Reflect on the responsibility of a nurse in public health

Public health and the promotion of health and well-being is now at the centre of national and global agendas.

On this course, you’ll reflect on the value of nurses as promoters of health – a model for nursing first established by Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.

Discover how to define ‘healthy’

You’ll identify what it means exactly to be ‘healthy’, before going on to define what globalisation is, and learn how it is impacting on healthcare.

You’ll identify why your nursing might need to change with the times, and describe what the future of public health looks like in practice.

Explore health promotion strategies and nursing ethics

In week two, you’ll go on to explore the concept of health promotion, understanding how nurses can act to empower individuals to lead healthier lives – just as Nightingale initiated nursing training and education programmes.

You’ll also consider the ethical dilemmas nurses can face when working in the field, and how to reconcile these with your work as social reformers and health campaigners.

Syllabus

Week 1
Going upstream
- Getting started
  All nurses can contribute in some way to public health.
- Health
  Our starting point for any conversation about improving health and well-being is to reflect on our understanding of what the words 'health' and 'healthy' mean.
- Why does my practice need to change?
  In this section we will first look at globalisation and what it means before moving on to explore the impact of globalisation on healthcare.
- The future of public health
  What impact are we having on the future of public health?
- Summary of the week
  In this section we look back on what we have learned as well as what is to come.
Week 2
Health promotion in practice
- The week ahead
  In this section we see what topics will be explored this week.
- The nurse as a promoter of health
  In this section we explore the concept of health promotion and consider the nurse in their role as a health promoter along with the values and ethics that are important in your work in nursing.
- Your values as a health promoter
  In this section we consider the importance of values in health promotion and examine some value conflicts and dilemmas that may be encountered when promoting health.
- Summary of the week
  In this section we look back on what we have learned.

Prove you're job ready

Highlight the new, job-relevant skills you’ve gained and supplement existing qualifications with a hard-earned, industry-specific digital certificate – plus one for every course within your ExpertTrack.

Learn the latest in your chosen industry or subject.
Complete each course and pass assessments.
Receive certificates validated by the educating organisation.
Impress employers with learning outcomes you can add to your CV.
Make your career dreams a reality.

Download a PDF

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

Evaluate the role of the nurse within public health
Explore the globalisation of public health needs
Reflect on the value of nurses as promoters of health

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for experienced nurses wanting or needing to extend their understanding of how nurses can act as promoters of health.

Who developed the course?

Coventry University

Coventry secured gold in the UK Government’s 2017 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) and is University of the Year for Student Experience in The Times & The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019.

Established
1992
Location
Coventry

About this ExpertTrack

Explore how nurses can assess community health needs, and analyse public health theories to lead public health promotion.

Find out more

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps, but you can complete them as quickly or slowly as you like
Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

Start learning today - free 7-day trial

After your free trial you can:

Pay $39 per month to keep learning online
Have complete control over your subscription; you can cancel any time
Work at your own pace and set your own deadlines at every stage
Only pay while you’re learning; the subscription will cancel automatically when you finish
Complete online assessments to test your knowledge and prove your skills
Earn digital course certificates and a final award that you can share online, with potential employers, and your professional network
Keep access to the content of courses you complete even after your subscription ends