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Community health nurse vs home care nurse

The differences between community health nurses and home care nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a community health nurse and a home care nurse. Additionally, a community health nurse has an average salary of $59,638, which is higher than the $53,762 average annual salary of a home care nurse.

The top three skills for a community health nurse include patients, community health and home health. The most important skills for a home care nurse are patients, home health, and CPR.

Community health nurse vs home care nurse overview

Community Health NurseHome Care Nurse
Yearly salary$59,638$53,762
Hourly rate$28.67$25.85
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs403,240692,730
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 54%Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Average age4444
Years of experience22

What does a community health nurse do?

The main role of a community health nurse is to provide care to patients. Community health nurses make a plan on educational assemblies, conduct health screenings, and hand-out fliers. These nurses administer immunizations and dispense medications. They distribute health-associated items such as pregnancy tests and condoms. Part of their job is to assist the elderly, pregnant women, disabled, or homeless by directing them to social service centers. Also, they may concentrate on offering community health nursing.

What does a home care nurse do?

A home care nurse is responsible for providing quality health care for patients, usually in a private home setting. Home care nurses monitor patients' conditions and their medication and other treatments as prescribed by the attending physician or other health care professionals. They assist with the patients' daily activities such as bathing, feeding, and performing procedures such as taking the patients' temperature and vital signs, collecting specimens, and updating their medical chart.

Community health nurse vs home care nurse salary

Community health nurses and home care nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

Community Health NurseHome Care Nurse
Average salary$59,638$53,762
Salary rangeBetween $41,000 And $85,000Between $34,000 And $84,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYEugene, OR
Highest paying stateNew YorkOregon
Best paying companyCottage HealthOverlake Medical Center & Clinics
Best paying industryGovernmentHealth Care

Differences between community health nurse and home care nurse education

There are a few differences between a community health nurse and a home care nurse in terms of educational background:

Community Health NurseHome Care Nurse
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 54%Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Community health nurse vs home care nurse demographics

Here are the differences between community health nurses' and home care nurses' demographics:

Community Health NurseHome Care Nurse
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 9.2% Female, 90.8%Male, 13.5% Female, 86.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between community health nurse and home care nurse duties and responsibilities

Community health nurse example 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.
  • Record information and counsele patients regarding communicable diseases as required by law.
  • Communicate with MD and collaborate with disciplinary team to formulate comprehensive care plans for patients.
  • Show more

Home care nurse example responsibilities.

  • Manage patient care monitoring vital signs, performing physical assessment, checking patients medications for effectiveness.
  • Enter the nursing profession working in an ICU step down unit, with medical and surgical patients.
  • Care for many patients with complex issues with compassion and care and enhances the standard of care within the clinical area.
  • Provide care for pediatric patients with chronic illnesses and pediatric ventilator and tracheostomy patients.
  • Provide home dialysis services to patients receiving rehabilitation in a nursing home setting utilizing NxStage machines.
  • Monitor cardiac rhythms and treat per ACLS protocols
  • Show more

Community health nurse vs home care nurse skills

Common community health nurse skills
  • Patients, 22%
  • Community Health, 13%
  • Home Health, 8%
  • Public Health, 5%
  • Quality Care, 4%
  • Mental Health, 3%
Common home care nurse skills
  • Patients, 25%
  • Home Health, 18%
  • CPR, 8%
  • Companionship, 8%
  • Social Work, 3%
  • Primary Care, 3%

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