Public Health RN to MSN Programs

What is Public Health Nursing?

Definition of Public Health Nursing

According to the APHA, public health nursing is a specialty practice that straddles the worlds of nursing and public health (see the CDC’s list of 10 Essential Public Health Services). Public health nurses:

• Focus on the needs of an entire population, including sub-populations (e.g. immigrant communities)
• Place a huge emphasis on primary prevention & health promotion
• Assess the needs & health status of a community using comprehensive, systematic approaches
• Pay attention to multiple determinants of health (i.e. personal, social, economic, and environmental factors)
• Apply healthcare interventions that encompass individuals, families, communities and systems
• Be active in advocacy, public development, social justice issues, and program planning
• Work closely with governments & non-profits to keep the public healthy

Depending on their field, public health nurses’ job duties can involve clinical nursing, case management, education, consultation, counseling, community outreach, research, and administration.

Common work settings for public health nurses include:

• Community-based health clinics & centers
• Hospitals & medical centers
• Home health agencies
• Hospices & nursing homes
• County & state departments of health
• Public health departments
• Government agencies (local, state & federal)
• Correctional facilities
• Businesses & workplaces
• Research institutions
• Schools, colleges & universities
• Non-governmental service organizations
• Healthcare policy think-tanks
• U.S. Armed Forces

It’s important to note that public health nurses don’t need an MSN in public health nursing to find jobs in the field. However, they often need a BSN. If you currently hold an ASN or ADN, or a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field, an RN to MSN program is going to be your most efficient education option.

As one nurse in a county public health department noted, all of her colleagues had a BSN; all of her program supervisors had an MSN or MPH.

Note: You also have the option to earn an RN to MSN in a nurse practitioner specialty (e.g. WHNP) and then earn a post-master’s graduate certificate in public health.

Public Health Nursing Fields

Community Health Nursing

The line between community health nursing & public health nursing is very fuzzy! Some organizations view community health as a sub-discipline of public health nursing; some folks use the term interchangeably.

One useful idea is that public health nursing involves a global to community to family to individual approach, while community health nursing employs an individual to family to community to global approach. In other words, community health nurses often end up applying for frontline, on-the-ground roles. They may:

• Work with low-income and underserved populations
• Counsel pregnant teenagers & young mothers
• Help domestic violence victims
• Assist drug addicts in recovery
• Educate patients on disease prevention (e.g. quitting smoking)
• Serve as case managers for specific population groups (e.g. HIV patients)
• Run flu & immunization clinics
• Act as first responders during disasters

Many RN to MSN programs in community health nursing include public health work such as developing large-scale programs, managing healthcare crises (e.g. epidemics), and overseeing long-term community projects.

Case Management

Public health case managers are responsible for coordinating a full range of healthcare services for individuals & families. For example, a case manager at a hospital’s public health program may be expected to:

• Conduct comprehensive health assessments for all patients in the program
• Collect income data as part of the program eligibility requirements
• Provide expert advice on health insurance
• Counsel patients on risks, interventions, and treatment opportunities
• Develop individual service plans (ISPs) based on identified needs
• Facilitate referrals & access to social service benefits and other public assistance opportunities
• Advocate for patients when they are unable to do so for themselves
• Coordinate care with other professionals (e.g. therapists, physicians, etc.)
• Monitor the program’s success and compliance with legal requirements

Home Health Nursing

Home health nursing is usually regarded as a sub-set of community health nursing. In this case, it deals specifically with clinical care in a patient’s home. Common patient populations include the elderly, chronically ill, and those recovering from an illness or injury (e.g. hospital operation). Home health nurses are often asked to:

• Evaluate & assess home-based patients
• Conduct mother/baby wellness checks
• Create long-term plans of care
• Administer medications & treatments
• Provide skilled services (e.g. wound care)
• Monitor a patient’s health, vital signs & medication adherence
• Oversee complex aspects of care (e.g. ventilators)
• Counsel families on proper home care & safety improvements
• Supervise home healthcare aides

Depending on the complexity of the job, home health nurses can be LPNs, RNS, or even APRNs. You can explore the field through the Home Healthcare Nurses Association (HHNA).

Public Health Administration

Public health administration is concerned with the administration & management of healthcare systems and agencies.

• As a nurse leader, you’ll be expected to lead the way on tackling community health issues, promoting health programs, improving health education efforts, and addressing chronic healthcare problems.
• On the administrative side, you may be tasked with hiring & training staff, creating budgets, running a department, fundraising, writing reports & grant proposals, etc.

To ensure they’re eligible for high-level positions, some public health administrators also pursue an MBA or a business-related graduate certificate. Others opt for an MPH or an MSN in Nursing Administration and a postgraduate certificate in public health. Talk to your mentors about your choices.

Biostatistics & Informatics

The explosion of big data and the rise of fields such as data science has led to a revolution in healthcare. Now—more than ever—public health professionals are able to apply information science technology to promote the health of all populations (not just individuals). In their work, informatics specialists often:

• Collect & analyze data related to the health of a population
• Monitor & track the success of public healthcare programs
• Identify national & global healthcare challenges
• Develop data-led initiatives & applications that prevent disease & injury
• Respond quickly to new & unexpected threats (e.g. antibiotic-resistant infection hotspots)

Public health nurses who specialize in informatics work as biostatisticians, health informatics specialists, clinical data managers, and the like. We talk a lot more about the field in our guide to RN to MSN Nursing Informatics Programs.

Transcultural Nursing

Transcultural nursing is a relatively new field of public health. It is designed to train nurses to provide care that is culturally sensitive and inclusive. In practical terms, that means transcultural nurses often work with migrants, refugees, and indigenous communities. For instance, on any given day, they may be required to:

• Communicate with foreign patients & families in the patient’s native language
• Understand how the patient’s culture & beliefs apply to their social relationships, child-rearing practices, and healthcare issues
• Provide healthcare education services using a culturally sensitive approach
• Connect the patient to available healthcare services within their community
• Discover if the patient is using any home remedies to treat their illness

The Transcultural Nursing Society (TCNS) has tons of info about this field. TCNS also offers two specialty certifications.

Public Health Nursing & State Licensure

As the AACN points out, in most cases, an RN license is the only legal requirement for public health nursing practice. To expand your career opportunities, you can also pursue voluntary CPH certification through the National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE). But you do not need APRN licensure.

Having said all that, we should note that a few State Boards of Nursing have specific regulations for public health nurses.

The most famous example is California:

• In order to be employed as a Public Health Nurse, or use the term “Public Health Nurse” in California, you must possess a valid California Public Health Nurse (PHN) Certificate.
• Requirements for the PHN certificate include a current California RN license; transcripts proving nursing education; and at least seven hours of training in child abuse and neglect. Many CA nurses attain these qualifications during a BSN program.

Other states offer voluntary qualifications. For instance, in Minnesota:

• An RN may register as a public health nurse after meeting requirements stated in Minnesota Rules Chapter 6316. The RN is then able to use PHN or another designation (e.g. public health nurse) on his/her résumé.
• An RN may practice as a public health nurse without being registered by the Board of Nursing. However, PHN registration may be required for public health jobs in local & state MN agencies.

Check with your State Board of Nursing if you have any questions.

Note: If you’re planning to combine an MSN in public health with a second degree or a postgraduate certificate in a nurse practitioner specialty, you will need to look into APRN state licensure requirements.

Public Health Nursing vs. Other Specialties

Public Health Nursing vs. School Nursing

Many universities & health organizations consider school nursing to be part of public health nursing. After all, school nurses are dealing with health promotion & disease prevention in a large pediatric community! That’s why some public health nursing MSN programs deliberately include coursework in school nursing,

However, there are few important differences when it comes to regulations:

• Many states have specific licensure & certification requirements for school nurses. These licenses are often administered by the state’s Department of Education, not the Board of Nursing.
• The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) has a list of NASN affiliates (state school nurse organizations in your area) that can help you understand the process.
• Examine the minimum requirements. Many states want school nurses to have a bachelor’s degree in nursing, a current RN license, and clinical experience, but some states may also require extra training programs & tests.

In addition, the National Board of Certification for School Nurses (NBCSN) offers a voluntary national certification that requires a bachelor’s degree, an RN license, and at least 1,000 hours of clinical experience within 3 years prior to taking the NCSN exam.

Again, we recommend you check with the NASN affiliate in your state to see what qualifications you need (and don’t need) to become a school nurse.

Public Health Nursing vs. Occupational Health Nursing

According to the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN), occupational & environmental health nursing is a specialty practice that provides for—and delivers—health & safety programs and services to workers, worker populations, and community groups.

Occupational health nursing can be regarded as a field of public health. OHNs help prevent work-related illnesses and injuries, identify hazards, ensure employers are compliant with regulations, detect potential threats, protect folks from work and environmental hazards, and care for ill and injured workers.

But we’ve put this in a separate category because OHNs have a number of alternative career paths open to them, including a:

• Associate’s Degree in Nursing: e.g. RN + ASN + work experience in an occupational health setting + COHN certification.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing: e.g. RN + BSN + work experience in an occupational health setting + COHN-S certification.
• Occupational Health-Focused MSN: e.g. RN + MSN in Occupational Health + COHN-S certification.
• Nurse Practitioner-Focused MSN: e.g. RN + MSN in an NP specialty (AGNP or FNP) + APRN state licensure & national certification + a graduate certificate in occupational health + COHN-S certification.

Check out the American Board for Occupational Health Nurses (ABOHN) for details on COHN credentials:

• Certified Occupied Health Nurse (COHN) certification prepares RNs for jobs as clinicians, coordinators, advisors & case managers.
• Certified Occupational Health Nurse – Specialist (COHN-S) certification prepares RNs for jobs as clinicians, managers, educators, consultants & case managers.

Public Health Nursing vs. Public Health

One choice that many RNs face is deciding between a degree in public health nursing or a degree in public health. Generally speaking:

• An MSN in Public Health Nursing is a practical degree with a strong emphasis on nursing applications. This is a hands-on program for RNs who love clinical care and daily interactions with communities.
• An MPH (i.e. Master of Public Health) tends to take the 30,000-foot-view of public health. It’s a degree that can train you to coordinate & evaluate programs, design & execute public health interventions, develop case control studies, conduct epidemiologic investigations, create statistical projects, etc.

Visit current employment sites (e.g. Indeed, LinkedIn, etc.) and look through your dream jobs to discover what degree employers prefer:

• If you’re interested in community health nursing or aiming for a clinical role in a county or state health department or a hospital, you may wish to consider the MSN in public health nursing (or an NP specialty).
• If you’re eyeing management or high-level positions in the public health sector (e.g. state and federal governments, international health organizations, etc.), check out the MPH. Like the MBA for business, it’s often regarded as the highest credential for professionals in the realm of public health.

A few schools in our directory offer a dual MSN/MPH degree. These programs combine the best of both worlds—hard-core training in the realms of community & public health nursing and evidence-based healthcare, as well as coursework in policy development, program planning, resource utilization, politics, sociology, and the like.

RN to Public Health Nursing Programs

RN to MSN Public Health Nursing: Overview

RN to MSN Public Health Nursing programs are designed for existing RNs who have a diploma or an associate’s degree (e.g. ASN/ADN) and want to pursue an MSN or MS. There are also RN to MSN Public Health Nursing programs for active RNs who have a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing. Our directory has both options!

Your choices will include:

• Concentration: RN to MSN programs with a concentration/track in public health nursing (e.g. community health nursing; public health; etc.).
• Dual MSN/MPH: RN to MSN programs that will help you earn two degrees: the MSN & MPH. The MSN will be administered by the School of Nursing and the MPH will be handled by the School of Public Health. Dual programs may cost more and take a little longer to complete than a single MSN.
• Sub-Specialty: RN to MSN programs that allow you to specialize in a particular area of public health (e.g. public health administration; informatics; etc.). Some of these programs may include courses from other schools (e.g. School of Business).

RN to MSN Public Health Nursing: Admissions

RN to MSN Public Health Nursing programs share the same general prerequisites as many other RN to MSN advanced nursing programs (e.g. RN to MSN Nursing Administration degrees). You’ll typically need to have:

• A diploma or associate’s degree in nursing (e.g. ADN or ASN) or a bachelor’s degree (e.g. BS or BA) in a non-nursing discipline from a regionally accredited institution
• A current RN license
• At least one year of recent, full-time RN clinical experience
• A baseline undergraduate GPA (usually 2.75-3.0)—some schools will also ask for GMAT or GRE scores, especially if your GPA is not very high
• Letters of professional/academic reference

RN to MSN Public Health Nursing: Undergraduate Bridge Courses

Before you can start work on the MSN portion of your program, you’ll be expected to earn good grades on a number of upper-level undergraduate courses.

The length of this undergraduate “bridge” phase will depend on what qualification you currently hold (e.g. ASN vs. non-nursing bachelor’s degree), but most coursework takes 6 months-2 years to complete.

Universities often favor undergraduates courses such as:

• Nursing leadership & administration
• Concepts & theories in nursing
• Research & evidence-based practice
• Community nursing/community health
• Global health/global public health

Schools of Nursing almost always list statistics & health assessment as standard prerequisites for the MSN. Schools are usually willing to accept transfer credits or a health assessment portfolio for these two courses.

Although this varies from school to school, you may also find that a few universities want you to complete an undergraduate clinical practicum or capstone.

RN to MSN Public Health Nursing: MSN Curriculum

Once you’ve made it to the graduate level, standard MSN degrees in public health & community health take around 1-3 years to complete. Most schools break the curriculum into:

• Core Courses: ~4-6 advanced nursing courses that will prepare you for your role as a researcher & nurse leader (e.g. research & evidence-based practice; global health; nursing leadership & administration; diverse populations & healthcare; biostatistics; etc.).
• Concentration Courses: ~4-6 courses in public health subjects (e.g. foundations of public health; epidemiology; nursing & health education, transcultural health issues; healthcare policy; program planning & evaluation; food & waterborne illnesses; etc.). Epidemiology is standard across programs.
• Elective Courses: 1-2 courses in a particular area of interest (e.g. ethics in healthcare; family health nursing; etc.). A number of MSN programs don’t bother with electives.

However—and we can’t stress it enough!—this is only a sample.

• Some programs contain the 3 fundamentals of advanced clinical practice (e.g. advanced pharmacology; advanced pathophysiology; and advanced health assessment); some don’t.
• Some programs include a research-based capstone or thesis option; sometimes the capstone is part of the practicum experience.

On top of that, Schools of Nursing like to play to their strengths, so you’re going to see a huge amount of variety in the coursework. For example:

• Kean University’s program blends courses in transcultural nursing administration practice with management topics (e.g. computers in healthcare).
• The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s MSN has a specific course on Disaster Nursing (think volcanic eruptions, floods & tsunamis).

Public health graduate programs will always end with a set of practicums.

RN to MSN Public Health Nursing: MSN Clinical Hours / Practicums

Because an MSN in Public Health Nursing is not preparing you for a specific clinical role (e.g. NP specialty) or certification, there are no hard-and-fast rules for practicums. Schools of Nursing are free to decide how many hours they want to include in the curriculum.

We’ve seen programs with 300+ hours and programs with 500+ hours. The trick is ensuring that those hours are devoted to real-world projects & applications. For example, in a community health nursing practicum you might wish to:

• Assess the health needs of a family or population (e.g. pediatric age clients)
• Learn about a community’s health resources & needs
• Develop materials that focus on disease prevention strategies & health promotion
• Create a public health program or service that facilitates community involvement
• Evaluate the program’s effectiveness
• Publish & present your findings at a national conference

Again this is just a sample! If you’re focusing on public health administration or global health issues, your practicums will reflect the subject.

Looking for an extra edge? Students are often expected to arrange practicum sites and preceptors, but it’s worth asking the program coordinator about options.

• Some Schools of Nursing offer U.S.-based & international service-learning experiences—if you’re aiming for internationally-based nursing job, you may even be able to do your practicums overseas.
• Others may be able to arrange public health internships in highly regarded organizations (e.g. CDC).
• Others may have ties to local partners (e.g. public health departments) who are willing to precept students.

Online RN to MSN Public Health Nursing Programs

Are Online RN to MSN Public Health Nursing Programs Available?

Yes! There are a few universities in our directory that offer Online RN to MSN Public Health Nursing degrees. Here’s how they typically work:

• Undergraduate Phase: You’ll be expected to earn good grades in undergraduate “bridge” courses from the university. These courses are almost always offered online, so you can work while you study.
• Graduate Phase: You’ll be able to take all (or almost all) of your standard MS or MSN courses online; many courses are offered in an asynchronous format (i.e. you can log into class at any time). You can fulfill your practicums in your home community, but you may be expected to find the preceptor and arrange the setting.

Online programs can give you a great deal of flexibility when it comes to career paths. For instance:

• Although the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Online RN to MSN program in Advanced Population Health Nursing has a deliberate focus on the Pacific region, students are trained to practice in Hawaii, the U.S. mainland, or in an international setting.
• Fieldwork is conducted in the student’s local community, but the capstone project can be completed locally or in an international setting.

Remember, too, that some schools will offer hybrid RN to MSN options (part-campus; part-online). If you live near an excellent School of Nursing, these programs are worth considering.

Online RN to MSN Public Health Nursing Programs & State Authorization

As we noted in the section on state licensure, RN to MSN Public Health Nursing programs do not lead to advance practice state licensure (i.e. APRN). That means many of the regulations involving distance learning and clinical practicums disappear. You should be eligible for a number of online programs, regardless of your state of residence.

But we recommend you take a look at your School of Nursing’s State Authorization or State Regulation page and talk to the program coordinator before you select a degree. Because of interstate agreements, schools still cannot accept certain applicants. For example, MidAmerica Nazarene University has an entire section on Online Degree Authorization, with a state-by-state list of options and exceptions.

Public Health Nursing Certification

Overview of Public Health Nursing Certification

National certification for public health nurses is voluntary. In the past, nurses pursued the Advanced Public Health Nurse (APHN) credential from the ANCC, but this certification has been retired.

• The most popular certification for public health nurses is now the Certification in Public Health (CPH) from the National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE). This is aimed at public health professionals in a wide range of occupations.
• If you’re interested in a career in public health administration & management, you might wish to consider leadership certifications covered in our guide to RN to MSN Nursing Administration Programs (e.g. CNML, NE-BC, etc.).
• We’ve also listed a few specialty certifications that may have applications to your future career plans (e.g. dealing with national healthcare disasters).

Before you make any decisions, talk to your mentors & professors about whether the CPH is necessary. Another tactic is to look at LinkedIn profiles of nurses in your chosen field. You may find that they share certain qualifications. Here are some hypothetical samples:

• John Smith RN, MSN, FNP, CPH, CTN-A, Regional Case Manager
• Petra Lopez RN, MSN, MPH, CPH, Public Health Data Scientist
• Rachel Patel RN, MSN, CPH, NHDP-BC, CIC, Infection Preventist

Note: CIC stands for Certification in Infection Prevention and Control from the Certification Board of Infection Control & Epidemiology, Inc. (CBIC).

Public Health Nursing Certifications

Certification in Public Health (CPH)

The CPH is offered by the National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE). To gain it, you must:

• Fulfill one of the following eligibility requirements:
  • Be currently enrolled in a graduate school/program of public health accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). A few Schools of Nursing are CEPH-accredited.
  • OR have completed all degree requirements for a master’s or doctoral degree from a CEPH-accredited program.
  • OR earn the minimum of a bachelor’s degree (in any concentration) and have at least 5 subsequent years of public health work experience. Applicants must indicate their scope of foundational knowledge in 10 essential public health services.
• Take & pass the CPH exam. It’s a computer-based exam that covers 10 domain areas (e.g. Evidence-Based Approaches to Public Health; Policy in Public Health; Public Health Biology and Human Disease Risk; etc.).
• Keep your certification up-to-date through continuing education. All CPHs are required to report at least 50 recertification credits every 2 years.

Specialty Certifications

National Healthcare Disaster Professional Certification (NHDP-BC)

The NHDP-BC is an interprofessional credential offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). To gain it, you must:

• Have a minimum of 3 years of disaster experience in the last 10 years in one (or more) of certain professions. Registered Nurses with an active RN license & APRNs with a current RN or APRN license qualify.
• Have documentation of one of the following, within the last 24 months:
  • Participation in a disaster that required activation of an emergency operations plan
  • OR completed one of the following disaster exercises: 1) Full-scale 2) Functional 3) Table-top
• Hold a Certificate of Completion in all of the following FEMA Emergency Management Courses:
  • IS-100.b: Introduction to Incident Command System, ICS 100
  • IS-200.b: ICS for Single Resource and Initial Action Incidents
  • IS-700.a: National Incident Management System (NIMS): An Introduction
  • IS-800.b: National Response Framework: An Introduction
• Take & pass the NHDP-BC exam. The exam covers 4 content domains: Mitigation; Preparedness; Response; Recovery.
• Keep your certification up-to-date through continuing education. Certification is valid for 5 years.

Certified Transcultural Nurse-Basic (CTN-B)

The CTN-B is offered by the Transcultural Nursing Society (TCNS). To gain it, you must:

• Hold a current, active RN license.
• Earn a diploma, an associate, or BSN degree from an NLNAC- or CCNE-accredited program.
• Be currently employed in nursing, either full- or part-time.
• Have completed at least one course (didactic and/or clinical) in cultural diversity and promotion of cultural competence for a minimum of 3 credits (or equivalent 42 Contact Hours).
• Have completed 2,400 hours of transcultural nursing practice as an RN in an administrative, teaching, research, or clinical capacity—either full- or part-time—during the past 5 years.
• Take & pass the CTN-B exam. The Basic Certification Exam Guide has a full content outline.
• Keep your certification up-to-date through continuing education. Initial certification lasts 5 years.

Certified Transcultural Nurse-Advanced (CTN-A)

The CTN-A is offered by the Transcultural Nursing Society (TCNS). To gain it, you must:

• Hold a current, active RN license.
• Earn a master’s, post-master’s, or doctorate in nursing, education, philosophy, or a related field from an NLNAC- or CCNE-accredited program.
• Be currently employed in nursing, either full- or part-time.
• Have completed at least one course (didactic and/or clinical) in cultural diversity and promotion of cultural competence for a minimum of 3 credits (or equivalent 42 Contact Hours).
• Have completed 2,400 hours of transcultural nursing practice as an RN in an administrative, teaching, research, or clinical capacity—either full- or part-time—during the past 5 years.
• Fulfill 3 of the following 5 criteria:
  • Evidence of professional growth in TCN
  • Evidence of creative and innovative ways to promote and maintain TCN practice
  • Evidence of research in TCN
  • Evidence of substantive or unique contributions made to advance TCN
  • Evidence of TCN leadership in teaching, research, or consultation to improve care in diverse cultures
• Take & pass the CTN-A exam. The Advanced Certification Exam Guide has a full content outline.
• Keep your certification up-to-date through continuing education. Initial certification lasts 5 years.

Public Health Nursing Jobs

Public Health Nursing Careers

Public health is a massive domain, with all kinds of fascinating fields, so it pays to do some career research before you settle on a job title and an RN to MSN program. To get a sense of potential job responsibilities, you could:

• Help administer public health nursing projects in your community
• Shadow a nurse in your local public health department
• Work for a summer in a rural health clinic
• Intern with a government agency
• Investigate APHA Internships & Fellowships
• Use your vacation to volunteer in a global healthcare setting

You may also wish to:

• Choose a School of Nursing that offers career counseling, professional development workshops, and/or job fairs
• Research current public health nursing job descriptions to determine baseline requirements
• Talk to recent alumni about their job hunting experiences (via LinkedIn)
• Network with members of professional organizations (e.g. APHN) and attend public health conferences

Public Health Nursing Job Openings

• APHA: Public Health CareerMart
• Indeed: Public Health Nurse Jobs; RN Public Health Jobs; Community Health Nurse Jobs; Public Health Jobs.
• Monster: Public Health Nurse Jobs; Public Health Jobs.
• Glassdoor: Public Health Nurse Jobs; Public Health Jobs.
• LinkedIn: Public Health Nurse Jobs; Community Health Nurse Jobs; Public Health Jobs.

AACN also has a useful list of Opportunities for Public Health Nursing in state & federal organizations (e.g. Indian Health Service).

Alternative Job Titles for Public Health Nurses

• Public Health Nurse Case Manager
• Public Health Technician
• Public Health Officer
• Infection Control Officer
• Nurse Epidemiologist
• Biostatistician
• Health Informatics Specialist
• Program Manager
• Public Health Analyst
• Health Policy Analyst
• Public Health Administrator
• Public Health Nurse Manager
• Director of Public & Population Health
• Director of Operations for Public Health

Public Health Nursing Salaries

Community Health Nurse Salaries

Glassdoor’s page on Community Health Nurse Salaries and Payscale’s page on Community Health Nurse Salaries will give you current estimates. In 2018, the average annual salary ranged from $44,000-$61,000.

Public Health Nurse Salaries

Glassdoor’s page on Public Health Nurse Salaries and Payscale’s page on Public Health Nurse Salaries will give you current estimates. In 2018, the average annual salary ranged from $56,000-$62,000.

Public Health Nursing Resources

Public Health Nursing Certification Bodies

• American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
• National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE)
• NBPHE: CPH Exam FAQs
• NBPHE: CPH Study Resources
• Transcultural Nursing Society (TCNS)

Public Health Nursing Professional Associations

• American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE)
• Association of Community Health Nurse Educators (ACHNE)
• Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (ANAC)
• Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (ANHE)
• American Public Health Association (APHA)
• Association of Public Health Nurses (APHN)
• Home Healthcare Nurses Association (HHNA)
• National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC)
• National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC)
• Quad Council of Public Health Nursing Organizations

Public Health Nursing Conferences & Events

• ACHNE Annual Institute
• APHA Annual Meeting & Expo
• APHN Annual Meeting
• National Public Health Week
• TCNS Annual Conference

Public Health Nursing Journals

• American Journal of Public Health (AJPH)
• EnviRN News
• Journal of Public Health Management & Practice
• Journal of Transcultural Nursing (JTN)
• Public Health
• Public Health Nursing
• The Nation’s Health

Public Health Nursing Useful Resources

• AACN: Opportunities for Public Health Nursing
• AACN Public Health Fellowship Program
• ANA: Public Health Nursing Section
• ANA Scope and Standards of Public Health Nursing Practice
• APHA: Public Health CareerMart
• APHA Internships & Fellowships
• CDC: 10 Essential Public Health Services
• HRSA Loans & Scholarships
• ODPHP: Healthy People
• Partners in Information Access for the Public Health Workforce
• State Boards of Nursing
• U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps