Public Health Nurse Job Description
The public health nurse’s job description consists of various aspects that pertain to the overall health of the community. These aspects will revolve around both quality patient care to those who are lacking sufficient income or medical insurance; therefore, they cannot get this quality of care from a private practice doctor. The public health nurse also provides various testing for contagious diseases in a confidential manner, and they also provide education to these types of patients. In order to qualify for one of the many, available, public health jobs, all you need to do is go back to college to earn a degree in nursing. In general, either the associate’s degree in nursing or the bachelor’s degree is acceptable. Additionally, should the nurse want to pursue a career in the management positions associated with public health, they can also go back to college again to earn a graduate-level degree in the field of public or community health.
Direct Patient Contact
One of the largest parts of the public health nurse’s job description is the element of patient care. Patient care in this field typically consists of patients who are in the middle class, those who make enough money that they cannot qualify for government-funded programs; however, they do not make enough to afford quality care and are not eligible for medical insurance through their employer. The public health department will provide these patients with necessary preventive medical care from the time of infancy to adulthood. The public health department can provide examinations for checkups as well as treatment plans for some types of diseases.
The public health nurse’s job description also states that the nurse must provide immunizations to those who need them at a cost that the patient can afford as well as provide confidential STD and other infectious disease testing. There is more, however, to this aspect of the job including educating the patient as to how they can prevent the spread of disease and prevent future possibilities of acquiring the disease. The public health nurse also reports to the State’s Surgeon General anytime there is a positive infectious disease test. On the other hand, should the test be negative, the public health nurse will provide the patient with extensive education as to how they can protect themselves and others from acquiring the disease in the future.
The public health nurse’s job description is for those nurses who enjoy helping those who are less fortunate and are in desperate need of quality medical care. Additionally, the public health nurse can enjoy the fact that they provide a type of education to the patients that will prevent them from acquiring various types of infections; in essence, they are providing healthcare to everyone the patient comes into contact with through the education they provide to their patients. Through this position there is always room for advancement that will provide the nurse with opportunities throughout the organization that will give her a higher ranking in the department as well as a higher salary potential.