? about community health nursing

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I am planning to enter a nursing program in the fall, as an accelerated student. I am looking for any information about community health nursing in America, preferably Indian reservations or resource poor communities.

I currently work at an government aid organization as a unwilling bureaucrat and want to get back to working with communities (I have 2 years of oversease community health expereince) in public health (rather then the paper which plans the programs). I decided agains the MPH track in my career for fear of becoming a life-long paper pusher. I am hoping a nursing degree coupled with my public health experiences will help me get back to helping people and communities in which they live!

Anyone out there have any public health nursing expereinces they would like to share?

Thanks!

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Hi there,

Lucky you, you get my first post after being a long time lurker!

I've seen that public health topics on the boards are fairly barren, so I had to jump at your post...

While I personally don't have any experience in public health nursing, I plan to get some in the future! I know a few people who have done the MPH thing and have told me the same thing...too much paper pushing. They also have told me they think being a nurse would really be beneficial in the field. For example, a couple of MPH's I've talked to said they lost out to RNs for education jobs.

Anyways, I plan to go into a BSN/MSN specializing in public health nursing. I don't have nearly the experience in the field it sounds like you have. I've been working in a community health center...No experience with reservations, but mainly immigrants and migrants.

Have you already applied to a nursing program, or just thinking about it?

Look forward to a reply !

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Hello, I am a community health nurse manager. I work at a clinic that serves primarily the Hispanic population. I have to admit, I fell into the postion by accident and only applied because of the great hours and setting. But now that I have been here almost a year, I can truly say that I love my job. It is very challenging at times, especially since most of our patients cannot even afford food, much less medications, glucometers, xrays, etc. Of course we have many resources to help them, but it is never enough. My job involves a lot of patient education, triage, I am the supervisor of 15 employees, I attend many inservices and public seminars....I have been sent out of town on many business trips. I help with all populations, we run a diabetic clinic once a month, also do a lot of asthma teaching and TB teaching...as much of our population is from Mexico, there is a high incidence of TB. If you have any further questions, please let me know!

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Wow, thanks to both of you for such great responses. I was seriously on the MPH track (especially because most folks i work with were pushing me) and after some soul searching (and a trip to visit friends in the West Indies) I decided to jump full on into the RN idea. I am hoping for Hopkins - they have an incredable community health program. If not, well I hope for a state school and work part time.

I definatly know I am not a paper pusher nor can I be a traditional hospital nurse. I want to make sure I can secure employment after racking up even more student debt - I know money is not my motivating factor for most life decisions, but realisticly I need to think on these lines as my mother ages.

I could go over seas again, however I have many ethical problems with international development that I think the last thing a poor nation needs is another American telling them what to do!! America has so many cultures and people in need. Along with languages, cultural practices and such --- it is very exciting.

Thanks for all your help.

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RPCV--you sound alot like me, in my ways of thinking too. I love the idea of working internationally, but once you get out into the world you find those ideals change a bit and reality sets in. Of course, if you really want to work outside the US, I think anythings possible if you work hard enough. (im not totally jaded :)

Aimers, I was wondering what do you do in your monthly diabetes clinics? I work in a clinic similar to your demographics with alot of DM patients. Improving their care is such a challenge. Thanks for the input....

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Specializes in Oncology, Research.

Sounds like Hopkins might be a good fit for you. Community health is their specialty and alot of work is done in the surrounding east Baltimore neighborhoods. Many of the students have experience in international health, with almost 1/6 of the accelerated class being returned Peace Corps volunteers. If you reconsider public health, they also have a combined MSN/MPH.

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Well I did not get into Hopkins. Suprising, I have a 3.5 undergardaute GPA, 2 years teaching health in Africa, work in Maternal Health currently.... Still trying not to be too heart broken over it....

Onward and up wards I guess!

where did you all recieve your degrees from? Suggestions for acclerated programs?

Thanks,

K

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