PSC/Loksewa Syllabus for Nursing Officer Gandaki Province: A Guide to the Seventh-Level Examination

Public health nurses play a pivotal role in shaping healthcare delivery, especially in a country like Nepal, where community-centric healthcare is essential. If you’re an aspiring public health nurse aiming to excel in the competitive landscape, understanding the Public Health Nursing syllabus for the seventh-level exam is your first step toward success. Let’s explore what this examination entails and how you can prepare effectively.

Why This Exam Matters

The competitive examination for the seventh-level Public Health Nursing position, organized by the Provincial Public Service Commission, Gandaki Province, opens doors to impactful roles in the Nepal Health Service. Whether it’s community health management, education, or direct patient care, this exam tests a blend of knowledge, practical skills, and ethical understanding.

Exam Structure at a Glance

The exam is divided into two stages:

First Phase: Written Test
- Objective (MCQs): Covering nursing science and related subjects (100 marks).
- Subjective Questions: Delving deeper into nursing theory and application (100 marks).
Second Phase: Group Test and Interview
- Group discussions and personal interviews assess communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills (40 marks).

Proficiency in both Nepali and English is advantageous, as the examination can be taken in either language or a mix of both.

Key Topics to Master

Nursing Concepts & Principles
Dive into foundational theories by pioneers like Florence Nightingale and explore modern concepts like holistic care and stress management.
Community Health Nursing
Learn about Nepal’s public health history, principles of primary healthcare, and community participation.
Health Management
Master topics like resource management, disaster preparedness, and health economics.
Research and Statistics
Grasp research methodologies, ethical considerations, and the application of statistics in health service evaluation.
Mental Health
Understand the nurse’s role in prevention and care for mental illnesses, including substance abuse and psychosexual issues.

First Paper

1. Nursing Concepts & Principles (20%)

Topics:

Nursing Theory: Henderson, Orem, Roy’s, Nightingale, Peplau, Cultural Care.
Nursing Process: Steps – Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation.
Pain and Stress Management: Nursing and medical approaches.
Holistic Health Care: Components, methods, alternative medicine.
Creativity in Nursing: Methods, barriers.
Professional Development: Ethics, rights (legal, human, client), ICN and ICM codes.

Pro Tips:

Relate Nursing Theories to practical scenarios, e.g., applying Nightingale’s theory in community health settings.
Master the Nursing Process with examples, such as managing a diabetic patient through assessment and planning.
Study Nepal-specific regulations under Professional Development, including abortion laws and medico-legal case management.

2. Behavioral Science and Psychology in Nursing (10%)

Topics:

Cultural health-seeking behavior.
Factors affecting health: socio-economic conditions, education, politics, environment.
Social problems in Nepal: Substance abuse, gender bias, trafficking.
Psychology: Human behavior, emotional control, behavioral changes.

Pro Tips:

Analyze cultural variations in health practices, e.g., reliance on traditional healers in rural Nepal.
Use real-life case studies to understand behavioral changes, such as coping mechanisms in stress management.

3. Education Science in Nursing (15%)

Topics:

Teaching principles and methods (e.g., microteaching, case study presentations).
In-service education: Need assessment, clinical teaching, feedback.
Curriculum development and evaluation.

Pro Tips:

Dive more to micro-teaching scenarios, like conducting a seminar on breastfeeding practices.
Focus visual aids effectively in teaching presentations, combining audio and video materials for impact.

4. Health Care Management (20%)

Topics:

Trends in Nepal’s healthcare system.
Leadership and organizational behavior.
Disaster management and quality assurance.
Policies: Health Act 2053, National Health Policy 2076.

Pro Tips:

Understand organizational structures in Nepal’s healthcare system, from federal to local levels.
Develop disaster response plans with emphasis on resource mobilization.

5. Research & Statistics (15%)

Topics:

Research methodologies, sampling techniques.
Data collection and analysis.
Ethics in research: NHRC guidelines.

Pro Tips:

Familiarize yourself with method, data visualization and data analysis tools (Excel/SPSS).
Focusing on designing research proposals, e.g., a study on maternal health practices in rural areas.

6. Applied Health Sciences (10%)

Topics:

Anatomy and physiology: Cardiovascular, respiratory, reproductive systems.
Pharmacology: Essential and life-saving drugs.
Pathophysiology: Inflammation, thrombosis, embolism.
Nutrition: Deficiency diseases, therapeutic diets.

Pro Tips:

Relate pathophysiology to practical cases, such as understanding wound healing in diabetic patients.
Study Nepal’s essential drug list for pharmacology.

7. Mental Health (10%)

Topics:

Concepts of mental illness: Neuroses, psychoses, substance abuse.
Nurse’s role in prevention (primordial to tertiary).
Legal responsibilities and emergency management.

Pro Tips:

Familiarize yourself with common mental health challenges in Nepal, such as alcohol abuse and depression.
Practice counseling techniques through role-playing exercises.

Sample Questions

First Paper: MCQs (Multiple-Choice Questions)

1. Nursing Concepts & Principles

Question 1: Which of the following is a component of holistic health care?
A) Financial health
B) Physical, mental, social, and spiritual health
C) Personal relationships
D) Environmental factors
Answer: B) Physical, mental, social, and spiritual health

Question 2: Roy’s adaptation theory focuses on:
A) The patient’s independence
B) Interaction between the nurse and patient
C) Adaptation to environmental changes
D) Pain management
Answer: C) Adaptation to environmental changes

Question 3: Which is an alternative medicine method?
A) Yoga
B) Surgery
C) Antibiotics
D) Blood transfusion
Answer: A) Yoga

Question 4: The ICN Code of Nursing focuses on:
A) Reducing healthcare costs
B) Providing ethical guidelines for nurses
C) Establishing legal rights for clients
D) Encouraging creativity in nursing
Answer: B) Providing ethical guidelines for nurses

Question 5: Disposal of dead bodies is covered under:
A) Nursing Theory
B) Laws related to health and nursing
C) Human rights
D) Professional development
Answer: B) Laws related to health and nursing

2. Behavioral Science and Psychology

Question 1: A major socio-economic factor affecting health is:
A) Age
B) Gender roles
C) Income inequality
D) Religious practices
Answer: C) Income inequality

Question 2: Which of the following is a social problem in Nepal?
A) Educational advancement
B) Child abuse
C) Declining unemployment
D) Stable migration
Answer: B) Child abuse

Question 3: Psychology applied to nursing includes:
A) Understanding basic human anatomy
B) Identifying causes of behavioral changes
C) Providing community health programs
D) Treating mental illnesses only
Answer: B) Identifying causes of behavioral changes

Question 4: Gender bias affects health by:
A) Promoting equality
B) Providing uniform access to resources
C) Reducing access to healthcare for women
D) Improving health literacy
Answer: C) Reducing access to healthcare for women

Question 5: Emotional development in psychology refers to:
A) Changes in physical characteristics
B) The ability to understand and manage emotions
C) Learning new skills
D) Building strong social relationships
Answer: B) The ability to understand and manage emotions

3. Education Science in Nursing

Question 1: Which teaching method uses short practice sessions followed by feedback?
A) Self-directed learning
B) Microteaching
C) Seminar presentation
D) Case study
Answer: B) Microteaching

Question 2: The most effective aid in nursing education is:
A) Textbooks
B) Video aids
C) Written assignments
D) Audio recordings
Answer: B) Video aids

Question 3: In-service education programs should primarily focus on:
A) Personal preferences of staff
B) Financial needs of the organization
C) Needs assessment of staff
D) Regulatory requirements
Answer: C) Needs assessment of staff

Question 4: A principle of curriculum development is:
A) Ignoring current trends
B) Excluding stakeholder input
C) Considering relevance to practical needs
D) Focusing solely on theoretical aspects
Answer: C) Considering relevance to practical needs

Question 5: Which is a characteristic of a good evaluation tool?
A) Inconsistency
B) Subjectivity
C) Validity
D) Costliness
Answer: C) Validity

Second Paper

Section A – 30 Marks

Topics:

Community Health Nursing in Nepal: History, PHC concepts, principles.
Community Diagnosis & Participation: Process, barriers, resource mobilization.
Management: Planning, organizing, follow-up, supervision.

Pro Tips:

Learn the elements of PHC and their application in improving rural healthcare services.
Practice community diagnosis using real-world tools like household surveys.

Section B – 30 Marks

Topics:

Family Health & Reproductive Health:
- Home visits, safe motherhood, family planning.
- HIV/AIDS prevention.
Midwifery Services:
- Birth preparedness, postnatal care, emergency obstetric care.

Pro Tips:

Focus on reproductive health case management, e.g., managing complications during home deliveries.
Study professional roles from FCHWs to senior public health nurses.

Section C – 20 Marks

Topics:

Epidemiology: Socio-health indicators, epidemiological methods.
Occupational Health: Hazards, preventive measures.

Pro Tips:

Practice solving epidemiological calculations, like incidence rates for communicable diseases.
Relate occupational health hazards to local industries, e.g., respiratory issues in brick kiln workers.

Section D – 20 Marks

Topics:

Special Health Programs in Nepal:
- Nutrition, ARI, CDD, maternal health.
Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases:
- Communicable: TB, Malaria, HIV/AIDS.
- NCDs: Diabetes, hypertension, cancer.

Pro Tips:

Memorize health program details, such as ARI management in children under 5 years.
Study NCD prevention strategies, aligned with Nepal’s PEN Package Protocol.

Sample Questions

Second Paper: Subjective Questions

1. Community Health Nursing

Question 1: Explain the principles of Primary Health Care (PHC).

2. Epidemiology and Vital Statistics

Question 2: Define prevalence and incidence and provide an example of each.

3. Family Health & Reproductive Health

Question 3: Discuss the components of safe motherhood programs in Nepal.

4. Occupational Health

Question 4: List common occupational health hazards in Nepal and their preventive measures.

5. Special Health Programs

Question 5: Describe the ARI control program and its significance in Nepal.

Download Full Syllabus

PSC Gandaki Syllabus of PH Nursing 7th Level Updated Download

General Preparation Tips

Prioritize High-Weight Topics: Focus on Nursing Concepts, Health Care Management, and Family Health.
Mock Exams: Practice sample questions under timed conditions.
Group Study: Collaborate with peers for group discussions and case-solving.
Stay Updated: Regularly review changes in health policies and global health goals like SDGs.