Reviewer: Lisa R Roberts, DrPH, MSN, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN (Loma Linda University)
Description: This 10th commemorative edition is an essential textbook covering the three core functions of public health: assessment, policy development, and assurance for population health. The book addresses quality, cost, and access to care; highlights Healthy People 2020 objectives; and focuses on social determinants of health, aiming to provide a foundation for population-focused nursing strategies. Student learning will be enhanced by the structural elements employed throughout the book and online resources. This edition offers important updates since the 2016 edition, which reflect the changes in society and health care, and contributors represent broad expertise.
Purpose: The purpose is to provide a comprehensive foundation for designing population-focused nursing strategies. To do so, nurses need vision, inspired by their understanding of the concepts, theories, and core content of public health, which are covered in the book. The authors note that the unifying theme for the book is the integration of health promotion and disease prevention into the many roles of nursing. Concepts are grounded in a community-oriented approach, competencies identified by professional bodies such as the Quad Council of Public Health Nursing and Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN). The objectives of the book are not only worthy but essential, as nurses work to be a part of today's struggles and tomorrow's solutions for healthier communities and improving population health outcomes. The comprehensive nature of the book and supplemental online resources have successfully met the objectives set out in each chapter and is sure to inspire great nursing leaders of the future, our students.
Audience: According to the authors, the book is written for BSN-completion and graduate nursing programs. It is written at an appropriate level, with content useful to nurses in a wide variety of roles in different settings. Readers should have full confidence in the content of the text, given the authors' credentials and recognized expertise. The contributors, too, are highly credentialed with a broad range of experience and awards recognizing their expertise.
Features: This comprehensive book is organized into eight sections, presenting factors that influence and affect the delivery of public and population health delivery; conceptual and scientific frameworks; community interventions; issues and approaches in population-focused nursing; health promotion and protection across the lifespan and among vulnerable populations; as well as nursing roles and functions in the community. In total there are 46 chapters and eight appendixes. Each chapter guides readers through the multifaceted content using a number of helpful structural elements. These elements include clear objectives, a chapter outline, and key terms, marked with blue font to draw readers' attention, at the beginning of each chapter. Additionally, colorful figures, informative tables, photographs, and text boxes keep readers engaged. Unique features include color-coded text boxes for specific purposes, such as "Check your Practice," "Levels of Prevention," and "Linking Content to Practice." Each chapter is concluded with an application to practice, key points, clinical decision-making activities, references, and a list of online resources.
Assessment: Educators won't find a more comprehensive, user-friendly textbook for their public health nursing students at either the BSN-completion or graduate nursing level. Additional instructor resources are also available, including lesson plans, a test bank, PowerPoint slides to guide lectures, and an image collection. This new edition is worth the investment for educators who may be using an older edition, as the current edition not only includes updated content applicable to today's society, but also has enhanced features supporting pedagogy.