Best experiences for a newbie PHN??

I'm coming at this differently than you, I have an MPH and I am going into a one year BSN program. From my expereince in working with public health scholars and publishing research in this area, it seems the best way to get into public health is to get a fellowship/intership/job with the CDC, NIH, WHO, or something like that. I've always been told that once you get a job like this, other better jobs will fall in place.

I'm not sure about PHN though, I guess I will have to find out more when it comes time. Keep me posted.

Hi, I'm also a BSN student, graduating in December. We are in the process of making requests for our senior practicum -- I thought I'd tell you what my advisor told me: This last clinical is as much about passing the NCLEX as it is about refining skills. Our school doesn't allow us to do public health (for the practicum -- we do have a community health clinical), because it just doesn't offer as much in the way of NCLEX review as, say, med-surg. Med-surg will give you a broad skills review and an NCLEX review -- where ever you are hired in public health will hopefully give you the orientation you need after that....GOOD LUCK!

Hi guys,

I am a nursing student, graduating in a couple months with a BSN and hoping to get a job as a public health nurse. Since it is my last semester, we get to select an area to concentrate in for our final clinical rotation. I am torn over which will best prepare me for the work of a phn. Would working in a community clinic be best because it would give me a good feel for what the work will be like and thus prepare me for my first job? Or is an emergency room going to help me fine tune my assesment skills and improve my critical thinking? Or would Med/Surge be helpful with technical skills and exposing me to different medical scenarios? Any thoughts??

I did my capstone rotation at a public health center and thought it was a great experience. It was not a good med/surg review, but it WAS a good maternal/child nursing review and I learned a lot about immunizations, fetal and child development, L&D, etc. You're not going to review EVERYTHING you learn in nursing school at any clinical site, so I say go for what you're interested in.

Also, if you think PHN is what you want to do after graduation, then this is a great segue. I just got hired as a PHN where I did my capstone rotation, and the transition will be that much easier. I think most people go into their capstone with hopes that they WILL get hired after they graduate.

My vote is do what you love. If you loved community health and that's what you want to do when you graduate, go for it! Plus, your classmates will all be jealous of your 9 to 5 schedule ;-).