How To Become a Community Health Nurse

Community health nurses work to ensure the health and well-being of specific communities. Often these communities are underserved and underfunded. The work of a community health nurse can be challenging, but rewarding. To become a community health nurse, you must earn a nursing degree and license. Keep reading to learn more about how to become a community health nurse.

What Is a Community Health Nurse?

Community health nurses work in settings within the community, usually outside of standard hospital or healthcare settings. They work with vulnerable communities, those needing healthcare the most.

The type of work a community health nurse does is often driven by their community. In some settings, they may focus on education. In other settings, they may focus on disease prevention, advocating for immunizations, or helping those with disabilities or mental health issues.

As a result, community health nurses may work in a variety of settings, such as:

• government agencies, including health departments
• home health services
• nonprofit organizations
• schools
• social services

Community health nurses can specialize in several areas, like clinical practice, school nursing, or home care. They often work with a team that includes public health nurses, community health workers, and other healthcare professionals.

Steps To Becoming a Community Health Nurse

To become a community health nurse, you must complete an accredited nursing program and obtain your nursing license. Some nurses choose to further their nursing education and earn a graduate degree in nursing. We've broken down the steps below.

Earn an Undergraduate Degree in Nursing

The first step to becoming a community health nurse is to earn an undergraduate degree in nursing through a nursing school accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Undergraduate nursing degrees that lead to registered nurse (RN) licensure are offered in two forms: an Associate Degree in nursing (ADN) and a Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN). ADN degrees usually take two years to complete, while BSN degrees average four years of full-time study.

Both types of education programs train students in the foundations of nursing care. Students are usually required to spend time in hands-on clinical practice to gain experience working with all kinds of patients.

Because you can become a registered nurse with either an associate degree or a bachelor's degree, some students choose to earn their ADN, obtain licensure, and begin working as RNs. They then return to school for an RN-to-BSN program, which can be done online while working.

Pass the NCLEX and Gain Nursing Licensure

In all states, two primary requirements for becoming a registered nurse exist: obtain an undergraduate nursing degree from an accredited nursing school and earn a passing score on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). The NCLEX-RN is a standardized exam that tests a nurse's competency in several areas of nursing and healthcare. Your nursing program will help you prepare for the NCLEX-RN.

Depending on your state, there may be other requirements you need to meet for licensure as well, such as passing a background check or being certified in CPR or basic life support (BLS). Check your state's nursing board for more information.

Get Clinical Experience

Most nurses don't start their nursing careers as community health nurses; they first gain experience working in other clinical care areas. One to two years of nursing experience is usually all that's required. If you have a heart for working with a specific type of patient, you can focus your clinical experience on that area. For example, if you want to work in a school setting, you can focus on your clinical experience in pediatrics.

Consider an Advanced Degree

Some registered nurses choose to earn an advanced degree in either nursing or public health. These allow them to further their career path in community nursing.

Advanced nursing degrees primarily include Master of Science in nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees. These lead to roles as:

• nurse practitioners
• nurse educators
• nurse leaders

Some graduate nursing programs offer specializations in community health. Another option is to earn a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree. These degrees don't focus specifically on nursing. Instead, they focus on health promotion and community initiatives and interventions.

Responsibilities of a Community Health Nurse

Community health nurses have multiple responsibilities, but they can vary based on the setting they work in and the community they serve. We've broken down some basic responsibilities below.

Assess the Health Needs of the Community

One key responsibility of community health nurses is to assess the community's healthcare needs. This assessment can tell them which issues are most pressing to their community.

Perhaps they'll find that they must focus on disease prevention or vaccinations. Maybe childhood screenings are most important, or increasing disability services. Nurses can determine what to prioritize by speaking with community members and looking at current health outcomes.

Provide Health Education

Health education is severely lacking, in many areas, especially rural and underserved areas. Community health nurses can remedy this by working with health programs to provide education services and outreach. This may include visiting businesses or schools to talk about health. Working with mobile clinics, booths, or kiosks that provide preventative care may also be included.

Visiting Schools and Businesses To Provide Care

As mentioned above, part of the role of community health nurses is to visit businesses and schools. They may do this to provide health education, but also to provide health services. For example, a school or business may run a vaccination event to provide immunizations for infectious diseases. Schools and organizations may also bring community health teams to do assessments or physicals.

Advocate for Underserved Communities

Because community health nurses often work in underserved communities, advocacy is crucial. This may include advocating for the community as a whole or even advocating for individual patients. Community advocacy includes pushing for new programs or initiatives or asking for funding. Advocating for individuals may require educating them on their health situations and connecting them with a primary care provider who can further assist them.

Respond to Emergencies

Often, in rural or underserved communities, emergency care is difficult to obtain. There may not be an ER or even an ambulance service for miles. As a result, sometimes community health nurses are assigned or on-call to respond to emergencies in their community. They may:

• assess the patient
• offer minor treatments
• help them reach the proper providers