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Key Terms

community
a group of people with at least one characteristic in common
community health
the physical, mental, and social well-being of a community; involves health promotion, risk reduction, and disease prevention
community/public health nursing
specialty focused on improving the health of communities and populations through health promotion, disease prevention, risk reduction, community education, management of outbreaks and epidemics, and other initiatives
competencies
foundational knowledge, skills, and attitudes that enable nurses to meet client needs
contact tracing
identification of people who may have been exposed to a specific disease and are at risk for disease acquisition or spread
disease surveillance
data-collection activities that aim to inform a disease response plan
scope of practice
professional activities involved in a particular role; supports nurses working to their level of qualification, expertise, and competence
social prescribing
referrals to community resources outside of traditional health care settings
standards of practice
rules of conduct to which professionals are expected to adhere; support nurses’ decision making and delivery of care
vaccine uptake
the proportion of the population receiving a vaccination
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