What is public health nursing?
Public Health Nursing (PHN) is the practice of promoting and protecting the health of populations using knowledge from nursing, social, and public health sciences. Our mission is to promote physical and mental health and to prevent disease, injury, and disability. Our goal is to have healthy people in healthy communities.
Public Health Nursing is a fundamental resource for the protection and promotion of health within the community. We rely on Public Health Nurses (PHN’s) to inform and educate us about health care issues and provide a range of public health services including the prevention of epidemics and spread of disease, protection against health hazards, and the promotion of healthy behaviors. PHN’s not only develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts, but they serve as a vital link between the un/under-insured population and much needed health services, assuring the provision of health care when it is otherwise unavailable. What is the PEW initiative? Because the Public Health Nurse is key to improving the health status of Georgians, our public health system is facing a crisis due to the rapidly decreasing nursing workforce. With a loss of more than 230 PHN’s in the last three years, Georgia’s public health system is struggling to deliver adequate health car
Public health nursing is a nursing specialty which focuses on providing nursing services which benefit public health. In addition to working with individual patients, public health nurses also target nursing services to specific populations, offering education, preventive care, and other services to their communities to promote general wellness and prevention of disease and injury. This career also involves the formulation of healthcare policy and public health initiatives, all of which are focused on making the community as healthy as possible. People who pursue a career in public health nursing may start in nursing school, but they also receive training in issues like healthcare policy and social services. Since public health nurses must consider the community as a whole, they learn how to identify at-risk populations, and they think about issues which may confront their community, such as access to clean water, safe working conditions, and nutrition. An important part of the field o
Public Health Nursing (PHN) improves the well being of communities by promoting health and preventing disease, disability, and premature death among all residents of Los Angeles County. PHN improves the quality of neighborhood life by working in partnership with community residents to create the conditions that ensure healthy lives.
Public Health Nursing (PHN) is a section within the Community and Family Health Division of the Wyoming Health Department. “PHN” is located in county health offices throughout Wyoming. Public Health Nursing consists of professional individuals with one main concern: “Healthy People in Healthy Communities.” We are here to protect and enhance the health and well-being of all Wyoming citizens and see that risks are identified and served. Our focus includes: • Preventing the spread of disease • Preventing injuries • Promoting healthy behavior • Responding to disasters • Increasing access to health care Contacts: Katheryn McKee R.N.
