What Does a Public Health Nurse Do? A Career Guide

Key takeaways

Public health nurses advocate for community members and specifically provide health care to at-risk populations.

• Public health nurses earn a median annual salary of $87,000 [1].

• Public health nursing roles require strong leadership, communication, and teamwork skills.

• You can become a public health nurse by earning a nursing degree, passing the NCLEX exam, and pursuing relevant certifications.

Learn what a public health nurse does and the qualifications needed to become one. Afterward, consider enrolling in the Foundations of Public Health Practice Specialization. In as little as four weeks, you’ll have the opportunity to reflect on and cultivate the behaviours you require to become an effective public health professional, whether as an academic, practitioner, clinician, manager, or leader. Upon completion, you can add this shareable credential to your resume or LinkedIn profile.

What do public health nurses do?

Public health nurses work in underserved communities to identify a specific population's health care needs and help build healthier communities. They routinely work with at-risk populations, such as the homeless, to improve their health and well-being. 

What's the difference between public health nursing and direct care nursing?

Both public health nurses and direct care nurses are essential in providing health care in the communities they serve. The difference is that a public health nurse typically treats a specific population, while direct care nurses work in health care settings to treat individual patients. Public health nurses bring services into a community, such as scheduling childhood immunization clinics or health screening clinics. 

Roles and responsibilities

Working as a public health nurse requires community involvement and advocacy. Public health nurses provide access to health care, nutrition, and education, and work with communities to address social issues.

As a public health nurse, you may be required to do the following:

• Keep records of community health trends

• Analyze records for disease outbreaks or increases in deaths due to a specific cause

• Work as a liaison between at-risk populations, community leaders, and policymakers to find ways to improve the health and welfare of underserved communities

• Assign priorities for health interventions to deliver the most significant impact

• Design and execute health education campaigns and activities for disease prevention and overall well-being

Public health nurse salary and career outlook

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports a median annual salary of $93,600 for registered nurses [2] while Glassdoor reports a median total salary of $87,000 for public health nurses [1]. The Glassdoor figure includes base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation. The job outlook for registered nurses is projected to grow 5 percent [2], though it is higher for community health workers (11 percent) whose responsibilities are more closely aligned with those of public health nurses [3].

Skills required to become a public health nurse

Working with diverse populations requires good communication skills. Not only will you be interacting with families and large groups of people, but you will also communicate with policymakers to address the needs of the underserved.

Along with verbal communication skills, it is essential to have solid writing skills to prepare health plans and services. 

In your role as a public health nurse, you’ll also need the following skills:

• Leadership: As a community partner, building strong, trusting relationships with those you work with is essential.

• Problem-solving: Working within a budget to provide the needed services can sometimes be challenging. You’ll need problem-solving skills.

• Collaboration: As a public health nurse, you’ll collaborate with other professionals to implement community programs. You’ll need to establish working relationships with management, social workers, and others involved in community work.

• Analytical skills: To understand the community's needs, you’ll need good analytical skills to assess situations as they arise. 

Where does a public health nurse work?

Government and other public agencies hire public health nurses, and job opportunities are available with agencies and organizations that serve the health needs of a community. You might work for a school system to educate students and their parents about hygiene and nutrition or for a community clinic caring for individuals and promoting disease prevention.

In your role as a public health nurse, you might work within your community or travel to other communities. Some public health nurses work alone, and some work with a team of health care professionals.

You can also seek positions with nonprofit organizations like the American Red Cross or smaller grassroots groups concerned about health, social justice, and education.

Read more: How to Work in Public Health: Resources to Help You Get Started

How to become a public health nurse

To become a public health nurse, you’ll need to complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited program. You'll take a state board exam after completing your degree program. Typically, there will be a fee, and you may be required to complete specific coursework. For example, New York state requires completing a child abuse reporting coursework to qualify for licensing.

An Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) from an accredited school is usually the minimum requirement for an entry-level job in public health nursing, although many employers prefer a bachelor’s degree.

A Master of Public Health degree is an option if you want to move into a management position. Master’s programs tend to require candidates to hold a bachelor’s degree.

Public health nurse certification and licensure

The next step to becoming a public health nurse is to sit for the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN), administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). State licensing requires the exam, and minimum education requirements may vary by state.

Optional certification is available from the National Board of Public Health Examiners: Certification in Public Health (CPH). To sit for the CPH exam, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree and five years of experience in the field or a graduate degree and three years of experience. 

How long does it take to become a public health nurse?

You should expect an associate degree from an accredited school to take two years to complete. A bachelor's in nursing generally takes four years to complete and includes classroom and clinical work.

If you continue with your master's, you can expect to earn your degree in approximately two years. If the school you choose accepts work experience or credits from your BSN program, you may be able to complete the master's program in less than two years.

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