[Public health nursing in Greece].

Nursing is considered, as the main profession that covers the need for primary health care services, in cooperation with physicians and other health and social care professions. In Greece, public or community health nursing as a concept exists since the beginning of professional nursing in the seconf half og the 19 century. There are three professions in Greece that are mainly involved in the provision of community nursing services. These are general nurses, health visitors, and midwives. General nurses are educated at degree level in the university or polytechnics. Health visitors and midwives are separate professions, also educated at degree level in polytechnics. Although all general nurses are prepared to work at any level of health care provision, they are not considered adequately educated to perform their full role in the community, with just their existing knowledge and experience. It is therefore essencial that further education or specialization is needed, in order that they could practice independently or as members of the primary health care teams effectively, and be able to respond to public health needs of the population