Question on which degree to obtain NP, community health cns, MSN in education or MPH

Specialties Public/Community

Published

Specializes in Med-Surg.

Greetings nurses,

I am stuck in a degree dilemma; I have been a Med-Surg RN for 2.5 years and I am ready to move on. Med Surg is not for me anymore.

I am highly interested in eventually creating a hypertension and diabetic clinic for elderly adults. My other interest include, public health clinic nursing, creating community outreach health fairs and programs, hypertension and diabetes education and acting as a preceptor. How can I include all of my above interest in one degree? Which route should I take.

Thank you in advance!

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Specializes in Family practice, emergency.

Adult or Geri NP?

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Adult

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Specializes in Public Health, Maternal Child Health.

Just wanted to pitch in there is a lot of room for growth for PHNs. The PHNs in my county have so many different roles and the managers and directors have a LOT of impact on making things happen in the community like the things you're talking about. The director of my department never got a masters, she started as a PHN I and just stayed in her department and was eventually promoted to the director of 3 departments. You have wonderful passionate goals - so to accomplish all the things you want for a community, you have to ask "who is going to FUND this". Community health is pretty much almost exclusively funded by county and state funds, and sometimes federal grants. So I would highly advise you to get started as a county PHN and work your way up. You could also work part time at the same time you are working on an advanced nursing degree if you want. I am amazed and inspired everyday about all the great community programs and outreach we have in my county. It sucks cuz we wanna do so much more but there is just no funding. Hope that helps!

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Wow [COLOR=#003366]Mia415 Thank you for your response, it really made me think. I do think securing a position within the health dept would be ideal, while working on an NP degree.

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