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Home""> Practice Center > Health Promotion Curriculum > Health > Session 1

Health Promotion Curriculum: Health

"" Advocating for Children, Families, and Communities

 

Session 1: Health and the Bright Futures Concept

Objectives

The objectives for this session are for the facilitator to:

  • Help learners explore and expand their definition and understanding of the “healthy child."
  • Introduce the six core concepts addressed in the Pediatrics in Practice curriculum: Partnership, Communication, Health Promotion/Illness Prevention, Time Management, Education, and Advocacy.
  • Foster a greater awareness of how children’s health depends on the health of their families and communities.

Materials

The materials and teaching aids needed for this session are:

Handouts:

Facilitator Form:

Teaching Aids:

  • Videotape Bright Futures: Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents (preview video here)
  • DVD player and monitor
  • Display board, flip chart, or chalkboard
  • Markers or chalk
  • 8 1/2" x 11" paper

""

Preparing for Session 1

Beginning the Session

Discussion and Exercises

Ending the session

 

Facilitator's Script:

facilitator's script  
 

Throughout the module is a script, designated by the star icon, which can be used to introduce issues, ask reflective questions, prompt discussion, elicit feedback, and summarize important take-home messages. The script can be read or preferably paraphrased by the educator(s) facilitating the teaching sessions.

Time

The time allocated for this session is 30 minutes.

Beginning the Session: Introductions

At the beginning of the session, the facilitator and learners should introduce themselves briefly. Ideas for creative introductions can be found in the Teaching Tips: Introduction to the Facilitator’s Guide.

Setting the Context: The Bright Futures Concept

The facilitator introduces the learners to the Bright Futures concept of health by reading or paraphrasing the following:

facilitator's script  
 

The World Health Organization has defined health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Bright Futures embraces this broad definition of health — one that includes not only prevention of morbidity and mortality, but also the achievement of a child’s full potential. In the Bright Futures concept of health, providing the capacity for healthy child development is as important as ameliorating illness or injury. Recognizing and acknowledging the strengths and resources of the child, family, and community are essential to promoting healthy growth and development.

To build that capacity, the Pediatrics in Practice curriculum focuses on six core concepts: Partnership, Communication, Health Promotion, Time Management, Education, and Advocacy. The curriculum also includes a companion module (Health) and videotape that present an overview of Pediatrics in Practice and the Bright Futures approach.

 

Introducing the Session

Before introducing the session, the facilitator distributes the handout Bright Futures Children’s Health Charter.

Note to facilitator: Learners should be challenged throughout the discussion to broaden their definition and deepen their understanding of health. As facilitator, you may want to reflect on your own definition of health before teaching this module.

The facilitator paraphrases the following:

facilitator's script  
 

Today’s session is the first of two that comprise the Pediatrics in Practice Health module. This module presents an overview and introduction to the entire Pediatrics in Practice curriculum. The purpose of this session is to help promote an understanding of health that goes beyond the mere absence of illness or infirmity, and to introduce six concepts that will help you communicate effectively, partner with and educate children and their families, and serve as advocates to promote health and prevent illness in a time-efficient manner.

In today’s session, our objectives will be to:

  • Explore and expand our definition and understanding of the “healthy child”.
  • Understand the six core concepts addressed in the Pediatrics in Practice curriculum.
  • Gain a greater awareness of how children’s health depends on the health of their families and communities.

When we have completed the session, you should be able to answer the following questions:

  • What is a “healthy” child in the context of the family and community?
  • What are the six core concepts that support Bright Futures?

 

Discussion and Exercises: The Quick Survey

The facilitator distributes paper to the learners, then reads or paraphrases the following:

facilitator's script  
 

As child health professionals, you each have definitions of health that determine your expectations about your role in promoting or improving the health of children. Please take 2 or 3 minutes to write down your own definition of a “healthy child”.

While collecting the learners’ written responses, the facilitator introduces the Bright Futures videotape and explains, as noted in the introduction, that Bright Futures views health as encompassing not only prevention of morbidity and mortality but also promotion of healthy growth and development, and achievement of the child’s full potential.

Bright Futures Video - Viewing and Discussion

The facilitator starts the VCR and reviews the learners’ survey responses as they watch the videotape. (The run time for the videotape is 16 minutes. Preview the video here.)

When the videotape has ended, the facilitator moves to the display board and uses the learners’ written responses to engage in a brief discussion on the definition of health. To prompt discussion, the facilitator might ask the following:

facilitator's script  
 

In the videotape, how does Bright Futures define health?

How are the various definitions similar? How are they different?

How does the context of the family’s strengths, resources, community, and culture influence your definition of health?

 

Overview of Bright Futures and the Core Concepts

The facilitator summarizes the main points of the discussion, relating them to the six core concepts (which the facilitator can briefly describe in any order):

  • Partnership: Develop a meaningful relationship that recognizes the critical role and contribution of each partner (child, family, health professional, and community) in promoting health and preventing illness.
  • Communication: Foster family-centered communication and develop active listening skills to enhance interactions among providers, children, and families.
  • Health Promotion: Encourage openness, raise awareness, and develop skills to promote recognition of issues important to patients and families.
  • Time Management: Apply time management skills to effectively incorporate health promotion into clinical practice.
  • Education: Recognize teachable moments during health visits for children and their families.
  • Advocacy: Build health professional involvement in advocacy at the individual, local, or national level by recognizing health issues important to patients and their families.

The facilitator continues:

facilitator's script  
 

As described in the videotape, these core concepts are also core competencies or skills that are essential for Bright Futures health professionals to develop in order to help children and their families achieve optimal health.

 

Take-Home Message

The facilitator ends the session by summarizing the Bright Futures concept of health:

facilitator's script  
 

Health is not only the absence of illness or disease, but also a state of well-being and the opportunity to achieve one’s full potential. Bright Futures believes that this can best be achieved by building effective partnerships; fostering family-centered communication; promoting health and preventing illness; managing time for health promotion; educating families through teachable moments; and advocating for children, families, and communities. Before we conclude, what questions remain about what we addressed today?

 

Answers to Guiding Questions

The facilitator continues:

facilitator's script  
 

Now that we have completed this session on Health, you should be able to answer the following questions:

What is a "healthy" child in the context of the family and community?

  • A “healthy” child is able to achieve his or her full potential. The capacity to achieve that potential depends on the strengths and resources of the child, the family, and the community.

What are the six core concepts that support Bright Futures?

  • The six core concepts are Partnership, Communication, Health Promotion, Time Management, Education, and Advocacy.

 

Planning for the Next Session (if Session 2 is planned)

The facilitator continues:

facilitator's script  
 

At the next session, we will apply the four-step approach to either another vignette or an actual case to demonstrate how to effectively advocate for the needs of a group at the local/national level.

 

Evaluation

The facilitator now distributes the Session Evaluation Form.

The facilitator also completes the Facilitator Self-Assessment Form.