PHN to have on New Grad resume- worth it?

Nurses Career Support

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Hi All!

I just passed my boards in California, and am starting the dreaded Job Search. I'm wondering, is it worth it to apply to become a Public Health Nurse so I can have that on my resume?

Thanks for your advice!

Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Are you referring to the CA state certification based on educational (hours) completed or the ANCC certification? I don't think that the former is worth very much - at least not outside CA. The latter, however, is very well respected and entitles you to put that "-BC" after your RN. I don't think that the ANCC certification is achievable for a new grad - you'd need experience in that specialty first.

Hiring managers are not impressed with paper - certifications and such - that have no bearing on the job, particularly certifications that do not indicate any clinical expertise. If you want to make your initial resume stand out, I would suggest something like EKG, phlebotomy, ACLS, etc.... these are directly applicable to clinical Nursing Jobs.

Specializes in CCM, PHN.

No. She is talking about the State of CA PHN license, not ANCC board certification. And yes, as a CA PHN RN of 6 years who started in this state as a new grad it IS worth it. Get it. ANYTHING you can get to help you in this tight market, do it.

Specializes in Tele Step Down, Oncology, ICU, Med/Surg.

Do it; I can put RN, BSN, PHN after my name and it opened up job markets for me other than just acute care (even though I'm still in acute care three plus years after being a new grad. One day I will leave bedside and will be glad I have that PHN. Good luck to you new grad, it's tough out there.

Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

Might as well. I am guessing you graduated from a BSN program that specializes in public health nursing; not all BSN programs do... I have mine behind my name on resumes, even though I have only worked in a hospital. I have always said that if I can't do L&D I want to use my PHN. Just keep in mind, lots of PHN jobs are state jobs and have been cut back, so it is going to be very hard to find a true PHN job in CA (home health doesn't count, LVNs can do that; meaning not a PHN job and no certification required).

Specializes in CCM, PHN.

The CA BON has pretty strict requirements about your BSN curriculum's Public Health content. There's really no such thing as a BSN program that "specializes" in Public Health; instead, in most states that offer the PHN license, their BSN programs automatically include a Public Health component and clinical. That way, all that is needed at the time of licensure is an extra form and a fee and boom, there's another set of letters after your name.

Having a PHN isn't just for the sole purpose of actually working as a PHN (and its correct that most true PHN jobs are dried up in CA) but PHN knowledge can get your foot in the door of case management, utilization review, occupational, psych and clinic and school Nursing Jobs. Most non-hospital nursing jobs require some knowledge/experience in Public Health/population nursing theory, and with the high burnout/turnover of inpatient nursing.....it's a good one to have in your pocket. Just do it.

Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.
The CA BON has pretty strict requirements about your BSN curriculum's Public Health content. There's really no such thing as a BSN program that "specializes" in Public Health; instead, in most states that offer the PHN license, their BSN programs automatically include a Public Health component and clinical. That way, all that is needed at the time of licensure is an extra form and a fee and boom, there's another set of letters after your name.

Having a PHN isn't just for the sole purpose of actually working as a PHN (and its correct that most true PHN jobs are dried up in CA) but PHN knowledge can get your foot in the door of case management, utilization review, occupational, psych and clinic and school nursing jobs. Most non-hospital nursing jobs require some knowledge/experience in Public Health/population nursing theory, and with the high burnout/turnover of inpatient nursing.....it's a good one to have in your pocket. Just do it.

What I meant was, at my school anyone who graduated from my program was able to pay the 75$ right after school ad passing a boards and get their PHN, no extra classes or training. We got the training and courses built into our curriculum, not all BSN programs offer this. Our school also allowed us to sit for the holistic nursing certification exam, without extra courses and training; another thing not all BSN programs offer.

If you are talking about APHN-BC, I do not believe you would meet the current eligibility criteria: Public Health Nurse - Advanced Certification Eligibility Criteria - American Nurses Credentialing Center - ANCC

Hi, I'm graduating from a CA BSN school and we're eligible to have a PHN certification. In fact, my leadership theory teacher told me that it is what distinguishes BSN/MSN RNs to ADNs. The CA board of nursing is very strict on this and grant that, we were given the paper work from the CA BRN to apply for the PHN cert since we took the required community/public health theory and clinical classes with the required hours and mandatory child report course in our curriculum, or so that how it is generally with the CSU/UC schools.

My question comes from this: Even if the PHN is a title after the name and that the PHN never expires (per my teacher who does work in public health), is it to our obligation that we use it after the name even if we're not working in public health? i.e., John Doe, MN, RN, PHN, CRRN or Jane Doe, BScN, RN-BC, CCRN, PHN? Are there sources where I can find out about this? It doesn't look right to me to have a credential to your name when you're not working in that field. I want to work in critical care and get a CCRN but is it me or does it look weird to have a PHN there too? My last question is, besides opening more opportunities, how else would the PHN be to my advantage? I like the idea that we have some working-knowledge of community/public health (which that was a tough course but interesting course, though it made me think critically about the environment and populations in global perspectives).

Thanks!

Do you think the Public Health Certificate is worth it now that CA raised it to $500? It's a lot of money :/

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