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. 2023 Jan;40(1):178-181.
doi: 10.1111/phn.13129. Epub 2022 Sep 5.

Valuing tacit nursing knowledge during the COVID-19 pandemic

Elizabeth Orr  1 , Susan M Jack  2 , Karen Campbell  3 , Sonya Strohm  2
Affiliations

Valuing tacit nursing knowledge during the COVID-19 pandemic

Elizabeth Orr et al. Public Health Nurs. 2023 Jan.

Abstract

Public health nurses in Ontario, Canada, support the healthy growth and development of children across the province through a variety of programs including home visits for pregnant individuals and families with young children. During the COVID-19 global pandemic the needs of families increased while access to health and social services decreased. During this time, home visiting teams closely involved in supporting families also experienced staff redeployment to support pandemic efforts (e.g., case and contact management, vaccinations) and changes to the nature of home visiting work, including shifts to remote or virtual service delivery. To support nursing practice in this new and evolving context, a framework for capturing and sharing the tacit or how-to knowledge of public health nurses was developed. A valuing of this type of knowledge for informing future public health nursing practice - well beyond the pandemic response - was recognized as a pandemic silver lining when reflecting on two years of supporting home visiting teams in our province.

Keywords: COVID-19; community health nursing; evidence-based practice; home visits; nursing practice; professional knowledge; public health; public health nursing.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
The PHN‐PREP practice‐informed guidance development and dissemination framework [Colour figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com]
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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