Abstract
Public health nurses need region-specific geographical information such as population by age group and location of social resources, in addition to health statistics, to conduct health activities effectively. Therefore, in this study, we designed and actually practiced a regional diagnosis curriculum using geographical information systems (GISs) in a public health nurse course. It provided an opportunity for students becoming public health nurses to learn a method to ascertain the situation prevailing in the region. Subjects were 64 third-year students of the public health nurse course at A university. After having learned the outline of regional diagnosis and how to carry it out, students practiced using GIS in accordance with the instruction manual prepared by us. They undertook group work that used GIS for regional diagnosis. Results revealed that they were able to identify health issues rooted in the region and were able to produce an activity plan. We analyzed the contents of all assignment reports and found in the application of GIS to regional diagnosis that students had extended their understanding from direct how-to level to public health nurses’ activities. Future enhancement of continuity and further systematization in a series of public health nurse course curriculums are expected.
