Community and public health nursing is defined as “the practice of promoting and protecting the health of populations using knowledge from nursing, social, and public health sciences” (Association of Public Health Nursing, 2018). Public health nursing focuses on the overall health of a population, promotion of wellness, and prevention of disease and disability. These nurses assess individuals and families within their community and individualize each plan of care based on genetic, lifestyle and environmental influences.
What do community and public health nurses do?
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Some responsibilities of community and public health nurses include:
- monitoring local and global health issues.
- identifying risk factors in specific communities.
- prioritizing interventions that benefit the majority of a specific population.
- advocating for improved access to healthcare in underserved communities.
- creating and implementing health education and disease prevention initiatives, such as immunizations and screenings.
- promoting currently available health care programs and services to improve access to care.
- providing direct health care to at-risk populations.
Where do community and public health nurses work?
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Public health and community nurses work in a variety of settings including health departments, schools, homes, community health centers, clinics, correctional facilities, worksites, and others.
More community and public health nursing resources
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- Nursing Pocket Cards, including sexually transimitted diseases
- Guideline Summaries, including primary prevention of cardiovascular disease
- Blog posts, with infographics, mnemonics, tips, and more
- Journals
- Articles and nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) activities
- Headlines and news stories
- Society partners