Abstract
Purpose: This retrospective study describes public health nurses' competency in their practice of client-centered health guidance for lifestyle-related diseases prevention.
Methods: Data were collected using semi-structured interviews from 7 public health nurses and practice was assessed by qualitative analysis.
Results: Public health nurses co-create lifestyle changes for not only disease prevention but also the client's life. Three categories were identified from review of thematic interview data. The first category involved the theme of “Accepting the client to live his own life and find the direction to live as such.” The second category involved “relationship-building.” In order to better understand the client's life, public health nurses should create an atmosphere that encourages the client to broaden his/her perspective and elicits the appropriate narrative. Public health nurses can then utilize this to build a relationship which enables the free exchange of ideas. This relationship leads to the third category involving “co-creating optimal lifestyle interventions for disease prevention.” Our findings makes health guidance client-centered. In addition the client is proactive in changing continuously life-style for lifestyle-related diseases prevention.
