Advanced practice community health nursing in community nursing centers: a holistic approach to the community as client.

Community nursing centers are unique arenas for advanced practice community health nursing. These innovative nurse-managed delivery models are grounded in a holistic approach to the community-as-client. They provide the public with direct access to a range of advanced practice professional nursing services that are not otherwise available. Community Nursing Centers are collaborative with other health professions and organizations. They aim to meet the assessed needs of underserved populations using extant resources to achieve optimal health for all members of the community. This article discusses the underlying conceptual basis for development of community nursing centers and provides a case study example.