Community health nurses, sometimes called public health nurses, are registered nurses (RNs) who

are trained to work in public health settings such as county or state health departments,
schools, jails, and businesses. Because of their roles in the community as caregivers, they often
form close bonds within the communities they serve and form lasting relationships. They become
area experts on health and wellness.
On any given day, community nurses can be found running wellness clinics, coordinating emergency
preparedness for disaster relief, or treating injuries and illnesses.
Community nursing integrates evidence-based research with community health needs to provide
care based on science and evidence. They must determine the cultural and socioeconomic needs of
the community and adjust care as needed. In this role, RNs may be required to have a
baccalaureate nursing education with studies in population-based health and community health
nursing. RN to BSN programs allow nurses to study the theory and research behind public health
practices and apply them to everyday practice.
“They are educated to see each person for whom they care in the context of his or her life—all the
factors that impact that person’s life and well-being,” the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the
nation’s largest healthcare philanthropic organization, said in a call to action for improved public
health. “Indeed, nurses have a responsibility and an obligation—by virtue of their education—to
promote population health no matter where and how they practice.”

Community Health Nurses’ Roles

Working as a community nurse is unlike any other nursing position. By helping whole
communities, community nurses act as educators, disease and injury prevention specialists,
research scientists, community advocates, emergency preparedness experts, public health liaison,
and healthcare professionals. In more detail, the roles of public health nurses are:

1. Disease prevention specialist

Community health nurses focus on long- and short-term care for disease prevention. Their work
includes averting or controlling the spread of the flu and other communicable diseases. They work
with patients to support diabetes self-management and improve diabetes control. They also work
with mothers of newborns to reduce the rate of infant mortality and in schools to identify gaps in
services.

2. Community educator
As educators, community health nurses focus on presenting materials in a clear and understandable
format. They provide information to individuals, families, and communities that create a framework
for healthy living and healthy choices. In schools they may teach sex education and HIV education
classes. In the public, they hold classes and seminars on diabetes management. Overall, they focus
on community health education as a step to preventive healthcare.

3. Leader
Community health nurses use evidence to implement policy changes and quality-based practices.
They lead collaborative efforts to produce successful health outcomes and provide critical medical
and social services in communities.

4. Researcher
As researchers, community health nurses collect and use evidence to execute positive changes for
better health. Research is used to validate funding for public health programs, reduce inequalities in
healthcare, and increase access to services.

5. Advocate
Public health nurses advocate on the local, state, and federal level to provide better access to
healthcare, protect funding for public health programs, and reduce or eliminate health
disparities. They help families arrange assistance through social services programs such as the
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), which provides
healthcare and nutritional services for low-income pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and
children under age 5.

6. Caregiver
Community nurses cross cultural, language, and literacy boundaries to shape the health and well-
being of children and adults. They provide prenatal care and education for expectant mothers,
including information about maternal nutrition, referrals for childbirth classes, and postpartum
assistance. They also provide resources for parents to understand proper childhood development
and discipline techniques.

In addition, community nurses play other varied roles, said Virginia Crandall, Senior Community
Health Nursing Director for the Florida Department of Health in Hernando County. She said working
as a public health nurse provides an opportunity to use skills not used in a hospital setting.

“Whether it is Ebola, Zika, budget challenges, hurricanes, clinic operations, dog bites, tuberculosis,
sexually transmitted diseases or HIV, there is always a new challenge and a new opportunity to
make a positive difference,” she said.

Future Of Community Health

Nursing
Healthcare experts say public health has made great strides in the past decades, allowing people to
live longer and healthier lives. The smoking rate is down and more people have health insurance.
Health reform efforts have improved the quality of healthcare and slowed the growth rate of medical
costs, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.

Even with that, however, the United States falls short of providing equitable access to healthcare,
the CDC said. Racial, socioeconomic, and ethnic disparities continue in healthcare, the federal
agency said. A vital component to change is local communities taking leading roles in public
health and continued support by community health nurses.
The Association of Public Health Nurses (APHN) said partnerships between public health nurses,
communities, populations, and organizations are essential to the future of public health. The
association said public health nurses could bridge the gaps between siloed clinical health and public
health, ensuring optimal well-being for communities and populations.
“Public health nursing remain the largest discipline in the public health field, consistently providing
leadership in an unsettled health system environment,” the association said in a position paper titled
“The Public Health Nurse: Necessary Partner for the Future of Healthy Communities.”
“As public health nurses continue to move beyond traditional public health settings and integrate
their practice with community systems, their value and strength will continue to evolve as well.”

About Duquesne University’s

Online Bachelor Of Science In
Nursing (RN-BSN) Program
Students enrolled in Duquesne University’s online RN-BSN program have an opportunity to engage
in classroom and clinical community health nursing education through coursework that allows
registered nurses to earn Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees. The six-credit Population
Based Health and Community Health Nursing course provides an opportunity for learning through a
hands-on approach.