As concerns mount surrounding exposure to environmental hazards and other public health threats, skills in surveillance and outbreak investigation are becoming critical competencies for public health and community-based nurses. This article describes a continuing education course designed in collaboration with a variety of stakeholders to address the need for epidemiological skills for rural nu...

PURPOSE The elderly are a growing part of the society and a further growth is expected in the demand for both medical and nursing services performed by primary health care institutions. The aim of this work is to answer the question: "Does the form of employment of community nurses in primary health care institutions influence the quality of interdisciplinary cooperation in caring for elderly p...

BACKGROUND Indonesia's recent economic and political history has left a legacy of widespread poverty and serious health problems, and has contributed to marked inequalities in health care. One means of responding to these challenges has been through a reconsideration of the professional roles of nurses, to enable them to deal with the range and complexity of health problems. However, there are ...

INTRODUCTION Brazil and South Africa share many sociodemographic and health features that provide many learning opportunities. Brazil's national health system, the Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) prioritises primary health care since 1994, the year democracy came to South Africa. Two family physicians from these countries met in Rocinha favela in Rio de Janeiro, a densely populated area where pove...

Background: Little is known about general nurses providing palliative care in the community. This case outlines the care delivered to a gentleman living at home with COPD by a Community Intervention Team (CIT) working in collaboration with allied health professionals. Case presentation: The care of a gentleman who has expressed a wish to be cared for at home is outlined. His care is managed by ...