What is the primary focus of community health nursing?

The primary focus of community health nursing is improving the health of populations. This approach emphasizes the collective well-being of communities rather than solely concentrating on individual patient care. Community health nurses work to assess health needs, develop programs, and implement interventions that not only address health concerns on a broader scale but also advocate for health policies that can impact entire communities.

By focusing on populations, community health nursing seeks to identify and address determinants of health, such as socioeconomic factors, environment, education, and access to healthcare services. This population-centered approach aims to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes for specific groups, leading to healthier communities overall.

The other options reflect aspects of health care that can be important but do not encapsulate the essence of community health nursing, which is rooted in understanding and addressing health needs at a population level. Private patient care typically pertains to individual-focused healthcare, individual health assessments focus on personal health evaluations, and conducting scientific research is essential for developing knowledge and practices in nursing but does not directly define the primary mission of community health nurses who aim to enhance the health of entire populations.