A Community Health Nurse, sometimes referred to as a Public Health Nurse, is a very rewarding position that impacts an entire community. This professional typically works within a community setting, often those with low income families or people with no or inadequate health insurance coverage. By offering medical care and education about staying healthy, this particular career is extremely important in helping reform social and healthcare situations.
Community Health Nursing Career , Role of a Community Health Nurse
The role of a Community Health Nurse is vast, which includes providing medical care while staying in line with city, state, and federal laws, as well as regulations and ordinances specific to the healthcare, safety, and welfare fields. This individual would conduct nursing through healthcare promotions, audits of school immunization records, immunization clinics, epidemiology of food borne illnesses and communicable diseases, and health education, whether as a public forum or in private on a one-on-one basis.
In other words, while a Community Health Nurse performs many duties, the primary focus is on offering medical assistance and educating people in the community about health and wellness. Without a nurse of this type dedicated to making a difference, many communities would never get medical care or have the required education to understand risks such as food borne and communicable diseases.
Community Health Nurse Educational Requirements
To enjoy the benefits that come from a Community Health Nurse career, the person would need to earn an Associate’s degree in nursing or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). However, in some instances a special diploma from an accredited nursing school would suffice. It is important to note that while some nursing jobs would open with the above, most states now mandate the person have at minimum a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
In addition, the National Council Licensure Examination would need to be taken and passed to become a Registered Nurse and from there, the state board of nursing within the state where the person would work must be contacted to determine if additional certifications or licenses are required. While a Registered Nurse can have a career as a Community Health Nurse with an Associate or Bachelor’s degree, it would be highly recommended for a Master or even Doctoral degree to be earned, which would open more opportunities and result in a higher salary.
For someone interested in earning an advanced degree, they would need to choose a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Master in Public Health (MPH) degree. Along with this, to become a Community Health Nurse, advanced certification would also be needed. Keep in mind, the only way to get this certification is as a Registered Nurse with a current license within the state interested in working as a Community Health Nurse.
Community Health Nurse Salaries
Currently, the average annual salary to work as a Community Health Nurse is $51,000 but this figure could go up or down based on a number of factors to include actual degree, years of experience, geographic location, and even organization hiring.
Community Health Nurse Opportunities
While nursing as a whole has a bright future, the one career within this sector that will always be in high demand is the Community Health Nurse. Although the government is working to bring the healthcare issue in some communities under control, there will always be areas of any city that needs additional healthcare assistance. For this reason, someone with an interest in nursing, compassion for humans, and an interest in doing something that would make a difference would have complete job security by working as a Community Health Nurse.
