Public Health Nurse – Career and Education Profile

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Public health nurses take on a unique role in the medical field. Rather than working with patients, public health nurses opt to educate and provide screening to prevent and study diseases.

Job Responsibilities

Public health nurses work with the community to promote health through education and research. In this role, you could complete tasks such as offering classes on health-related topics, taking part in campaigns to promote diet and exercise, teaching holistic health, and more. You could also work in a clinic to provide health screenings, offer advice to individuals hopping to prevent disease, immunize children, and otherwise encourage people to live a healthy lifestyle. Additionally, some public health nurses assess risk, helping to prevent injuries by making an environment safer. Nurses working in public health also have the option of going into research, where you’ll work to study population.

Salary and Career Options

Public health nurses earn an average of $53,207 annually, according to reports by Payscale.com. You can earn more in this field by becoming an advanced practice nurse. If you choose this option, you’ll typically want to take the clinical nurse specialist route, which allows you to receive education in not just clinical work (as is the case with nurse practitioners), but also consulting, research, education, and administration.

Educational Requirements

In other to start working as a public health nurse as quickly as possible, consider becoming an LPN, which takes less than a year in many cases. If you want to open more job doors and make more money, however, going back to school to get certified as an RN or advanced practice nurse makes sense. Although not mandatory, you can seek certification in this field from the American Public Health Association after you become a licensed nurse and gain experience in public health.

LPN to RN College Programs

With some additional schooling, a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) can become a registered nurse (RN), opening doors to more job opportunities and higher salaries. The following is a list of schools with the best online LPN to RN degree programs offered by accredited colleges. You can request information by clicking the college's logo.

LPN to RN (BSN)	Indiana State University—ISU’s LPN to BSN degree program is the only online LPN to RN training program in the United States. LPNs and LVNs who complete this program can earn their NLNAC-approved Bachelor of Science degree in nursing entirely online. Upon completion, graduates should meet all of the prerequisites for becoming an RN. Read an in-depth review of Indiana State University.
LPN to RN LPN to ADN LPN to BSN	The College Network—Earn your LPN to RN (ADN) degree completely online with no campus attendance and no wait list. Learn from the convenience of home at your own pace, and earn an NLNAC-accredited associate’s degree in less time and for less money than traditional campus programs. Read an in-depth review of The College Network.
	Select a subject and degree level, then click "Find My Degree" to browse 100+ online nursing schools offering relevant accredited programs.
BS in Nursing RN to MSN MSN in Nurse Education MSN in Nurse Informatics MSN in Nurse Management	Walden University—Founded in 1970, Walden University is dedicated to providing education for a higher purpose. The Nursing School confers degrees at the bachelor’s and master’s level, which provides further study in health informatics, nursing education, and nursing leadership/management. Walden is one of the biggest providers of online master and doctorate programs with over a hundred degrees offered at each level.
RN to BSN MS in Nursing (MSN) MSN in Adult Health RN to MSN in Nurse Education Accelerated RN to MSN	South University—South University’s College of Nursing offers numerous degree programs for aspiring nurses. Those looking for a BSN degree can enter into the RN to BSN and complete it within 18 months. South also offers the following master’s degree-level programs: MS in Nursing (MSN), MSN in adult health nurse practitioning, MSN in nurse education, and an accelerated RN to MSN.
RN to BSN RN to MSN MSN in Nurse Administration MSN in Nurse Education	Kaplan University—Kaplan University’s RN to BSN and RN to MSN programs feature curriculums that provide registered nurses with the tools to graduate with BSN and MSN degrees. The MSNs in Nurse Administration or Nurse Education feature curriculums that teach methods in management and education in order to prepare students for leadership and educator positions with in the nursing field.