Approved Topic List: Choosing Your Field Project Topic with a Primary Prevention Focus
Note: You may not log any work on your field project until you are enrolled in Community
Health and Population-Focused Nursing Field Experience/Community Health and Population-
Focused Nursing Clinical and have selected your topic.
What is a Primary Prevention?
The Community Health Nursing practicum requires a field project. The project focuses on
primary prevention. Primary prevention is the prevention of disease, injury, disability or
premature death before they occur.
First Steps in Choosing a Field Project Topic
First, consider what might be an issue of public health concern in your own community. The
pertinent questions to consider are:
What is the biggest contributor to disease (morbidity) and premature death
(mortality) in your community?
What are the controversial community health concerns discussed in your local
newspaper?
What do you believe people in your community are most concerned about related to
health?
What is generating the most visits to the emergency room or hospital admission in
your community?
What do you believe is reducing the quality of life in your community?
Possible Topic Areas to Choose for Field Project
Access to Healthcare
access to mental health services
access to dental health services
access to health services
promotion of health literacy
Alcohol and Drug Use
responsible alcohol consumption
prevention of drug abuse, including
– IV drug use
– prescription drug use
Child Health
prevention of neonatal mortality
prevention of unintentional childhood injuries, including:
– sudden unexpected infant death (SUID)
– poisoning
– drowning
– motor vehicle related (child safety seat and seat belt use)
– sports related
– pedestrian related
prevention of child abuse
promotion of vaccination
Disabled
promotion of health and well-being, including
– access to disability related services and devices,
– limit barriers to participating in home, work, school, or community activities
Disaster Preparedness
prevention of adverse health consequences caused by natural and human caused
disasters
HIV/AIDS
prevention of HIV/AIDS, including
– sexual transmission
– prenatal transmission
– IV drug use transmission
Oral Health
prevention of dental caries
Obesity/Nutrition
prevention of overweight and obesity through healthy nutrition and physical activity
prevention of food deserts
Physical Environment
promotion of healthy physical environment, including
– air quality
– land quality
– water quality
Seniors
prevention of falls
prevention of social isolation
promotion of vaccination
Sexual Health
Prevention of sexually transmitted infections.
Social Environment
safe, affordable, quality housing (prevention of homelessness)
Tobacco
prevention of tobacco use
prevention of smoking
Unintentional Injuries
prevention of workplace injuries
prevention of motor vehicle related death/injuries
– prevention of pedestrian injury and death (includes bicyclists)
Violence
prevention of domestic violence/intimate partner violence
prevention of dating violence
prevention of gang violence
prevention of community violence
prevention of bullying/cyber-bullying
prevention of suicide/depression
Prevention of human/sex trafficking
Women’s and Maternal Health
prevention of unintended pregnancies
lack of breastfeeding/promotion of breastfeeding
promotion of vaccination
Resources to Start Your Topic Choice Process
Healthy People 2020
