What is the best path into PH nursing?

[DawnJ]

I've spent 20 years in finance, with a BS in business. I then got an MPH and am now in the first year of nursing school (2 year program). I will work and get my BSN after I'm licensed.

What is the best area for me to get experience in, in order to get a job in public health? Is it better to do my internship in a direct patient care area like urgent care or home health so I have some amount of "hands on"? Or should I request a PH placement for my internship? My concern is that if I don't get hired off my internship into PH because of no openings (NM is a poor state!) or because they want a BSN, then I will have a harder time getting work because my internship was less geared toward direct care.

Help is appreciated! Thanks.

[mariebailey, MSN, RN]

I think a health director would be thrilled to see your resume show up, regardless of what you do for your practicum. I did community health nursing as my practicum, and I regret it because I just want to have some of those fundamental bedside skills, even if I never end up using them. I went straight into public health nursing following graduation, and I was never asked about my practicum during interviewing. Did you have a community/public health nursing component to your program? Most interviewers assess a nurse's comprehension of public health - what it is, and how it's different from tertiary care. My guess is you can handle that. What is your area of concentration with regard to your MPH?

[DawnJ]

My MPH specialty was Community Health Education. The only kind of PH the RN program does is a semester at Healthcare for the Homeless. And, if I request a PH practicum assignment for my last semester then they will do their best to find me one.

Thanks