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What is a community health nurse and how to become one
Being part of the healthcare industry is a life-changing choice. The industry is growing fast which makes becoming a community health nurse a lucrative and appealing career path for many people. But what do community health nurses really do?
Community health nurses are professionals whose role is to ensure the community is healthy and safe. They are largely responsible for preventing the development of social health problems. They research the population to classify problems, especially members of the community who are particularly vulnerable, then educate them on the needed preventive measures.
Community health nurses are an important part of the community. They do not only support the people through their health, but they also bring the predicament of the people to the government's attention. For example, they can influence the opening up of a treatment center to help residents access medical care fast and affordably, especially if they identify a high-risk area.
What general advice would you give to a community health nurse?
Lisa Rebeschi Ph.D.
Associate Dean of the School of Nursing Professor of Nursing, Quinnipiac University
Avg. Salary $59,638
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 6%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.44%
Asian 8.92%
Black or African American 11.92%
Hispanic or Latino 8.75%
Unknown 4.24%
White 65.74%
Genderfemale 90.77%
male 9.23%
Age - 43American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 43Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is good
6.4 - fair
Community health nurse career paths
Key steps to become a community health nurse
Explore community health nurse education requirements
Start to develop specific community health nurse skills
Skills Percentages Patients 22.18% Community Health 12.64% Home Health 7.86% Public Health 4.69% Quality Care 3.96% Complete relevant community health nurse training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New community health nurses learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a community health nurse based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real community health nurse resumes.Obtain the necessary licensing
Becoming a licensed community health nurse usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed community health nurse in most of states. 43 states require community health nurses to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.State Education Exam License url Alabama Degree required State exam required Registered Nurse (RN) Alaska Degree required Third-party exam required Nurse, Registered Arkansas Degree required Third-party exam required Registered Nurse (RN) California Degree required Third-party exam required Nurse, Registered Colorado Degree required Third-party exam required Registered Nurse Gain additional community health nurse certifications
More About CertificationsCommunity health nurse certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific community health nurse certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.
The most common certifications for community health nurses include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Certified Nurse Educator (CNE).
Research community health nurse duties and responsibilities
- Participate in manage care activities to produce health change, specifically providing diabetes education and lifestyle counseling in chronic disease areas.
- Assist in GYN unit and in NICU.
- Administer medications via PO, IM, SC.
- Provide a caring & safe environment for neonatal, pediatric populations & couplet mother-baby care.
Prepare your community health nurse resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your community health nurse resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a community health nurse resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable community health nurse resume templates
Build a professional community health nurse resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your community health nurse resume.
Apply for community health nurse jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a community health nurse job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first community health nurse job
Are you a community health nurse?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average community health nurse salary
The average community health nurse salary in the United States is $59,638 per year or $29 per hour. Community health nurse salaries range between $41,000 and $85,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do community health nurses rate their job?
Community health nurse reviews
helping people and saving lives
the pay is not good not enough for the lifestyle I would like to live
Care of others. Wound dressing. Personal Cares.
Housework.. Heavy lifting. Grocery shopping for others.
Nursing isn’t what it was 12yrs ago when I started. It is all about “family centered care” and not what is actually best for the patient. Not only am I a nurse and caring for the patient, but I’m the house keeper, waitress, and coffee go getter. There is no more respect for nurses and their patients.
Updated January 8, 2025
