According to a World Health Organization (WHO) article, health promotion is “the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health.” Health promotion plays a crucial role in preventing disease and injury, enhancing overall well-being and reducing healthcare costs. It addresses factors that influence health equity, including social, economic and environmental circumstances.
The online Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program from St. Thomas University (STU) equips students with the essential knowledge and skills to become culturally competent nurses in health promotion.
Role of Nurses in Promoting Health
Nurses are vital to successful health promotion across various healthcare settings. Nurses’ roles in health promotion include:
- Screening and assessment: utilizing health assessments to identify potential health issues early, aiding in early intervention and prevention of diseases
- Education and counseling: educating individuals and communities about healthy lifestyles, disease prevention and managing chronic conditions to encourage positive health and behavior changes
- Health promotion programs: educational courses and materials tailored to the needs of distinct communities
- Support and empowerment: providing information and encouragement to help individuals make informed decisions about their care plan
- Advocacy and coordination: working with other healthcare professionals, community leaders and policymakers to address health disparities, advocate for policy change and coordinate services to promote health and prevent illness
By playing a significant role on health promotion, nurses help all communities achieve better health outcomes and improved quality of life.
Health Promotion Strategies
Health promotion strategies in nursing are vital to comprehensive healthcare delivery. Strategies must be culturally appropriate and competent, address medical needs and respect different cultural perspectives. This approach acknowledges that culture affects health beliefs, practices and behaviors.
Training and recruitment organization Essential Skills provides guidance for culturally appropriate healthcare and education. Supportive care begins with knowing community awareness, which allows caregivers to incorporate culturally relevant material and language. Nurse leaders must respect and honor diversity, which requires engagement with local community stakeholders. Clinicians should consider culturally traditional healing practices in order to offer solutions that align with their patients’ culture. This process is ongoing and requires considering feedback and adapting as needed.
By understanding the importance of these differences, interventions can be tailored to specific cultural norms and values. Committing to equity leads to increased trust, engagement and better health outcomes. Effective health promotion strategies create healthier populations.
Benefits of an Online Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree Program
STU’s online RN to BSN program is ideal for working nurses due to the flexible schedule, which includes six start dates throughout the year. Graduates will be able to transform healthcare delivery to improve patient outcomes in a variety of settings. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) compiled reports from different studies and publications that support that the BSN is essential for health promotion for several reasons:
- Advanced knowledge and skills: BSN-prepared nurses have a more profound understanding of health promotion theories, principles and evidence-based practices (EBP). This knowledge is necessary to effectively promote health and prevent disease.
- Leadership: Nurses with BSN degrees are ready to lead health promotion initiatives.
- Critical thinking and research: Graduates have the skills and knowledge to analyze health trends, evaluate interventions, monitor outcomes and adjust strategies.
There is widespread support for increasing the number of nurses with BSNs in clinical settings. Healthcare leaders recognize their importance, and a BSN degree is often a requirement to advance nursing careers. For example, nurses must have a BSN to practice as active-duty nurses or Veteran’s Administration (VA) entry-level nurses. Additionally, magnet hospitals now require all nurse managers and nurse leaders to hold a bachelor’s degree.
Advanced Career Opportunities for Nurse Leaders
The curriculum for STU’s online RN to BSN program includes coursework on cultural competence, which allows students to be better prepared to tailor health promotion strategies that are culturally sensitive and relevant, leading to improved health outcomes for all populations. Through courses such as Health Assessment & Promotion and with immersion experience, students learn to recognize diverse cultural beliefs, values and practices that influence health behaviors.
Learn more about St. Thomas University’s online RN to BSN program.
