At the opening of the Research Institute of Nursing Care for People and Community (RINCPC), the first Executive Director, Dr. Hiroko Minami (the current president of University of Kindai Himeji) mentioned that “socialization of nursing care” was to provide care for people by people and create a community which itself assumes the responsibility of such care.  She also told that expert knowledge and technical development in nursing were indispensable to the socialization of nursing care.

　Since the foundation of the RINCPC in December 2004, we have been supporting and promoting various activities in the fields of “Machi no Hokenshitsu (town healthcare room), telenursing, international community health nursing and disaster nursing. Through these activities, we have identified knowledge required for volunteer nurses as our research outcome to support “Machi no Hokenshitsu” operated by volunteer nurses of Hyogo Nursing Association. The scope of our research project also involves self-care development for rheumatism patients through the utilization of information communication technologies and a leadership training program for international community health nursing. Furthermore, we have developed the curricula and systems for disaster nursing education and the guidelines for vulnerable population in the case of disasters (the elderly, children, and patients with chronic disease, pregnant women /postpartum mothers, and others) and nurses providing nursing care for them. We have been collaborating with the faculty and graduate students of College of Nursing Art and Science and Graduate School of Nursing Art and Science, University of Hyogo to provide nursing consultation for the elderly and their families on forgetfulness, people with blood sugar problems, sick children and their families caring for them at home, and women with health problems.  “Piyo-Piyo”, a child-rearing support program is also one of our activities.

　In Japan many challenging health issues are ahead of us. The issues include differences in access to medical care, lifestyle-related illnesses, and home-based health care. Nurses can collaborate with local residents in their communities to help them maintain and improve their health. I believe through such steady efforts, nurses can make a significant contribution to improving the nation’s health. I also believe nurses will be able to play a key role when people’s health and safety are threatened by global climate change, an outbreak of infectious disease or frequent occurrence of  disasters.

　As a nursing research institute, we will continue working for people’s health, pursuing nursing care which people can trust, proposing specific measures and sending them out from the institute to the world. We would sincerely appreciate your continued guidance and support.