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Public health nurse vs registered nurse

The differences between public health nurses and registered 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 public health nurse and a registered nurse. Additionally, a registered nurse has an average salary of $73,349, which is higher than the $60,319 average annual salary of a public health nurse.

The top three skills for a public health nurse include community health, patients and health education. The most important skills for a registered nurse are patients, BLS, and CPR.

Public health nurse vs registered nurse overview

Public Health NurseRegistered Nurse
Yearly salary$60,319$73,349
Hourly rate$29.00$35.26
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs310,843646,159
Job satisfaction-2.75
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 60%Associate Degree, 46%
Average age4444
Years of experience22

What does a public health nurse do?

A Public Health Nurse maintains the public's health through providing health services and information. They promote a healthy lifestyle, take part in health campaigns, and educate and inform the public about issues, such as preventing disease.

What does a registered nurse do?

The primary responsibilities of a registered nurse involve caring for a variety of patients, from ill and injured to those who are healthy and wanting to stay that way. Nurses have different specialization and work with particular patients, such as newborn babies or those who are suffering from particular medical conditions. They work on different settings which includes hospital, outpatient facility, rehabilitation center, nursing home, dialysis center, home healthcare agency, and other offices. They can administer medications, wound care, and other aids or treatment plan. They also conduct medical tests, interpret the results, and monitor patients' recovery and progress.

Public health nurse vs registered nurse salary

Public health nurses and registered nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

Public Health NurseRegistered Nurse
Average salary$60,319$73,349
Salary rangeBetween $42,000 And $84,000Between $45,000 And $117,000
Highest paying CitySan Mateo, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateHawaiiCalifornia
Best paying companyDignity HealthNORCAL Ambulance
Best paying industryGovernmentHealth Care

Differences between public health nurse and registered nurse education

There are a few differences between a public health nurse and a registered nurse in terms of educational background:

Public Health NurseRegistered Nurse
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 60%Associate Degree, 46%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Public health nurse vs registered nurse demographics

Here are the differences between public health nurses' and registered nurses' demographics:

Public Health NurseRegistered Nurse
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 7.5% Female, 92.5%Male, 12.3% Female, 87.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 9.0% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between public health nurse and registered nurse duties and responsibilities

Public 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 application of traction devices.perform routine tests such as urine dip stick, vision and hearing tests.
  • Dispense medications and provide education for TB patients.
  • Provide basic CPR classes at the community level as well.
  • Produce and conduct staff classes such as CPR, respiratory protection, infectious diseases, etc.
  • Instruct family in the care and rehabilitation of patient, maintenance of health and prevention of disease for family members.
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Registered nurse example responsibilities.

  • Manage patient care for individuals with multiple diagnoses including COPD, diabetes, stroke and cardiac issues.
  • Organize and manage regular clinics involving external physicians, including ophthalmology, ENT, Med/Surg, orthopedics, and podiatry professionals.
  • Manage surgical recovery patients including vascular, ENT, GI urological and neurological cases, coronary bypass surgery patients.
  • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
  • Provide care for cardiac patients in arrhythmia critical care unit, providing patient education and monitoring telemetry
  • Re-Cover surgical patients immediately after heart and vascular surgery until transfer out of ICU.
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Public health nurse vs registered nurse skills

Common public health nurse skills
  • Community Health, 10%
  • Patients, 9%
  • Health Education, 8%
  • CPR, 6%
  • Communicable Diseases, 5%
  • Home Health, 3%
Common registered nurse skills
  • Patients, 24%
  • BLS, 10%
  • CPR, 6%
  • Acute Care, 5%
  • Acls, 5%
  • Home Health, 4%

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