Scope of public health nursing practice -- Public health nursing: past, present, and future -- Definition of public health nursing -- Public health nursing practice: focus on population health -- The art and science of public health nursing: a synergy -- Public health nursing standards and core competencies -- Essential public health services -- Principles of public health nursing practice -- Core functions of public health nursing -- A synergy of systems -- Public health nursing: application and context -- Influences on public health nursing practice -- Education and preparation -- Issues and trends in public health nursing -- Summary of the scope of public health nursing practice -- Standards of professional public health nursing practice -- Significance of standards -- Standards of practice for public health nursing -- Standard 1. Assessment -- Standard 2. Population diagnosis and priorities -- Standard 3. Outcomes identification -- Standard 4. Planning -- Standard 5. Implementation -- Standard 5A. Coordination of care -- Standard 5B. Health teaching and health promotion -- Standard 5C. Consultation -- Standard 5D. Prescriptive authority -- Standard 5E. Regulary activities -- Standard 6. Evaluation -- Standards of professional performance for public health nursing -- Standard 7. Ethics -- Standard 8. Education -- Standard 9. Evidence-based practice and research -- Standard 10. Quality of practice evaluation -- Standard 11. Communication -- Standard 12. Leadership -- Standard 13. Collaboration -- Standard 14. Professional practice evaluation -- Standard 15. Resource utilization -- Standard 16. Environmental health -- Standard 17. Advocacy.