. We must understand that in terms of advocacy Nurses are not confined to the Four walls of the health facility.Nurses do not just only advocate for patients, the Nurse also represents the voice of the voiceless in the community. Nurses can advocates for the needs of the community by using their expertise to persuade those in authority regarding economic matters as well as issues In the educational and health care systems of the community.

Nurses can speak to those in Authority as regards the limited resources available in health facilities in providing health care In the community also on ways to improve access to health care facilities such as creation of good roads, Nurses can also provide expertise in public forums or seminars on how health care facilities can be Expanded in the community, so that we have more health facilities within the community and more people gain access to health care so as to promote quality health and achieve Maximum Health care in the community. In Addition,it is important for nurses to grasp the understanding that they are EDUCATORS and that their scope of educating humanity is not confined to the bed side in the health care setting but also reaches out to the community.Nurses play a major role in educating individual and families or groups in the community to take responsibility for their health so as to attain a healthy life and not just their physical health but that of social and mental health too.it is so sad that people neglect their mental health but pay attention to the physical, nurses are therefore tasked with the responsibility to educate the community on these matters. Nurse must also show interest the in the health concerns of the community so as to provide interventions and educational contents targeted at those health concerns. Nurses should effectively educate the people on the importance of patronizing or making adequate use of health care facilities available within the community as it is meant for the people. Furthermore, it is not enough to be a Researcher, Advocate or Educator but as Nurses, collaboration with other health care workers is key! maximum heath care in the community is very achievable but requires hard work, which cannot be done alone. As they say team players, working together with other health care teams in the community helps to easily identify health problems and find possible solutions to these problems. In conclusion These are some of the roles nurses play in the community to ensure that Health care at it Maximum is achieved starting from the grassroot which is the community because a healthy community will produce a healthy NATION. Thank you. By Peter Ekemini sandra