Community Health Nurse Career in Brief
Community health nurses must be adaptable since they work in various communities outside of the traditional hospital setting. They may, for instance, conduct blood pressure tests in a shopping mall, provide emergency planning in a church, or pass out sex education materials on a college campus. They also coordinate with healthcare teams. Below lists some common responsibilities for community health nurses:
Key Responsibilities
- Community advocacy and organizer
- Assessments, interventions, and evaluations
- Agency referrals
- Health promotion; nutrition, wellness, and disease prevention
- Health screenings
- Family planning education
Career Traits
- Empathy
- Communication
- Clinical skills
- Community advocacy
- Program organizer
- Case management skills
- Critical thinking
- Adaptability
Where Do Community Health Nurses Work?
Vulnerable communities with disproportionate medical resources need community health nurses. The following workplaces typically benefit from the expertise of community health nurses.
Community Health Clinics At clinics, community health nurses may provide immunizations, offer family planning counseling, or create healthy living campaigns.
Homeless Shelters At shelters, community health nurses may focus on preventative care through screenings and assessments. They also help people find assistance through social services.
Home Care Community health nurses help individuals with physical or mental disabilities with their daily care. Part of the job includes teaching family members how to care for their loved ones.
Why Become a Community Health Nurse?
Becoming a community health nurse offers a chance to work directly in at-risk communities to promote good health and wellness. They help manage educational campaigns to prevent disease and illness and enjoy more flexible schedules since they often do not work weekends.
The job offers many rewards, but it also has some drawbacks. Though working in nonhospital settings provides some freedom, it can also mean less opportunity to consult with healthcare staff. Additionally, healthcare progress can be slower on a community-wide scale. Read below to find out more about community health nursing's pros and cons.
Advantages to Becoming a Community Health Nurse
- Helping vulnerable communities
- More collaborative nursing care working with clients in a nonhospital setting
- Varied work settings
- Convenient schedule with little to no holiday or weekend hours
- Holistic and more individualized care
- Strong partnership between nurse and client and/or community population
Disadvantages to Becoming a Community Health Nurse
- Fewer chances to consult with other healthcare professionals
- Must to different lifestyles, settings, and cultures
- Must commute to different communities
- More time needed to see improvements on a community-level
How to Become a Community Health Nurse
Community Nursing vs. Hospital Nursing
Community nursing differs from hospital nursing in various ways, such as work/life balance and interaction with patients or clients. Read on for further differences.
Community Nursing
- Instead of working in a hospital or clinic, community nurses provide medical care in a client's personal setting, which can allow for more input from the client or patient.
- Community health nurses' holistic approach to nursing typically involves more health education.
- While they may get lower pay than hospital nurses, community health nurses usually enjoy a more balanced work/home life.
Hospital Nursing
- Relationships with patients can be less collaborative, seeking less input.
- Hospital nurses have the benefit of easily consulting other healthcare professionals in their workplace.
- Hospital settings tend to promote personal accomplishments among staff more than in community health settings.
- At the same time, hospital nursing can be emotionally exhausting compared to community health nursing, leading to higher burnout.
How Much Do Community Health Nurses Make?
Educational level, experience, work setting, and geographical location all influence salaries for community health nurse jobs, as reflected in community health nurses' wide salary range. According to PayScale, community health nurses earn on average between $74,000-$84,000 annually.
The national nursing shortage, exacerbated by the pandemic, will continue to fuel a 5% job growth rate through 2034. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employers to add 166,100 RN positions from 2024-2034. On an international scale, an article in British Medical Journal Global Health reports that employers need community health workers, including nurses, especially in poorer countries disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus.
Resources for Community Health Nurses
Frequently Asked Questions About Community Health Nurses
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