Giving Voice to Public Health Nursing Practice in Minnesota
Minnesota Public Health Nursing Practice Council
Background: Public Health Nursing Practice Council
In recent years, a number of Public Health Nursing (PHN)
practice issues have come to the collective attention of PHNs
working for state, tribal, and local health departments, yet there
has been no formal method to address these issues. This was
due to:
The complex practice network of PHNs working in
government health departments: Minnesota contains 73
local health departments, 11 tribal health programs, and
one state health department, which together employ more
than 900 PHNs
The geographic size of Minnesota: Minnesota’s PHNs work
in the twelfth largest state in the US
In forming, the PHN Practice Council overcame the challenges of
multiple organizations and geographical distances. PHN
Consultants asked the Minnesota Local Public Health
Association (LPHA) to identify PHN representatives from
regional local health departments. These representatives, along
with regionally assigned PHN Consultants, have met since 2009
via conference call to discuss practice issues.
The Council also seeks feedback during regularly scheduled
regional meetings and from organizations that have a stake in
the Council’s work, including the Minnesota Board of Nursing
and the LPHA Policy and Practice Committee.
Council Members
Lessons Learned: Working as a Council
The Council is currently examining documentation of public
health nursing practice at the community and systems levels.
Let the process unfold, and allow for members’ initial
expectations to change
In February 2011, the council published its first issue paper,
Relevant Challenges and Considerations for Public Health
Nursing Practice. This paper discusses:
Maintain a regular meeting schedule, even if the agenda
seems “light”
Statute and rule requirements for PHN practice in Minnesota
Encourage each person to express her opinions; use “round
robin” discussion technique with permission to pass
Practice of public health nursing according to national
standards
Send meeting materials ahead of time, making it possible to do
complicated projects via conference call
Experiences and challenges of autonomous PHN practice
Maintain consistency in the Council membership
Relevant considerations of nursing practice, including
autonomy of PHN practice and importance of collaboration
Designate one person to communicate with Council membership
Designate a core group of members to staff the Council (or do
the “leg work”); continually bring products back to the Council
for input
A flowchart, to be used in sorting out complex nursing practice
issues
This document can be found online:
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/cfh/ophp/consultation/phn/
Northwest Region
Wendy Kvale, Bemidji
West Central Region
Deb Jacobs, Wilkin Co.
Brenda Menier, Fergus Falls
Southwest Region
Jill Bruns, Renville Co.
Central Region
Linda Bauck, St. Cloud
Janelle Schroeder, Mille Lacs Co.
Northeast Region
Cynthia Bennett, Aitkin Co.
Marie Margitan, Duluth
Metro Region
Mo Alms, St. Paul
LuAnne McNichols, St. Paul
Deb Schuhmacher,
St. Paul-Ramsey Co.
Southeast Region
Peggy Espey, Dodge Co.
Mary Orban, Rochester
Identify and engage the right partners for input during a project
Maintain communication with the Council’s constituency (i.e.,
practicing PHNs throughout the state) by using established
groups and communication methods
Revisit the charge of the group as decisions are made regarding
appropriate projects to avoid taking on “too much”
Address topics that reflect and bring voice to issues of
importance to practicing PHNs