Abstract
To identify the current performance and thoughts of municipal public health nurses who participate in the Specific Health Examinations and Specific Health Consultation programs, a nationwide survey was conducted. Data were collected from 514 out of 1,156 municipal public health nurses. The results showed that, although physicians
conventionally add examination items and select people who should receive the services, 30.6% of the public health
nurses agreed that they should add detailed health examination items with their own decisions, and that 60.0% of them believed that it was ideal for them to select patients for Specific Health Consultation. Furthermore, as part of providing proactive Specific Health Consultation, 18.4% of the municipalities were conducting blood tests, and in 74.2% of those cases, the public health nurses made decisions for blood tests. A total of 51.3% of the public health nurses agreed that people undergoing medical treatment should receive Specific Health Consultation. Public health nurses are familiar with community residents and understand the health issues of the community, which will enable them to fully practice as healthcare professionals, and which may contribute to realizing the aspiration of extending the healthy lifespan of the Japanese population.
