public health nurse jobs

public health nurse jobs

Public Health Nurse Jobs

1. Introduction to Public Health Nursing

The Quad Council Coalition emerged in 1992 in an effort to strengthen and solidify public health nursing’s identity and its overall impact in improving the nation’s health. The Quad Council is comprised of public health nursing leaders from the four major public health nursing organizations: 1) The American Nurses Association Council of Public Health Nursing Organizations, 2) The Association of Community Health Nurse Educators, 3) The Public Health Nursing Section of the American Public Health Association, and 4) The Association of Public Health Nurses. The Quad Council has been successful in utilizing their combined memberships to keep public health nursing issues as top priorities for federal legislative and national policy agendas. This coalition has had a tremendous influence on public health nursing today, even being able to help progress and support state-based public/community health nursing programs.

Public health nursing is the practice of promoting and protecting the health of populations using knowledge from nursing, social, and public health sciences. Public health nurses work in a variety of settings to provide health information, education, coordination of care, and consultation. They reach a diverse and widespread population and are crucial in addressing the health needs of all members of a community. Public health nursing is defined by the American Nurses’ Association as “the practice of promoting and protecting the health of populations using knowledge from nursing, social, and public health sciences.” They have integrated the Institute of Medicine’s focus on quality and patient safety, the Triple Aim, and the newly developed Quadruple Aim into the PHN Principles.

2. Qualifications and Skills for Public Health Nurse Jobs

Based on the position of public health nurse (PHN) for the City of Toronto, there are several qualifications that are required. Like the general PHN position, registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario and a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing is required. One thing to note is that aside from the minimum of two years nursing experience, at least one year of the experience must have included direct case management of clients. Experience in community health nursing and case management of clients can be obtained through field placements and internships during your nursing education. While it is preferred to be certified in Community Health Nursing, it is not required. A valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle is a must. This is due to the public health nurses doing home visits and assessing the various needs of the community. Being able to travel to different neighbourhoods and bring supplies to clients is a necessity. Consideration will also be given to candidates with a Masters of Science in Nursing. Since the goal is to enable excellence in public health nursing through the development and integration of nursing knowledge, those with the higher level of education will be more likely to land the PHN position.

There is a comprehensive list of things you must meet for potential consideration for the need of a public health nurse. For most general positions, you must meet the minimum of successful completion of a three-year diploma in nursing from a recognized college or university. One would also have to have a valid registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario and have a minimum of two years nursing experience, of which one year must include community health nursing (i.e. home care, public health, family practice) and/or relevant education and experience. Finally, there must be a valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle.

3. Roles and Responsibilities of Public Health Nurses

Indirect care functions help to facilitate the effectiveness of direct caregivers. Indirect activities include: management and leadership within the community and the public health field, consultation and education. The indirect public health nursing role is one that does not involve working with specific communities or the general public. The public health nurse in an indirect role provides services to the other public health professionals and the public through a variety of methods. In general, these services are those that improve the overall health of the public and are not linked to direct services. The services can involve running and analyzing data, directing and evaluating programs, or communicating and advocating for the health of the community.

Public health nursing is the practice of promoting and protecting the health of populations using knowledge from nursing, social, and public health sciences. Public health nurses work in a variety of settings, including county or state health departments, and are the frontline forces working with communities. Public health nursing roles can vary greatly depending on where they are located and the specific job description of the position. In general, roles and responsibilities can be categorized as indirect and direct.

4. Job Opportunities and Settings for Public Health Nurses

The recent healthcare reform has excited the nursing community. Within a 10-year period, there will be an influx of 32 million newly insured individuals. Many of these individuals will be managed under new insurance programs with a focus on prevention and wellness. This shift creates a demand for skilled public health nurses who will not only work to protect and promote the health of populations through policy and advocacy but will also help teach individuals how to participate in self-care and empower them to make lifestyle changes. This is consistent with a goal of the public health nursing practice, which is to bring about social change and obtain a healthier and more equitable society for all people.

New public health nurses will likely find that the job market is strong. A 2008 survey done by the University of Maryland showed that 96% of recent public health nursing graduates found jobs as public health nurses within a year of graduation. The recent economic recession has increased the demand for public health nurses. As a new initiative to create jobs and stimulate the economy, the US government provided 650 million dollars to put public health professionals to work at the community level. This funding was targeted towards school health and prevention, healthcare access, and prevention and wellness programs, therefore creating job opportunities for public health nurses. In times of recession, more individuals become uninsured or underinsured and are in need of services that will enhance their access to care. This group of people often includes the target population of public health nursing. As a result, the lack of healthcare services and insurance for many individuals has created job opportunities for community/public health nurses in safety net settings such as migrant health centers, public housing developments, and homeless shelters.

While public health nurses are employed in a variety of settings, the traditional setting has been within a community or public health department. Opportunities in this setting still exist, but many public health nurses work in a primary care or home health setting. Public health nurses can also work for international organizations, the military, or as consultants. Some public health nurses work with community coalitions or not-for-profit organizations, serving a particular population. Job responsibilities vary according to the employment setting. In a community health department, public health nurses may be responsible for immunization clinics, disease surveillance, or conducting health education programs. In a home health setting, the public health nurse may focus on a particular issue such as fall prevention or may have a more general caseload, providing assessments and service coordination to a variety of clients.

5. Future Outlook and Advancement in Public Health Nursing

Public health nurses are community health nurses, which form the largest and most rapidly growing segment of the professional nursing workforce in the United States. Public health nursing has been declared as one of the top 10 professions for the new millennium. There are two main reasons for this anticipated growth: the first being the Healthy People 2010 report that set forth an ambitious health agenda for the nation to achieve over the first decade, and the second reason for the anticipated growth is the fact that a significant portion of the prepared U.S. nursing workforce is nearing retirement age. A vast amount of job opportunities are becoming available due to the fact that many current public health nurses are indeed retiring with an anticipated 50% of the workforce. In response to the national shortage in nursing and the increased public health nursing workforce, the Quad Council Coalition of Public Health Nursing Organizations, Inc. agreed to a consensus that all public health nurses must have a Baccalaureate in Nursing or higher by the year 2020 to practice. This agreement would cause a significant increase in the educational qualifications of public health nurses, as well as further promote the demand for new graduate nurses to enter an educational career path in public health nursing.