Day in the life of a PHN??? Please respond.

[wonderbee]

I'm through with the stress of acute care inpatient nursing. I've been told by my doctor it's time to take care of myself. I've got arthritic knees that can't handle 12 hours on my feet, no lunch and constant multitasking. Time for some decisions. I've got about 10 more years before retirement. I have gone through the hoops and have landed myself a position in the top 10 on the for hire list for my county health department. We have a TB clinic, an ID clinic, a mother/baby clinic and an STD clinic.

I'm attracted by the 8-4:30, no nights, weekends or holidays aspects. No codes. Ambulatory patients and hopefully more autonomy. I love to educate and feel I have a solid general background in nursing that will serve the population well. I'm hoping for less time on my feet.

I would so appreciate some feedback on how you, the PHN's, spends your day and your insights.

Thanks!

BTW, if you see any "m"s missing, it's because the key is not working well.

[wonderbee, BSN, RN]

I'll let you know when I've got some time in. I won't be out in the field until after the new year. So far it looks really good. I've had some great exposure to outreach in the very short time I've been there thanks to a boss with a passion for people. Very different from acute care and the routine of hospitals.

Congrats on your graduation and licensure. Hang in there if you can. It took me months to land this position.

[auburngirl95]

Wonderbee,

Congrats to you!!! I just accepted a job in a PHC in pediatrics. Complete dream job for me. I start at the end of the month.

Hope your start is great!!

[bigdreamsstartinSF]

Please come back and update us. I am almost graduating from an MA program and will obtain a job as an MA. Im am a junior at university level and was thinking about public health and nursing. What is a public health nurse license? I want to get my ADN in nursing and maybe move on to a bsn or msn later down the line. Thanks!

[wonderbee, BSN, RN]

My position is newly funded. Many aspects of the job are being created as we go along since I'm the only nurse in my public health program. Right now in the process of setting up clinics and working out schedules. To be continued...

[bigdreamsstartinSF]

Hey again. Ypu say your the only nurse in your program. What other professionals are you working alongside?

[mizfradd, CNA]

Good luck Wonderbee!!

Is your position funded because it's a very rural area?

Will you eventually have another RN, LPN or a CNA to help you?

[wonderbee, BSN, RN]

Good luck Wonderbee!!

Is your position funded because it's a very rural area?

Will you eventually have another RN, LPN or a CNA to help you?

Thanks for the well wishes. No, I will be the only nurse for this program. Without giving any identifying information, it's really kind of hard to address the question. Let's just say it's a medium sized metropolitan area. Being the only nurse has its advantages and disadvantages. Mostly advantages. The disadvantages are misconceptions of what my nurse role is and what an RN can and cannot do as perceived by my fellow non-nurse employees.

[inspired26]

I am intereted in Public Health Nursing as well. I am currently pursuing my BSN, but I am not sure on how to find a job in public health considering that all are occupied at this time in my state. If someone could give me some pointers on how you acquired your positions and what is required, I would appreciate it. Thanks in advance and congratulations to all of you that have already been hired.

[hotflashion, BSN, RN]

Well, Wonderbee, it's been almost a year, I'm a new reader in this specialty area, and I'm wondering how your first year as a WIC nurse has come along? If you're still reading, let us know.

- - - - -

Oh, I see you have written elsewhere. I'll read those posts!

[labrador4122, RN]

You all make public health nursing sound awesome.

I am an acure care nurse, and other nurses are petty, they complain about things that they shouldn't complain about, and they are backstabbers-- smiling at your face then complaining about you soon after you leave--

I am actually going to do my clinical hours at a public health facility, at this place is a community health care center. I am interested to see how it goes. It is very far from my house, but hey I need these hours for school.

maybe it will help me get a foot in the door.

one question: is the pay comparable to the hospital pay?

[hotflashion, BSN, RN]

"one question: is the pay comparable to the hospital pay"

Call me a cynic, but I suspect not. Perhaps, in the world of nursing, you get reasonable working conditions for a reduction in pay.

Pardon my black mood.

[heatheryk]

The pay is not comparable to hospital pay. I make $6 less an hour than a new grad at our local hospital. But I LOVE my job. You asked for a day in the life....

Arrive at office, check email, return phone calls, frantically try to chart.

Go to a home visit with a mom and baby, smell gas in the home, call the gas co for an emergeny response. Assess mom and baby, Do Developmental assessment on the baby. teach. Go to next home visit. No one is home so you just wasted an hour and 20 miles of driving. Call to follow up on the gas leak. Go to next home visit. Assess mom and newborn baby, spend 2 hours trying to get baby, who has now lost 10 % of his birth weight, to latch. Call lactation consultant for advise. Call WIC to try and get a pump. After 2 hours and 30 minutes of nursing the baby weighs less than when you started. sigh. Call every where I can think of to get a supplimental nursing system. No one can give them out until a lactation consultant sees the mom...no appointments until next week. Go get some formula (there is none in the house and no money) Schedule an appointment for the lactation consultant and arrange transportation. Teach, Teach, Teach. Go to next home visit, assess pregnant mom, find that the doctor has not followed up with tx plan. Call the dr. Teach pt about condition. Teach pt to advocate for themselves. Go back to office, frantically try to chart! :redbeathe