Abstract
BACKGROUND: The Forum of Public Health University Teachers aims to update the Public Health training in the degree studies. The aim was to determine the competences and basic contents of Public Health of Nursing Degree in Spain according to the criterion of the university academic staff. METHODS: Qualitative study, based on the nominal group technique. The snowball sampling was used to recruit Public Health professors of the Nursing degree, with full time dedication and preferably of the area of Preventive Medicine and Public Health. Finally, 17 professors from 11 public universities participated, who formed the Forum of University Professors of Public Health of the Nursing Degree, which was held at the University of Barcelona. RESULTS: Nursing professors selected 43 of the 80 competences which are recognized for Public Health professionals. The majority corresponded to the functions ‘Assessing population health needs’ and ‘Developing health policies’. Professors also got to agree about 47 issues organized in 7 blocks, with contents on introduction of Public Health, demography, health determinants, epidemiology of communicable and non-communicable diseases, health systems and health management, and health promotion and education for health. CONCLUSIONS: The university teachers agreed on Public Health competencies and contents suitable for the Nursing Degree. This consensus constitutes a reference to elaborate educational guides of Public Health for Nursing Degree.