sms66

I am a Public Health Nurse in NC. I have been involved in Public Health for the past 20 years. I have worked in 3 different health departments all in different areas of NC. I have worked in almost every program a RN can work in. Presently, I am a certified STD Nurse Clinician trying to keep people well from communicable disease. I would not trade this experience for anything. Public Health is a calling. No nurse gets rich financially from working with local government, but the experiences of working with families, men, women, children in all stages of life, all stages of development and needs are priceless. Public Health is more than Immunizations and Comunicable Disease. It's working with people with chronic disease and preventing our younger generations from getting chronic diseases like HTN, diabetes,cancers, COPD, smoking related illnessess, obesity and related illnessess. It's pregnacy prevention and family planning and spacing. It's women's health and family health. Preventing infant mortality and preterm births to promote health pregnancy outcomes. It's helping developmentally challenged children to be all they can be. It's school health and case management adults, children, and pregnant women. Right now in the ecomnomic climate we live in both the State and the Counties are being encouraged to 'do more with less' so positions are difficult to come by in some areas. If you live near a military installation public health also exists on posts. If you are willing to relocate that might also open doors for you. Community Health also exists in home health and hospice. I remember like it was yesterday that feeling of putting square pegs in round holes when I worked in the hospital. Hang in there. Doors will open for you. Don't quit. Public Health and Community Health need nurses like you and with your background. You will be in my thoughts. I look forward to you joining our public health family.