Nursing and midwifery essay
WHO’s ‘Healthcare reorientation’ and the description of primary health care in the Consensus Statement on Nursing and Midwifery
The focus on health care is one of the main objectives of the Alma Ata Declaration and the Ottawa Charter on Health Promotion. Healthcare activities focus on curative and clinical activities. However, health activities should move away from traditional services and focus on health promotion. Health promotion should take into account the cultural needs of different people. In addition, health services should support individual and community needs to improve people’s health. As part of the Nursing and Midwifery Consensus Statement, nurses and midwives must ensure that their activities contribute to the well-being of individuals. The statement propagates the funding of health promotion and disease prevention activities (Adrian, 2009). The declaration also requires nurses and midwives to address the needs of the local population, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
The reorientation of health care also requires the involvement of other actors in health promotion. Therefore, individuals, community groups, physicians, health care providers and governments should work together to improve the health of the population. The Declaration of Consensus on Nursing and Midwifery offers various opportunities for such collaboration between different stakeholders. It ensures that respectful partnerships are established between communities and healthcare providers, researchers and educators. The Nursing and Midwifery Consensus Statement ensures the active participation of Australian residents in the planning and delivery of health interventions. In support of its goals, the statement takes over the maxim “Nothing about us without us” (Adrian, 2009, p. 2). This ultimately illustrates the intention to promote good health.
To refocus healthcare, more attention needs to be paid to health research and to the changes in education and training that healthcare providers receive. These changes will change the settings within organizations. They will also ensure that physicians provide the necessary care and holistically satisfy the health needs of individuals (Tulchinsky & Varavikova, 2009). The Nursing and Midwifery Declaration ensures that significant trans-disciplinary education and research investment is made to help healthcare providers meet community needs. In addition, health professionals’ knowledge, skills and experience are recognized and used in transdisciplinary teams (Adrian, 2009). This ensures that health care providers can holistically respond to the health needs of individuals. The latter helps to alleviate current health problems and prevent their recurrence. This therefore contributes to the promotion of health.
The vision of the Nursing and Midwifery Consensus statement on primary health care versus the current Australian health care system
The Declaration of Conformity for Nursing and Midwifery proposes radical changes in primary care in Australia that would help improve the health of Australians. In order to promote health promotion, the Declaration of Conformity for Nursing and Midwifery ensures that citizens are actively involved in the identification of priority areas for the prevention of disease, injury and disability. However, the current Australian health care system has a very limited participation of citizens in these activities. People have no control over the priority areas of health care that need improvement (Lewis, 2003). The government determines the areas that need to be improved as a priority.
The consensus statements on nursing and midwives propose a different approach to meeting the primary health needs of individuals. A coordinated and team-based approach to the management of primary care is proposed. It ensures that no single professional group takes care of basic medical needs
