Public Health Nurse Practitioner Career
What Do You Do in This Career?
Public health nurse practitioners (PHNPs) focus on helping whole communities, instead of just individuals or families, to promote healthy living. PHNPs often travel to patients’ homes, schools, community centers and other sites to give presentations about pressing health issues. Part of public health nursing is to teach about healthy lifestyle choices within the home, workplace, and community.
PHNPs may educate people about the dangers of tobacco use, or provide information about healthy diet, exercise, and safe sex habits. Ensuring healthy living conditions in at-risk neighborhoods can also be part of the job description. Providing immunizations and disease testing is also within the purview of PHNPs. Some work in local government health departments, or as general practice nurses in neighborhoods, or as case managers for public services facilities.
Salary and Career Information
- Salary: Since PHNPs occupy such a wide range of fields, the most reliable salary data for them is the general average for nurse practitioners, who earn between $58,000-$100,000 annually.
- PHNP Requirements: To become a PHNP, you must earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree with an emphasis in public health nursing, and you must pass a certification exam.
- Work Environment: PHNPs typically travel a lot for work, visiting schools, community centers and neighborhoods to give presentations on health, administer vaccines, and conduct other activities aimed at improving the health of the general population. A PHNP’s focus is largely on education and preventive care.
What Type of Coursework Can You Expect in This Program?
Coursework for the nurse practitioner degree with an emphasis on public health usually includes all the fundamental classes any nurse practitioner must take (physiology, chemistry, anatomy, pharmacology, health assessment, and more) in addition to labs in microbiology and public health, nutrition in health and disease, general psychology, and geriatric nursing.
Emphasis is placed on how the atmosphere of a community, it’s socio-economic background and population, affects the prevalence of certain diseases. PHNPs must become familiar with community dynamics, and will often work with one community for many years to improve health related knowledge and practices throughout the community.
Earn an Online Nurse Practitioner Degree
A nurse practitioner (NP) is an advanced practice registered nurse who holds a graduate-level degree. While in most states RNs currently need only a Master of Science in nursing (MSN) degree to become nurse practitioners, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has proposed that the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) be the minimum requirement for all advanced practice nurses by 2015. Listed below are the best online colleges offering accredited MSN and DNP degrees.
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Georgetown University — The Georgetown University School of Nursing & Health Studies offers two online Master of Science in nursing degrees. The MS in family nurse practitioner program prepares students for careers as family nurses. The MS in midwifery / women's health nurse practitioner program perpares students for careers as nurse practitioners who specialize as midwives and caring for female patients. |
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Kaplan University — The MSN nurse administration, nurse education, and nurse informatics degree programs from Kaplan allows nurses with bachelor's degrees to take their careers to the next level. Students of these programs will learn advanced nursing theory, health policy, evidence-based decision making, financing, and more. |
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University of Phoenix — The Master of Science in nursing for nurse practitioners from the University of Phoenix is a flexible online program from an accredited school. Students will learn advanced nursing skills, finance, change management, and evidence-based nursing research. Upon completion, graduates will be well prepared to advance their nursing careers. MSN specialties are offered in health education and health informatics. Dual degrees (MSN + MBA and MSN + MHA) are also available. |
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American Sentinel University — American Sentinel University offers a basic RN to MSN degree, as well as several specializations within this program, including case management, infection prevention and control, management and organizational leadership, and nursing informatics. Graduates of these programs will all have a fundamental understanding of health and illness and will be able to provide direct care to individuals, families, and groups with a variety of health needs. |
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University of Cincinnati — The MS in nursing degree program with a specialization in women's health practice offered online by the University of Cincinnati is geared toward nursing students wanting to receive expert training on women's health issues. Cincinnati also offers many other nurse practitioner degree programs, including MSN specialties in clinical nursing, nurse midwifery, and psychiatric & mental health nursing. |
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