Community health nursing strives to promote community health through culturally-informed initiatives. These nurses work with underserved communities to identify their health needs and risks and improve their access to quality healthcare. To become a community health nurse, you must first become a licensed registered nurse.
Natural disasters, flu season and medical deserts can all put public health at risk. Furthermore, access to healthcare can vary significantly from community to community due to cultural differences and socioeconomic factors. This is why community health nursing is essential to creating healthy and thriving communities. Community health nurses help promote and protect population health by enacting or contributing to policies and initiatives.
At Averett University, the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program prepares students to serve their communities and promote positive change in all nursing specialties, including community health nursing. If you are a second-degree seeker or a transfer student looking to embark on a nursing career, the ABSN program can help you earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in as few as 16 months.
Understanding Community Health Nursing
Community health nursing aims to promote population health in a culturally sensitive manner. Community health nurses assess the many factors influencing individual health and quality of life by examining scientific research and cultural aspects. They then use this information to determine how to fill in the gaps that prevent individuals from seeking care.
Community nurses typically work in government agencies, community and health nursing clinics, shelters and non-profit organizations. While one-on-one interactions with patients are part of their role, their focus is on the bigger picture; they aim to create effective pathways that reduce the risk of illness and injury and enable underserved communities to access high-quality healthcare.
Community Health Nursing vs. Public Health Nursing
While they may seem similar, community and public health nursing have different approaches to promoting health across populations. Public health nurses use a clinical approach to address population health needs. They consider historical and current health trends to identify ways to prevent the spread of infectious diseases or reduce disability risks.
In contrast, community health nurses view population health through a socioeconomic and cultural lens. In addition to utilizing evidence-based research, they assess the many other non-scientific factors that affect a person’s physical and mental health. Their population focus is also on smaller communities, while public health nurses typically focus on a state or a whole nation.
Despite their differences in approach, community and public health nursing are both needed to promote health and health education across communities. By combining their efforts, community and public health nurses can simultaneously reach more people.
Key Responsibilities and Skills of Community Health Nurses
Community health nurses’ work can take many forms and can encompass educational campaigns, policy creation and patient advocacy, for example. It is common for community health nurses to work with community leaders and organizations to develop outreach strategies, such as blood drives and mobile clinics.
Patient care is also essential to a community health nurse’s work; however, the most common forms of patient care may differ from those that a nurse would perform in a traditional hospital setting. A community health nurse’s patient care responsibilities may include the following:
- Conducting health screenings and assessments
- Educating patients
- Performing triage during natural disasters
- Connecting patients to resources and other services
Community health nurses must cultivate the following skills to fulfill their diverse range of responsibilities:
- Project management
- Communication
- Organization
- Adaptability
- Clinical practice
- Patient advocacy
Patient advocacy is critical to nursing practice, not just community health. Read more to learn about the essential role of patient advocacy in nursing.
The Path to Becoming a Community Health Nurse
You must have a strong clinical background to become a community health nurse. This means that you must first earn a nursing license and practice as a registered nurse. From there, you can earn an optional certification to strengthen your credentials.
Education and Licensing Requirements
In order to obtain a nursing license, you must first earn a nursing degree, which will qualify you to take the nursing license exam, the NCLEX. You can choose from two degree options: an Associate’s Degree in Nursing or a BSN.
Earning a BSN allows you to pursue an advanced degree if you are interested in leadership positions. It could also help you find employment faster after graduation. BSN-educated nurses are in high demand because the thorough program prepares students for a wide range of clinical scenarios. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 96% of BSN graduates in 2022 found a job within four to six months after graduation.
After earning a nursing degree, you must pass the NCLEX to obtain a nursing license. The NCLEX is a nationally recognized registered nurse licensing exam that assesses applicants’ nursing competency and clinical judgment. The exam uses computerized adaptive testing that considers your previous answers to determine the difficulty and number of subsequent questions.
The exam can be challenging. It requires applicants to demonstrate their understanding of nursing concepts rather than memorization. As a result, it is best to begin preparing for the NCLEX in your first semester of nursing school. This can entail joining an NCLEX study group, routinely reviewing practice questions or taking practice tests. As graduation and exam day draw nearer, it is recommended to increase the frequency of study sessions.
After passing the NCLEX, you can register with your state board of nursing to obtain your nursing license. You can then start practicing as a registered nurse. Before pursuing a community health nursing job, you will likely need to gain a few years of clinical experience.
According to the Association of Community Health Nursing Educators, there is currently no generalist public health certification; however, after gaining five years of experience in working in the public health sector for five years, nurses with a BSN can pursue the Certification in Public Health offered by the National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE). The NBPHE also provides certification in disease intervention.
How an ABSN Program Can Help You Become a Community Health Nurse Fast
A traditional BSN program is four years long. This is a significant time commitment that might not be possible for career changers or transfer students. If you have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or at least 60 college credits, you might meet the admission requirements for Averett’s ABSN program.
This program allows students to earn a BSN in as few as 16 months. The program builds on students’ previous college experience and integrates online learning with hands-on labs and clinicals, making it possible to expedite the timeline.
The online nursing coursework allows students to complete coursework when and where they are most comfortable, provided that they meet all their deadlines. The coursework establishes foundational nursing and science concepts, which students then apply to hands-on practice in nursing skills and simulation labs.
Students first perform core nursing skills, such as IV placement, on realistic medical manikins in simulation labs. This is where they start honing their skills and learning to exercise their clinical judgment during simulated clinical scenarios.
This prepares students to provide direct patient care in real clinical settings. During clinical rotations, students are placed in healthcare facilities throughout the Norfolk and Hampton Roads areas, where they care for patients under close supervision.
At Averett, students receive academic support and a comprehensive education that prepares them for various nursing specialties.
The Growing Need for Community Health Nurses
Given the nationwide nursing shortage, which is partly due to aging population and nurse retirements, the demand for nurses and community health professionals is high. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), registered nurse employment is expected to grow by 6% between 2023 and 2033. While the BLS does not include data specifically for community health nurses, community health worker employment is projected to grow by 13% during the same period.
Still unsure whether nursing school is right for you? Read seven reasons why nursing school is worth it.
Start on the Path with Averett University
Take the first steps toward becoming a registered nurse with Averett’s ABSN program. Whether you decide to work in community health nursing or discover a new specialty that interests you, the ABSN program will provide you with the foundation you need to build an exciting nursing career. Contact our admissions advisors today to learn more about the ABSN program in Norfolk.