What is a primary goal of community health nursing?

The primary goal of community health nursing is to focus on population health and prevention. This approach emphasizes the importance of understanding the health needs of entire communities rather than just individual patients. Community health nurses aim to improve health outcomes by promoting healthy behaviors, preventing disease, and addressing social determinants of health that can impact large groups of people. By working on the community level, they can design and implement health programs that target specific health issues prevalent in their communities, ultimately working to enhance overall public health.

This focus on prevention is crucial because it enables nurses to address health concerns before they escalate into more serious problems. By engaging in health education, outreach, and advocacy, community health nurses empower individuals and families to take charge of their health, fostering a culture of wellness.

In contrast, options that emphasize individual care, such as providing direct care to all patients, working primarily in hospitals, or developing new treatments for diseases, do not capture the larger community-oriented perspective of community health nursing, which is distinctively proactive in nature and aimed at improving health outcomes for populations as a whole.