The public health nurse is an essential link in bringing health care to the community and plays a critical role in implementing advances in medicine.
There are many roles a public health nurse can fill in a community, all of which include:
- Educating a population about health risks and prevention.
- Encouraging the use of health and medical resources.
- Giving nursing care to the sick.
- Reporting findings to supervisory health organizations.
Public health nursing is a special career path that includes responsibilities far beyond those associated with working in a clinic or hospital. Public health nurses connect health care education and advancements with the communities they serve in the following ways:
1. Managing Long-Term Illnesses.
Life expectancy increased by 62% in the 20th century, which can be attributed to advancements in care, procedures, and public awareness. While this is a positive achievement, it also creates new public health issues. Chronic and other long-term illnesses are of chief concern. The CDC estimates that chronic diseases cause 7 out of 10 deaths in the U.S. and account for more than 75% of health care costs.
Increasing awareness through public health programs and reducing the impact of chronic conditions is one of the biggest efforts currently underway.
2. Sustaining a Healthy Workforce.
Lost economic productivity from chronic disease sufferers is estimated at 4 times the cost of treating the illnesses themselves. Keeping people in the workplace longer is a positive impact that public health nurses are working toward through health education and disease management.
3. Ongoing Education.
In order to extend health care knowledge to communities, public health nurses must increase general awareness about current health care initiatives. To do this, public health nurses develop collaborative relationships with other public health influencers such as physiotherapists, social workers, nutritionists, and law enforcement.
If you’re considering a career as a public health nurse, you must first have a Nursing Diploma, Associate of Nursing (ASN) degree, or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). In addition, it’s also required that nurses pass the:
- National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) and become a registered nurse.
- Community/Public Health Nursing certification exam.
While earning a master’s in public health is not required, it will give you additional skills needed to become a community health program manager, health policy analyst, social/behavioral scientist, health educator, and many more. Careers such as these enable you to have more influence on the health of your community and a better chance to help create the benchmark achievements of the 21st century.
Learn more about how a public health degree from Capella University can help you advance your career as a public health nurse.
