C920 Course Module: Community Health Promotion and Nurse Advocacy

Student Name

Western Governors University 

C920 Contemporary Curriculum Design and Development in Nursing Education

Prof. Name

Date

C920 Course Module: Community Health Promotion and Nurse Advocacy

A1. Course Description

What is the focus of this course?

This course is designed to introduce learners to foundational and applied principles of community and population health nursing. Its primary focus is on equipping nursing students with the knowledge and competencies necessary to address health needs at the community and population levels. Central to the course are the concepts of social determinants of health, epidemiological principles, health equity, and culturally responsive nursing care.

Through experiential learning strategies such as community-based assessments, case analyses, and evidence-based practice activities, students develop the ability to recognize and respond to health disparities affecting vulnerable and underserved populations. The course further emphasizes interprofessional collaboration, enabling learners to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams to design, implement, and evaluate population-focused interventions that promote community well-being and improve health outcomes.

Module 1

A1a. What is the focus of Module 1?

Module 1 concentrates on the evolving roles and professional responsibilities of Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)-prepared nurses within community health settings. The module introduces students to the conceptual foundations of community health nursing, with particular emphasis on the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) and their profound influence on individual, family, and population health outcomes.

Learners examine how socioeconomic status, education, environment, access to healthcare, and cultural factors contribute to health disparities. By integrating reflective exercises, discussion-based learning, and applied examples, the module supports the translation of theoretical concepts into practical nursing actions within real-world community contexts.

A2. What is the title of Module 1?

The title of Module 1 is Introduction to Community Health Nursing and Social Determinants of Health.

A3. What are the course objectives for Module 1?

The objectives of Module 1 are to enable students to critically evaluate the role of nurses in promoting community and population health and to apply evidence-based strategies in addressing health disparities. Specifically, the module aims to:

• Examine how nurses contribute to community and population health improvement through advocacy and evidence-based practice.

• Analyze the impact of social determinants of health on health inequities using real-world and case-based scenarios.

A4. What student learning outcomes are expected from Module 1?

By the completion of Module 1, students are expected to demonstrate the ability to:

• Clearly define community health nursing, including its scope of practice, ethical responsibilities, and professional roles.

• Identify major social determinants of health and articulate how these factors influence health outcomes across populations.

A5. What topics are covered in Module 1?

Module 1 addresses the following core topics:

• Professional roles and responsibilities of community health nurses

• Social determinants of health and their effects on population health and equity

A6. What learning resources support Module 1?

The learning content for Module 1 is supported by contemporary nursing education literature that emphasizes competency-based curricula and workforce preparedness, including scholarly work on curriculum redesign and professional skill development in nursing education.

Module 1 Overview Table

Module 2

A1a. What does Module 2 focus on?

Module 2 explores evidence-based approaches to health promotion, disease prevention, and comprehensive community assessment. The module introduces students to foundational epidemiological concepts that support the identification of health trends, risk factors, and disease patterns within populations.

Students learn to apply epidemiological data and surveillance methods to assess community health needs, plan preventive strategies, and respond to public health concerns such as disease outbreaks. Emphasis is placed on culturally responsive care, ensuring that interventions are inclusive, equitable, and tailored to diverse community populations. Additionally, the module highlights the role of data analytics in guiding informed decision-making in community and public health nursing practice.

A2. What is the title of Module 2?

The title of Module 2 is Health Promotion and Community Assessment.

A3. What are the objectives of Module 2?

The objectives of Module 2 are to strengthen students’ abilities to design preventive health strategies and utilize epidemiological evidence in community health planning. These objectives include:

• Developing health promotion initiatives that address the specific needs of diverse and vulnerable populations.

• Applying basic epidemiological principles to assess, interpret, and prioritize community health issues.

A4. What outcomes should students achieve by the end of Module 2?

Upon completion of Module 2, students will be able to:

• Design and propose culturally sensitive, evidence-based health promotion and disease prevention interventions.

• Conduct structured community assessments using epidemiological data, surveillance tools, and environmental observations.

A5. What topics does Module 2 cover?

Key topics addressed in Module 2 include:

• Health promotion strategies and principles of disease prevention

• Community assessment methodologies and applied epidemiology

A6. Which learning materials are used in Module 2?

Module 2 is supported by peer-reviewed literature focused on public health research, preventive care strategies, cultural competence, and health equity. These resources provide students with evidence-based perspectives on designing effective community health interventions and addressing disparities in care delivery.

A7. What learning activities are involved in Module 2?

Learning activities in Module 2 are experiential and application-focused. Students participate in:

• The design and evaluation of public service announcements (PSAs) addressing priority community health concerns.

• Windshield surveys to observe and analyze environmental, social, and economic factors influencing community health.

A7a. What are the scenario-based learning details?

Scenario-based learning activities allow students to engage in simulated nurse-led health education sessions, enhancing communication, teaching, and patient engagement skills. Students also examine outbreak investigation case studies, applying epidemiological reasoning to identify sources of disease, assess risk, and propose evidence-based intervention strategies.

Module 2 Overview Table

References

Ahmed, Z. (2025). Transitioning to competency-based education in nursing: A scoping review of curriculum review and revision strategies. BMC Medical Education.

Bowen, S. A., Alamian, A., & Onufrak, S. (2025). Public health research and program strategies for diabetes prevention and management. Preventing Chronic Disease, 22, E11. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd22.240501

Heath, L., Stevens, R., Nicholson, B., Wherton, J., Gao, M., Callan, C., Haasova, S., & Aveyard, P. (2024). Strategies to improve the implementation of preventive care in primary care: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Medicine, 22, Article 412. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-024-03588-5

Lauwers, E. D. L., Vandecasteele, R., McMahon, M., De Maesschalck, S., & Willems, S. (2024). The patient perspective on diversity-sensitive care: A systematic review. International Journal for Equity in Health, 23(1), 117. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-024-02189-1

Mora, R., & Maze, M. (2024). The role of cultural competency training to address health disparities in surgical settings. British Medical Bulletin, 150(1), 42–59. https://doi.org/10.1093/bmb/ldae005