Nursing and Public Health Combinations

Specialties Disease

Published

Hello,

I would like to get some insight on having a background in nursing and public health.

I am a new nursing student with high hopes. I am 6 credit hours away from earning my BA in Gerontology and I will be starting a BSN program next month.

My ultimate career goal is to earn a Masters & Doctorate degree in Public Health with an emphasis on Disease research. I would like to one day work for the CDC or World Health Organization.

Many people have questioned why I have chosen a background in Gerontology and Nursing to enter into a field that is mostly Biologist and Microbiologist. My only answer to them is that I wanted to broaden my horizons... :rolleyes: Diseases afflict the young as well as the old. I see no reason why I can't utilize the two degrees in my quest :)

Are their any individuals who work in Public Health (with emphasis on communicable/noncommunicable disease research) and have a background in the nursing field or any other field out of the norm?

Where do you work and what has been your experience in the field?

~Unequaledbeauty~

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hi there. i worked in pediatrics 21 years and have changed to the public health setting. i work in the ryan white program. my clients are all hiv positive. it is a very different situation and one that i love. no one could believe the drastic change i had made. you know what? it was a great change. many nurses said "yuk" or some other term displaying their displeasure. my new clients deserve quality care as much as the next. i am really disappointed in that kind of attitude, as you can imagine. anyway, i've learned that you can teach an old dog new tricks. i am faced with new challenges everyday. if i can make a difference in just 1 person's life, i will feel successful. wish me luck. : )

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Hello,

Thank you for responding... I agree with your disappointment in certain individuals attitudes towards working with patients with HIV/AIDs. They are human and deserve the same treatment as anyone else.

What prompted your career change? And Good luck :)

~Unequaledbeauty~

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I had been unhappy for about 10 years with my former job. There were some unethical things going on and I was unable to correct them. Finally, an MOA was allowed to continue calling in narcotics (to friends without permission) using my name. When the authority figures refused to handle the situation, I quit. Any way, here I am in my new role in public health. I always believed that things happen for a reason. I honestly believe that I can improve the care my new patients receive. I sure am going to give it my best. Wish me luck!

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I am sorry to hear that... Well, as long as you enjoy your work now and you are happy that is what counts. I wish you the best.

~Unequaledbeauty~

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Unequaledbeauty,

Your career plan is absolutely my dream! I am working towards my BSN right now, too. At first I had planned on getting a biology degree and then going to med school, but I decided that I had more options with a nursing degree. Anyway, I think I'd like to go on after school and at least get a MPH. I've found a few schools throughout the country that offer a combined MSN/MPH. One of these schools is located in Atlanta and probably offers opportunities with the CDC. I've also read about student internships with the CDC for undergraduates in any health or science field (including nursing!). Let me know if you're found any information like this. I'm so glad there's someone else out there like me!

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Hi there,

I am just curious, are you interested in international healthcare as i am? i have been searching for education/resources on the web with little success. i was also thinking of getting my MPH. I have my BSN currently and have been working in various fields for 4 yrs, not yet finding my niche. i am looking to combine nursing and international medicine somehow. fyi - i went to UW Madison

let me know if you find any info! thanks!

Unequaledbeauty,

Your career plan is absolutely my dream! I am working towards my BSN right now, too. At first I had planned on getting a biology degree and then going to med school, but I decided that I had more options with a nursing degree. Anyway, I think I'd like to go on after school and at least get a MPH. I've found a few schools throughout the country that offer a combined MSN/MPH. One of these schools is located in Atlanta and probably offers opportunities with the CDC. I've also read about student internships with the CDC for undergraduates in any health or science field (including nursing!). Let me know if you're found any information like this. I'm so glad there's someone else out there like me!

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Specializes in Oncology/Haematology/Stem Cell Transplant, Med/Sur.
Hi there,

I am just curious, are you interested in international healthcare as i am? i have been searching for education/resources on the web with little success. i was also thinking of getting my MPH. I have my BSN currently and have been working in various fields for 4 yrs, not yet finding my niche. i am looking to combine nursing and international medicine somehow. fyi - i went to UW Madison

let me know if you find any info! thanks!

Hi Marshag,

You can do MPH in International Health - very highly recognised. I know you live in the USA - I am in Australia but check out this web site www.sph.uq.edu.au or www.jcu.edu.au (You could do this degree from USA online in Australia and your US dollar is stronger than the Aussie dollar). I am just finishing off my MPH in tropical medicine to add to my Bachelor degree in Nursing. I am now considering doing my Masters in Nursing so that I can become a nurse practitioner - I am likely to get advanced standing for several subjects because of my MPH.

I do know that you have many options. You just need to tap into all avenues and then decide what is the best option. There is another post on www.allnurses.com marked "MSN in public health nursing" worth looking at as someone has posted up web sites to check out. I would also look up your public health association.

Hope I have given you food for thought.

Wish you every success and let me know if I can help you with anything else, not sure if I have been a healp at all.

Cheers:nuke:

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