RNqwerty

Thanks again. I'm looking into MRC right now! I think right now that's the very first step. It seems to suit me for where my life is at the moment, and I like the idea of doing community preparedness. I'm just trying to map out a plan for a few years from now when I'll be more ready to move into the global health work sphere. Really appreciate all the feedback. Yourself and AdventureRN have really cleared up a lot of vague ideas I had. Thanks

Thank you for you response, it was really invaluable reading. Firstly, I readily admit that my goals/vision aren't completely clear yet, even to me. Hence I am gathering as much information as I can to really figure out what I want. Motivation wise - travel is a really big one. The US is the third country I've been an RN in, I love working in different cultures. Another is the desire to (hopefully) implement longer term changes to communities through education. I feel deep frustration in the ER as I see it as often a bandaid solution to bigger, chronic issues. But at the same time I also love the thrill of ER nursing, and the wide variety of presentations. So I can at least deduce that I will always want to be involved in patient/community interaction. Thanks for explaining epidemiology/communicable diseases and how it is handled by public health. "In order to develop a sustainable project with lasting impact, you generally enable local professionals to provide care." - this is definitely the way I see myself working in public health as opposed to just crisis/ disaster relief. Mercy Ships is definitely on my radar, and doable if I stay active in ER. I'm going to look into volunteering with either Medical Reserve Corps or a local free clinic. At the moment I'm basing my ideas of public health from knowing people who worked in USAID, but to be completely honest I haven't known any actual public health nurses. ER is my world right now. Thanks again for your insights.

Hi SiwanRN, Thanks for the information. I will do some research into these organisations. What I left out is that I have a very young family at home, so a lot of these goals are definitely on hold for a few more years. Do you know much about Medical Reserve Corps? I wandered if that might be a start to volunteer with them locally. I am also still trying to pinpoint which area of public health I am interested in moving into, before I can properly map out a plan. How do public health nurses work with communicable diseases? Mostly through research and biostats, or in clinic environments with mass vaccinations and outbreak control? Lots of questions to ask! Thanks

Hi nurses, I'm currently an ER RN/BSN who is looking to move out of the hospital setting and into global public health. I have a background of working in three different (developed) countries, including Saudi Arabia, where I developed an interest in working with different cultures. I'm having difficulty planning a pathway into this field of interest. I've seen various MPH and Masters in International Public Health, but I'm unaware of how I could utilise this postgrad into an actual job in the developing world field. Is volunteer nursing the way to leverage myself into an opportunity, after I have the advanced degree? My areas of interest would be either women's health, communicable diseases, health education. Looking to move away from emergency acute care over the next 3-5 years. Thanks

Yeah I did my courses through Deakin Professional Development Unit back in 2009. I do wander if the fact I've been registered and practicing in Maryland for 5 full-time years would make a difference in my case. Otherwise I guess that would mean repeating those same courses again, but this time in California not looking forward to that.

Hi all. I'm an Australian educated RN who obtained licensure in Maryland and Vermont in 2010. I completed two supplemental courses (in Australia) in pediatrics and obstetrics as my undergraduate hours were deficient. I am still actively licensed in Maryland and have been working there for past 5 years. If I want to become licensed in California, do I have to do more supplemental courses even though I am already licensed in another US state? Thanks