Civic engagement: School-based health centers and public health nursing.

Objectives: To understand how the events of the 1996 formation of a school-based health center (SBHC) both illustrate the concept of civic engagement and embody historic aspects of public health nursing practice.

Design: Case study design.

Sample: Interviews, documents, epidemiologic records, and field observations.

Results: The three themes discovered were collaboration to achieve public good, equity and social justice, creation of a long-term partnership, and demonstration of leadership using grassroots advocacy.

Conclusion: The SBHC case serves as a contemporary example of public health nurses' leadership in the current practice arena. The experience of nurse leadership evokes the historic mission and practice of public health nursing.