PHN: What do you REALLY do all day?

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Specializes in Oncology, Palliative Care.

I interviewed a public health nurse from my local county health department (in Mississippi) today for a school assignment and at the end, it honestly felt like she spent her whole day struggling to take care of people who mostly didn't really want to be taken care of! Is that common???

She has lots of responsibilities and I could tell she really loves her job and is very passionate about it, but is that REALLY what public health nurses do all day??

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Specializes in OR and public health.

Yes. That is why it is termed "public health". It is geared towards helping those in the community and public who cant otherwise afford healthcare or insurance; those in urban and rural areas. And yea, some of them have attitudes and do not want to be helped. But one has to be called for this type of work bc if this is not something you love to do (help those who otherwise dont realize they need the help), then one shld seek other areas of nursings.

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Specializes in Oncology, Palliative Care.
help those who otherwise dont realize they need the help

You nailed it right there... They don't realize they need help, so they're reluctant to seek it out.

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Specializes in OR and public health.

Which is very sad. That is the 1 thing I despise about working w that population. A little revelation to their ignorance wld make phns lives and jobs that much more easier

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