Author(s)

Bregje D’haeze, Wim Peersman, Ann Van Hecke, Ignaas Devisch

Department of Nursing Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Department of Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Ghent University and Artevelde University College, Ghent, Belgium.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the stimulating factors and the obstacles experienced by nurses in community health centres in their work with prevention and health promotion. We conducted the qualitative research design consisting of fifteen nurses in five community health centres in Ghent. There was also a focus group and participant observation. All participants experienced stimulating factors as well as obstacles in their work with preventive interventions. The most strongly facilitators were the Electronic Medical File and the multidisciplinary approach. The obstacles mentioned by the nurses were the communication problems and the financial problems. This study may have an important impact on nursing practice and nursing prevention. Further research is needed on nurses working in community health centres and the way they approach their patients in the course of preventive actions.

Nursing; Community; Obstacles; Stimulating Factors; Preventive Health Care

D’haeze, B. , Peersman, W. , Hecke, A. and Devisch, I. (2012) Prevention from a community perspective facilitating and constraining factors perceived by nurses in local community health centers in the course of prevention and health promotion. Open Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2, 461-467. doi: 10.4236/ojpm.2012.24065.