Chapter 02 Questions: History of
Public Health and Public and
Community Health Nursing (Stanhope)
With Solved Solutions.
In the past, community-oriented nurses have been called:
a. District nurses
b. Almshouse nurses
c. Soldier nurses
d.Sisters - Answer ANS: A
In the past, community-oriented nurses have been called public health nurses, district nurses,
visiting nurses, school nurses, occupational health nurses, and home health nurses.
Nurses have worked in the community to improve the health care status of individuals, families,
populations, and vulnerable groups. Part of the appeal of this type of nursing is:
1. Working with wealthy contributors who provide the funds
2. Locating the source of disease and curing patients
3. The autonomy of practice and independence in problem solving and decision making
4.Caring for soldiers on the battlefield - Answer ANS: 3
Community health nurses have a long history of autonomous practice, problem solving, and
decision making. The other three answers relate to acute care nursing or gathering funding.
Community health care nurses did engage in these activities in the nineteenth century, but
overall, they have been best known for autonomy of practice.
Threats to health from communicable diseases, the environment, chronic illness, and the aging
process have changed over time. The newer threats to health in the United States that
community health nurses are currently faced with include:
1.Diphtheria, cholera, and typhoid fever
2.HIV, AIDS, and bioterrorism
3.Avian flu, tuberculosis, and radiation
4.Polluted water and air - Answer ANS:2
The newer threats to health that public health nurses are involved in are HIV, AIDS, and
bioterrorism. Choice #1 lists threats of the past. Avian flu may be a threat, but radiation and
tuberculosis are ongoing. Polluted water and air are generally not seen in the United States.
, Early colonial health efforts in the United States included:
1.Establishment of schools of nursing
2.Development of vaccines given to large numbers of people
3.Collection of vital statistics, improved sanitation, and control of communicable diseases
introduced through seaports
4.Development of public housing and almshouses - Answer ANS:3
The other choices are events that happened after the colonial period.
Florence Nightingale's contributions to public health included:
1.Caring for the sick, poor, and neglected in institutions and at home
2.Using a population-based approach that led to improvements in environmental conditions
3.Writing the Elizabethan Poor Law to guarantee medical care for all
4.Founding of the district nursing association to provide health care to needy people - Answer
ANS:2
During the Crimean War, Nightingale progressively improved the soldiers' health by adopting a
population-based approach that used simple epidemiological measures and greatly decreased
mortality.
During America's Industrial Revolution, the number of jobs for women rapidly increased.
Nightingale's successes became known across the United States, and the first nursing schools
opened. Which of the following occurred related to public health nursing?
1.Community-oriented nursing began with organizations formed to meet urban health care
needs.
2.Nurses were instrumental in the construction of sewers and public water systems.
3.Nurses trained in hospitals worked long hours caring for patients with communicable diseases
in a humane way.
4.Nurses closed down almshouses and orphanages. - Answer ANS:1
The visiting nurse became the key to health care in urban areas. Although nurses were involved
in interventions to improve sanitation and nutrition, they were not instrumental in their
construction. Nurses worked in hospitals, but that was acute care. Almshouses and orphanages
were not closed down at this time.
Lillian Wald was the first public health nurse in the United States. Which of the following is her
major contribution to public health nursing?
1. Founding the American Nurses Association
Public Health and Public and
Community Health Nursing (Stanhope)
With Solved Solutions.
In the past, community-oriented nurses have been called:
a. District nurses
b. Almshouse nurses
c. Soldier nurses
d.Sisters - Answer ANS: A
In the past, community-oriented nurses have been called public health nurses, district nurses,
visiting nurses, school nurses, occupational health nurses, and home health nurses.
Nurses have worked in the community to improve the health care status of individuals, families,
populations, and vulnerable groups. Part of the appeal of this type of nursing is:
1. Working with wealthy contributors who provide the funds
2. Locating the source of disease and curing patients
3. The autonomy of practice and independence in problem solving and decision making
4.Caring for soldiers on the battlefield - Answer ANS: 3
Community health nurses have a long history of autonomous practice, problem solving, and
decision making. The other three answers relate to acute care nursing or gathering funding.
Community health care nurses did engage in these activities in the nineteenth century, but
overall, they have been best known for autonomy of practice.
Threats to health from communicable diseases, the environment, chronic illness, and the aging
process have changed over time. The newer threats to health in the United States that
community health nurses are currently faced with include:
1.Diphtheria, cholera, and typhoid fever
2.HIV, AIDS, and bioterrorism
3.Avian flu, tuberculosis, and radiation
4.Polluted water and air - Answer ANS:2
The newer threats to health that public health nurses are involved in are HIV, AIDS, and
bioterrorism. Choice #1 lists threats of the past. Avian flu may be a threat, but radiation and
tuberculosis are ongoing. Polluted water and air are generally not seen in the United States.
, Early colonial health efforts in the United States included:
1.Establishment of schools of nursing
2.Development of vaccines given to large numbers of people
3.Collection of vital statistics, improved sanitation, and control of communicable diseases
introduced through seaports
4.Development of public housing and almshouses - Answer ANS:3
The other choices are events that happened after the colonial period.
Florence Nightingale's contributions to public health included:
1.Caring for the sick, poor, and neglected in institutions and at home
2.Using a population-based approach that led to improvements in environmental conditions
3.Writing the Elizabethan Poor Law to guarantee medical care for all
4.Founding of the district nursing association to provide health care to needy people - Answer
ANS:2
During the Crimean War, Nightingale progressively improved the soldiers' health by adopting a
population-based approach that used simple epidemiological measures and greatly decreased
mortality.
During America's Industrial Revolution, the number of jobs for women rapidly increased.
Nightingale's successes became known across the United States, and the first nursing schools
opened. Which of the following occurred related to public health nursing?
1.Community-oriented nursing began with organizations formed to meet urban health care
needs.
2.Nurses were instrumental in the construction of sewers and public water systems.
3.Nurses trained in hospitals worked long hours caring for patients with communicable diseases
in a humane way.
4.Nurses closed down almshouses and orphanages. - Answer ANS:1
The visiting nurse became the key to health care in urban areas. Although nurses were involved
in interventions to improve sanitation and nutrition, they were not instrumental in their
construction. Nurses worked in hospitals, but that was acute care. Almshouses and orphanages
were not closed down at this time.
Lillian Wald was the first public health nurse in the United States. Which of the following is her
major contribution to public health nursing?
1. Founding the American Nurses Association
