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Home health nurse vs community health nurse

The differences between home health nurses and community health 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 home health nurse and a community health nurse. Additionally, a home health nurse has an average salary of $69,393, which is higher than the $59,638 average annual salary of a community health nurse.

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

Home health nurse vs community health nurse overview

Home Health NurseCommunity Health Nurse
Yearly salary$69,393$59,638
Hourly rate$33.36$28.67
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs687,941403,240
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 39%Bachelor's Degree, 54%
Average age4444
Years of experience22

What does a home health nurse do?

A home health nurse is responsible for assisting patients usually in their households, strictly monitoring their health conditions and treatment plans for fast recovery. Home health nurses work with the patients' attending physicians and other health professionals to develop healthcare plans and administer timely medications. They update the patient's chart regularly, record temperature and vital signs, manage food intake, and respond to the patients' inquiries and requests. A home health nurse must have strong organizational and time-management skills to perform various nursing duties under certain conditions.

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.

Home health nurse vs community health nurse salary

Home health nurses and community health nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

Home Health NurseCommunity Health Nurse
Average salary$69,393$59,638
Salary rangeBetween $48,000 And $99,000Between $41,000 And $85,000
Highest paying CityPetaluma, CANew York, NY
Highest paying stateCaliforniaNew York
Best paying companySenior Living PropertiesCottage Health
Best paying industryHealth CareGovernment

Differences between home health nurse and community health nurse education

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

Home Health NurseCommunity Health Nurse
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 39%Bachelor's Degree, 54%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Home health nurse vs community health nurse demographics

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

Home Health NurseCommunity Health Nurse
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 10.6% Female, 89.4%Male, 9.2% Female, 90.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black 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%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

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

Home health nurse example responsibilities.

  • Manage an Alzheimer patient daily care including bathing, feeding and administer any medication.
  • Instruct patients and relatives regarding techniques used in managing vascular access devices aim at facilitating client independence.
  • Field NurseProvide care for patients discharge from hospital, skil care facility rehabilitation facility and referral from physician's office.
  • Administer IM meds such as monthly B12
  • Maintain and assess patient for daily MDS.
  • Care of ventilator and TPN in home private duty
  • Show more

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 health nurse vs community health nurse skills

Common home health nurse skills
  • Home Health, 31%
  • Patients, 20%
  • Quality Care, 5%
  • Rehabilitation, 4%
  • Physician Orders, 4%
  • Infection Control, 3%
Common community health nurse skills
  • Patients, 22%
  • Community Health, 13%
  • Home Health, 8%
  • Public Health, 5%
  • Quality Care, 4%
  • Mental Health, 3%

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