In celebration of the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, Duke University School of Nursing and Nurse-Family Partnership co-hosted a virtual panel discussion, "Supporting Healthy Communities through Public Health Nursing," on December 16 from 2 to 3 p.m. The event reflected on the unique – and critical – role of public health nurses in supporting healthy communities and addressing the social determinants of health. This work has taken on even greater urgency and importance in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related economic and social disruptions. This expert panel discussed the ways in which public health nurses are serving communities in the face of this crisis, how their practice is evolving, and how their work can help communities to improve health and build resilience, even in the face of the challenge of the pandemic.

The expert panel featured:

• Dean Marion E. Broome
• Kate Siegrist, chief nursing officer, Nurse-Family Partnership National Service Office
• Donna Biederman, associate professor and DUSON Community Health Improvement Partnership Program director
• Irene Felsman, assistant professor
• Femida Dharsee, administrative public health nurse, NYC DOHMH, and NFP nurse supervisor, Targeted Citywide Initiative

The recording of the event is now available. Broome was appointed to the National Board of Directors of the Nurse-Family Partnership over the summer.