Introduction

As key members of the primary health care team, public health nurses in the Department of Health play an extremely important role in promoting the health of the community.  They work in partnership with other health care team members in providing a wide range of promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative services to the public.  Such services are delivered through the integration of professional nursing skills, health education, counseling and health promotion strategies based on comprehensive health assessments, including health surveillance and screening activities.  Such activities may take place in hospitals, health clinics, schools, workplaces, as well as in the home and community settings.  Public health nurses serve the public directly through person-to-person contacts, families, groups, the mass media, health campaigns and a variety of other means.