The Indian Nursing Council on 7th October 2022, has published the Indian Nursing Council (Diploma in Public Health Nursing), Regulations, 2020. The syllabus under this regulation has been prepared to for improving the standards of Public Health Nursing and for promotional training for Lady Health Visitor (LHV)/ General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM).
The Diploma in Public Health Nursing (DPHN) is a one year training program and its curriculum is conceptualized encompassing foundational short courses and major specialty courses for public health nursing and management. The foundations to public health nursing such as applied microbiology and pathology, Nutrition and food safety, Information, Education and Communication including individual and family education and counselling and the major specialty courses are organized under Community Health Nursing-I & Community Health Nursing-II.
This program aims to prepare LHVs to function in the capacity of Public Health Nurses enabling them to provide comprehensive health care to individuals, families and communities at the block level. It further aims to equip themselves as public health nurses in the Primary Health Care centers and Health Wellness Centers. This additional training program also prepares them to be efficient managers at the middle level as well as at the district level in monitoring and supervising the activities of MPHWs and Lady Health Visitors, in the efficient implementation of national health programs and policies, collect, analyze, manage and utilize public health data and to promote harmony and efficiency within the health team to improve the quality of health care.
On completion of the program and certification, the Lady Health Visitors should be employed in the public health system as a public health nurse in the block level.
