Career advancement?

Specialties Public/Community

Published

Specializes in ER.

I'm wondering what opportunities nurses have for career advancement within public health? What does the ladder look like? I'm starting in public health next week (yippee!) and I'm a very motivated person. I get bored easily and need to constantly be evolving. I like public health because I'll probably be able to go from women's health and STD's into Peds or Infectious Disease and work my way around the different areas. But those things are lateral moves. I hope to get my NP but that's not guaranteed. I guess I'm wondering what's on top for PHN's?

also interested in finding out :)

Where I work, it goes like this: Staff nurse (ADN and up; in the clinic) --> PHN (PHN certificate; Case manager) --> Supervisor ( BSN and PHN certificate; PHN III or IV or something along those lines) --> Supervisor's boss (MPH or MHCA or something along those lines, and at this point I don't know the official title) and then it goes up to the CEO of the department of public health (MPH or MA in administration) and then the CEO of the county (again, I am sorry, I don't know the titles, and I am guessing he has an MA in administration).

In our county it is PHN, which requires a Bachelors. That's on its own pay scale. Then Senior PHN and then Supervisor. There are more lateral positions that open up once you move up as well.

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