What is the difference between community health nursing and community nursing?

Community Oriented Nursing (i.e. Public Health Nursing) is focused on health promotion and disease prevention in the community. No direct care for individuals!

Community Based Nursing is focused on illness care for individuals and families (e.g. Home health nurse, School Nurse).

What is the difference between community health nursing and community nursing?

Functional Group
What is the difference between community health nursing and community nursing?
College of Nursing and Health Innovation

Information

The College of Nursing and Health Innovation at ASU offers four undergraduate degrees including Community Health, Integrative Health, Health Care Innovation, and the Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN). The BSN program and BS Community Health share many similarities.

  • Community Health, as a discipline, focuses on creating healthy, sustainable communities by working with specific populations. Professionals in the field often work in a team environment within public, private, or non-profit sectors. Community health workers typically work alongside health care practitioners to provide health related advocacy, education, promotion, evaluation, care navigation and service coordination in areas within a geographical area or specified population. As part of the BS Community Health program, you will take lower division coursework that prepares you with an understanding of health care systems, cultural differences in medicine and healing, and the basic sciences of the human body. When you reach your junior year, you begin taking upper division courses that focus on health care research, education and advocacy, effective communication, and leadership/management. As a Community Health graduate, you may find employment as community health workers, health care coordinators, health care navigators, and health services administrators.  
 
  • Nursing is often described as the perfect balance of art and science; professionals within the field habitually provide preventative and restorative care to patients and clientele within hospital, clinical, or community settings. Nurses observe patients, administer medication and treatments, develop strategic plans for patient care, operate medical equipment, and educate patients and their families on managing illnesses and fostering wellness. Nursing professionals typically work alongside medical doctors, dietitians, physician assistants, and other allied health care workers. As part of the Traditional Pre-licensure Clinical Nursing Program, you will take lower division coursework during your freshman and sophomore years that includes general education classes, basic lab sciences, cultural awareness and health care curriculum coursework. These courses prepare you to advance to the upper division clinical nursing program during your junior year. Within the junior and senior year of the traditional program, you will take upper division coursework which includes classroom lectures, clinical simulations, and hospital rotations. After completing the Traditional Pre-licensure Program and graduating with a BSN, you are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Successful passage on this examination grants you your license to practice as a registered nurse or RN.

Please note: Only two populations of ASU students are classified as “Nursing BSN” majors: students who were directly admitted to the nursing program from high school or students who are currently enrolled in the upper division clinical nursing program. All students trying to earn a spot in the clinical nursing program through the competitive application process are not labeled as “Nursing BSN” majors. Instead, it is common for these students to be classified under the BS Community Health academic program. Community Health majors enroll in the same coursework as nursing students for the first two years, and these individuals have full access to College of Nursing and Health Innovation support and resources such as academic advising, residential community options, and involvement opportunities. 

For additional questions, you can contact us by email at  or reach out to us by phone. If you are a current student, please call 602-496-0888. If you have not yet been admitted to Arizona State University, please call 602-496-0937.

With the help of Aspen University’s Dean of Nursing, Dr. Marcos Gayol, we break down the important differences between public health nurses vs community health nurses.

What is the difference between community health nursing and community nursing?

History of Public Health Nursing

Public health nursing began in the mid-1800s in England when Florence Nightingale trained nurses in the district nursing concept. Nurses were assigned and responsible for the health of the people in specific London neighborhoods. These nurses helped improve patient health by providing community channels and information on topics like sanitation and education.

This model of nursing popped up in the U.S. in New York City in 1877. Around this time, Lillian Wald — who coined the phrase “public health nurse” —  emerged as a leader in the field. She realized that sickness found in the home originated as societal problems and directed nursing efforts toward employment, sanitation, and education.

Ward served as the first president of the National Organization of Public Health Nurses, formed in 1912. In 1913, the first public health nurse for the U.S. Public Health Service was appointed. 

What is the difference between community health nursing and community nursing?

The United States has improved population health through public health intervention and quality clinical care. As a result, life expectancy rose to 78.8 in 2015, a decade longer than in 1950. However, racial, cultural, and economic disparities persist across many health outcomes and conditions. A lot of these challenges require community-based intervention. 

Different types of nurses help monitor and treat public health issues. “Think of a spectrum,” says Dr. Marcos Gayol, Assistant Dean of Nursing at Aspen University. “Directly in the middle of the spectrum is Public Health. On the one end is Community Health, and on the opposite end is Global Health.”

“Global Health is a broad focus on issues that can impact the health of a nation, economies, and the interconnectivity countries have with other countries.” Dr. Gayol adds, “However, the line between Community Health and Public Health is a source of confusion for many people. The two roles are often used interchangeably, but there are distinct differences.”

Public Health Nurse

The American Public Health Association (APHA) defines public health nursing as “the practice of promoting and protecting the health of populations using knowledge from nursing, social, and public health sciences.” 

The public health nurse’s scope of practice includes policy reform, system-level changes, and health promotion. This nursing practice includes advocacy, policy development, and planning. Dr. Gayol adds, “It is the balance where health professionals work toward health promotion and illness prevention with a focus on identifying the origins of disease then determining how policy, education, and health systems can work together toward improved health outcomes.” 

For example, if an illness outbreak such as measles, tuberculosis, or hepatitis B occurs, the public health nurse will evaluate the need and develop a program for an immunization clinic. 

Public health nurses often work for the government — usually county though can be state or federal. They work in health departments, correctional facilities, worksites, and other locations where population-specific nursing care is in need. For example, they monitor for trends in disease outbreak and prevention, run flu clinics, and work to reduce illnesses like heart disease by providing education to their town.

Community Health Nurse

Community health nurses maximize the health status of individuals, families, groups, and the community through direct approach with them. A community health nurse combines facets of direct care and public health practice to a target population of patients who may not have access to — or be able to afford — health services. 

The community health nurse’s scope of practice includes educating and developing intervention plans for individuals, families, or groups about illness and disease prevention, safe health practices, nutrition, and wellness, among other topics. 

For example, a community health nurse might meet with young mothers to provide valuable immunization information or teach a new diabetic how to give insulin injections by practicing with an orange. 

Community health nurses work within the community. This can be for a public entity such as a school district or community clinic. The types of communities these nurses serve will vary; economic situation, school, and culture all play a part in dictating community needs. “What may be a health issue in downtown Atlanta, GA may not be a health issue in rural Tennessee – therefore Community Health is specific to a location, as well,” says Dr. Gayol. 

Many work in Community Health Centers. Similar to those who work in primary care offices, these nurses provide preventive care, immunizations, treat urgent illnesses, education, and medication refills — to name a few. Community nurses can also work for public health departments or parishes.

Specializations

Public health or community nurses may specialize in:

  • Home care
  • Case management
  • Clinical nursing
  • Corporate nursing – most often called Occupational Nursing
  • School nursing
  • Pharmaceutical nursing

Community health nurses might focus on a particular aspect of health care like HIV/AIDS or mental health treatment. Advanced community health nurses can also find opportunities in higher education or clinical research. 

Becoming a Public Health (or Community Health Nurse)

To become a public health or community health nurse, you first need to enter a Public Health education track toward that career goal. 

A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is recommended for entry-level public health nurses. A BSN program covers fundamental concepts for public health nursing, such as “clinical prevention, population health, healthcare policy, finance, and regulatory environments, and interpersonal collaboration.”

The Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a specialization in public health or higher provides specialized knowledge required for leadership positions. “Competencies include mastery of interprofessional collaboration, health policy and advocacy, population assessment, prevention strategies, and program planning and evaluation.”

Some nurses pursue the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), PhD, or other researched-focused doctoral degrees. In some states, public health nursing registration is required to validate specific competencies. 

What Now?

The role of the public health nurse — and the ways they work to maintain healthy populations — has continued to evolve. Today, public health nurses “comprise the largest segment of the professional public health workforce.”

There is a call for public health to meet 21st-century challenges — such as rapid fluctuation in staffing and funding and America’s aging population. “In Public Health and Community Health Nursing, engagement, involvement, and education are the most important components for the success of a health program,” says Dr. Gayol. “A more educated society is a healthier society.”

UPDATE 3/23/2020

Public Health, Community Health, and Covid-19

While public health officials continue to monitor and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential to understand each of our roles in helping to prevent the transmission of contagious illness. The Public Health Nurse (PHN) and the Community Health Nurse (CHN) play a vital role in educating populations about how viruses are spread, how to prevent the spread of viruses, and how to promote health within our society. The basis for practice of both the PHN and CHN is the promotion of health and the prevention of disease. In addition to population-specific nursing care, PHNs and CHNs have additional education and training in concepts of epidemiology, which is foundational knowledge of any public health professional. 

“In response to COVID-19, CHNs will be delivering health services, working to promote health and prevent illness in individuals, groups, and families,” says Dr. Gayol. “The main goal is to increase community awareness about routes of transmission and to educate communities based on recommendations from our national and state health authorities. Because community health nursing is encompassed within public health, PHNs may also provide direct care; however, the focus for PHNs is broader and extends to assessment, planning, and implementation of health interventions for entire populations.” 

Both CHNs and PHNs are on the front lines fighting against the COVID-19 public health emergency and serve as an essential part of the health of our local communities and beyond.

Aspen University offers online RN to BSN, specialized MSN, and DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice) programs to help you become a public health or community health nurse.

What is the difference between community health and community health nursing?

Whereas community health hinges on non-medical interventions to improve population health, community-based health is defined by the delivery of medical care and education. What makes community-based health distinct, however, is the community setting.

Is there a difference between community health nursing and nursing?

Community health nursing involves a holistic approach to patient care. Interventions are aimed at individuals, families and groups within a geographic area. Nursing care focuses on managing and preventing diseases as well as educating a community about maintaining well-being.

What does community health nursing mean?

Community health nursing, also called public health nursing or community nursing, combines primary healthcare and nursing practice in a community setting. Community health (CH) nurses provide health services, preventive care, intervention and health education to communities or populations.

What is the difference between community nurse?

A community nurse is solely responsible for a patient's care and may take independent decisions according to the patient's condition such as referral. Hospital nurses directly can contact the physician. A community nurse can work alone. Hospital nurses are concerned with the situations that affect multitudes of people.