Any Public Health nurses here?

marilynmom, LPN, NP · Apr 30, 2006

I am a new nursing student but public health is one of my interests! Good luck with the job application! Is it hard to get a job as a public health nurse? What can you tell me about it?

nurscee · May 1, 2006

Where are you going to school? What semester are you in? I went to Rose State. I don't know much about public nursing either. I only sent in my resume. I only graduated Dec 2004 myself. If I don't get out of the hospital I will have a nervous breakdown.

marilynmom, LPN, NP · May 1, 2006

I have my associates from Rose State (not in nursing, in Biology)!

I am at UCO right now, start the nursing program in the fall. I just finished Fundamentals today though!

Where do you work in the hospital and why do you hate it so much? I hope you get the job, when will you find out do you know??

nurscee · May 1, 2006

Med/surg is mentally and physically very very hard. I am 53 and I think I'm maybe just too old for the pace.

At my age I want an 8-5 job with weekends off so I can see my grandbabies and be active in church again. I never really intended to stay in hospital work, but figured I needed a year of med/surg or the like for basics.

Now I have my basics and I am oh so ready to move on.

Somedays, most days, I love my job.

My favorite part is patient care and just interacting with people.

I do a lot of lifting. Very heavy people need to be pulled up in bed, or helped to the bathroom. When I was younger it would've been easier I'm sure.

Our slow computers make charting hard.

I graduated with an associate's in nursing from Rose State in 2004.

I like the idea of public health because I just love one on one with people.

Also, educating is my very favorite thing.

Most people are grateful if you take the time.

I haven't heard anything back yet on the resume.

HR said it is "direct hire". Not sure if that means I also need to go to HR and fill out a regular application. Waiting to hear back from HR at this time.

marilynmom, LPN, NP · May 2, 2006

Ugggh I have NO intention of working med/surg, I have heard just too many horror stories about it from too many nurses. It must be one tough job.

Let us know if you get the job!! Sounds perfect for you!

nurscee · May 2, 2006

Well, I must say, I'm not sorry for the basic experience. And I would encourage every new nurse to go out there and get at least a year of hospital experience first.

And one thing is soooo true. By the end of the first year you realize that you have barely stuck your big toe into the knowledge that is truly needed to be an expert.

Thanks for the encouragement. I still haven't heard back about my resume. Not sure how hard it is to get hired.

If I don't hear anything I may look into home health.

Best of luck to you. I hope graduation gets here before you know it.

amy · May 2, 2006

Not so much a reply as a comment...

I am an ER nurse, who worked Public Health for about 1 year. Many of my coworkers stated "I don't know how you could work there-- it must be so hard." Well, I've got news for you... for me, it's easy. I found Public Health to be one of the most challenging career moves I had ever made (I did return to ER.)

I truly believe Public Health nurses are a special breed, and it is a specialty in and of itself!! I could not do what you all do (for very long), and I felt I did not do it well, even though my coworkers stated otherwise to me.

So, all you Public Health nurses... rock on with your awesome selves!!!

marilynmom, LPN, NP · May 3, 2006

Well, I must say, I'm not sorry for the basic experience. And I would encourage every new nurse to go out there and get at least a year of hospital experience first.
And one thing is soooo true. By the end of the first year you realize that you have barely stuck your big toe into the knowledge that is truly needed to be an expert.
Thanks for the encouragement. I still haven't heard back about my resume. Not sure how hard it is to get hired.
If I don't hear anything I may look into home health.
Best of luck to you. I hope graduation gets here before you know it.

So you would work Med/Surg if you had to do it over again? I just hear SO MUCH horror stories about med surg it scares the crap out of me honestly. I am going into all with an open mind though since I have no experience or real knowledge of any of it anyways....lol. Thanks for the advice :)

My Micro instructor graduated from OKCCC and went straight into home health nursing after graduation and he really liked it.

MyReign1 · May 3, 2006

Marilynmom,

Don't let what you hear about med/surg scare you. Med/surg was one of the best clinical rotations for me except for leadership which was on a med/surg telemetry floor, ER and ICU. Med/Surg is where you learn your skills. I didn't care for most of the other clinicals, like psych, L&D except NICU, peds, or community. THey were all cool in the most part but they were all slow placed, atleast when we were on the floor. I enjoy being busy and learning so much. Once you've done med/surg I feel you can do just about anything else.

Med/surg has such a bad rep because some hospitals have ridiculous nurse to patient ratios. I interviewed at one hospital where the ratio was 1 nurse to 7-10 patients. With 10 patients there is no way I could do all that needed to be done for my patients. Med/Surg involves alot of the skills you learned in fundamentals, like foleys, dressing changes, med passes, patient education, NG tubes, etc. It also involves plenty of oher things you'll learn later, like fluids, IV's, blood draws, iv meds, drains, picc lines, feeding tubes, etc... Go in with a open mind and if you get the right nurse you could learn a lot and have a good time doing it.

MyReign1

marilynmom, LPN, NP · May 3, 2006

Go in with a open mind and if you get the right nurse you could learn a lot and have a good time doing it.
MyReign1

Do a lot of the hospitals in Oklahoma have bad patient to nurse ratios?

I appreciate everyones advice and comments and an open mind is what I have!

But it is hard when all you hear are horror stories about med/surg but I know you gals have heard them too but have more experience than I.

PegJS · Jan 10, 2008

I am a Public Health Nurse in Washington State. Here it is required (in most cases) that Public Health Nurses (PHNs) have their BSN. It is usually better to have at least a year's hospital experience before taking most jobs as it is an extremely autonomous practice. Med Surg is not necessarily the best practice to be in, however. Much of what we do is Maternal Child and so perinatal and peds are important knowledge to have. I have worked in big hospitals, long term care, and home health ... but Public Health is absolutely my passion. It is emotionally and psychologically challenging and you have to have good boundaries and a strong support system ... but I believe it is nursing at its core ... holistic. However, you have to believe (and sometimes use it as a mantra) that all people have the ability for growth and change!