How to Become a Public Health Nurse (RN PHN) in 2026

What Does a Public Health Nurse Do?

Public health nurses, also known as PHNs or PH nurses, work to promote the well-being of their communities. They use their medical training and knowledge to help assess needs, advocate for policies, and improve access to healthcare for vulnerable populations. While traditional nursing focuses on the health of individual patients, public health nursing focuses more on the well-being of a community as a whole. As medical professionals, PHNs need a degree from an accredited institution like Joyce University.

Public health nurses have a unique opportunity to be involved with their community as they find ways to improve healthcare. They face community-wide crises head on to develop treatment plans and policy responses. They help educate people about ways to stay healthy, assist in creating policy that better treats medical issues, and connect patients with resources. 

As medical professionals, PH nurses have solid career opportunities. Nursing shortages and an increasing awareness of how macro issues can affect healthcare outcomes have created a strong demand for PHNs. Many public health nurses work for government agencies or nonprofit organizations. While other nursing specialties may offer higher salaries, PH nurses still have good earning potential, and helping communities get healthy can be an incredibly fulfilling role.

If you’re interested in improving healthcare outcomes for your community, keep reading to learn how to become a public health nurse.

Responsibilities & Daily Tasks

From clinics to schools to government organizations, public health nurses can fill a variety of roles as they promote community health. In any of these roles, they might educate people on healthcare best practices, advocate for policies and improved access, and help connect folks with resources and treatment.

During a typical day, a PHN might:

• Communicate and collaborate with healthcare experts and community stakeholders
• Assess community health and find patterns during crises
• Teach people about preventative care and overall health
• Create programs to promote health and wellness
• Train other nurses and public health professionals
• Provide screenings and education for at-risk populations
• Prepare for and respond to emergencies and health crises

As they work closely with healthcare experts and the community, public health nurses need strong communication and leadership skills to coordinate projects and promote health. PHNs often work closely with marginalized and vulnerable populations, and a strong sense of empathy and cultural competency will help any PHN connect better with their patients.  

Where Do Public Health Nurses Work?

Medical settings, schools, nonprofits, and government agencies all employ public health nurses. Each of these settings will have a different focus and unique responsibilities and challenges. In any setting, PHNs take a direct role in developing and implementing policy, educating patients and the community, and improving healthcare outcomes.

Public health nurses might work at a:

• Clinic or Hospital – In medical settings, PHNs will assess patterns in healthcare needs, educate their patients and staff, and ensure that the best practices and techniques are used.
• Government Organization – When working for a county, state, or national health department, PHNs will typically focus on developing and administering policies designed to help entire populations become or remain healthy. 
• Nonprofit – PHNs in the nonprofit sector can make a big impact by helping with disaster relief, ensuring access to essentials like clean water, and educating vulnerable populations on healthcare.
• School – In a school, PHNs will educate children on maintaining their own health, hygiene, and wellbeing while monitoring children for signs of abuse.

Steps to Become a Public Health Nurse

Step 1 – Earn Your Nursing Degree (ASN or BSN)

PHNs need training and experience to understand the healthcare challenges facing their communities. There isn’t a specific PHN degree. Instead, as medical specialists, public health nurses must have a nursing degree from an accredited institution like Joyce University. With a foundation of coursework in nursing, anatomy, and biology, these programs will help PHNs prepare for their career. 

Think about these programs if you’re considering a job in PHN nursing:

• Associate of Science in Nursing – An associate’s degree is a great way to start your nursing career as soon as possible. With an ASN, you can quickly finish your schooling and build experience in real medical settings. Joyce University offers an ASN program that takes as few as 20 months, or 5 semesters, to complete.
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing – A strong starting point for public health nursing, a bachelor’s degree provides a thorough education and is often preferred by PHN employers. Most BSN programs take around 3-4 years, but you could finish an accelerated program in as little as 20 months.
• Masters of Science in Nursing – While not strictly required for PHN nursing, a master’s degree can open doors to better roles, higher pay, and more advanced specialties. With an MSN you can find opportunities in education and leadership. Joyce University’s MSN program can be completed in as little as 1 year.

Step 2 – Pass the NCLEX-RN Exam & Get Licensed

After earning your degree, you need to become licensed as a registered nurse (RN) to work as a PHN. You must first pass the National Council Licensure Examination, also known as the NCLEX-RN. The NCLEX validates your knowledge and competency as a nurse. Your degree will help you prepare for the exam, but make sure to study and practice.

Once you’ve passed the NCLEX-RN, you can get a nursing license from your state. Every state sets their own requirements, although they usually require fingerprinting and a background check.

Step 3 – Gain Clinical Experience in Nursing

Once you’ve completed your degree and become an official RN, you can start a career in public health nursing, but many organizations prefer candidates with experience. Working as a nurse in medical settings will help, but you should also consider opportunities to volunteer or intern with nonprofits or government agencies. 

Reach out to local public health nurses and see if you can shadow them in their role. Build relationships with other healthcare professionals and local organizers, activists, and community leaders. These experiences and connections will help you find a role in PH nursing. 

Step 4 – Get Certified as a Public Health Nurse

Certification is not strictly required to work as a public health nurse, but many organizations prefer candidates with some certification. Public health nurse certifications can lead to more opportunities in your career by validating your expertise in PH nursing. The major certifications for RN PHNs are administered by the National Board of Public Health.

Two important certifications for PHNs are:

• Certification in Public Health (CPH) – The CPH demonstrates your knowledge of public health sciences and your commitment to lifelong education in the field. It shows that you are at the forefront of community wellbeing. CPH is a useful, generalized certification for any public health nurse.
• Certified in Disease Intervention (CDI) – A new certification launched in 2025, the CDI offers a more specialized certification for nurses seeking to work in disease intervention. This certification shows that you know how to study, treat, and prevent diseases at a community level.

How Much Do Public Health Nurses Make?

As qualified medical professionals, PHNs have a healthy earning potential nationwide. However, as they are often public servants, they may have a lower average salary than other nursing specialties. The average public health nurse salary in the U.S. in 2025 is $78,437 per year.

Your expected salary will vary depending on where you choose to live and practice. Here are some average Public Health Nurse salaries by state: 

• Arizona: $73,094
• Colorado: $82,478
• Florida: $58,615
• Idaho: $73,801
• Indiana: $74,638
• Kentucky: $68,124
• Ohio: $74,570
• Oklahoma: $72,423
• Oregon: $82,930
• Michigan: $68,365
• Missouri: $73,574
• Nevada: $79,873
• South Carolina: $72,786
• South Dakota: $78,437
• Texas: $73,076
• Utah: $71,407
• Wisconsin: $79,170

Career Outlook for Public Health Nurses

Nurses and medical professionals are always in high demand, and it doesn’t look like that demand will slow. As we face huge shortages in nursing positions, we need more registered nurses. And with a growing awareness for the way that large-scale societal issues can impact individual healthcare, organizations want PHNs that can help assess and treat these issues.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be around 189,100 open positions for registered nurses every year from 2024-2034. During that period, they expect that employment of RNs will grow by 5%, faster than the average for other professions.

Advanced Roles for Public Health Nurses

After gaining experience in PH nursing, you can pursue a variety of roles in nursing education and leadership. With a master’s degree, you could become a nurse educator and help teach the next generation of nursing professionals. With leadership experience, you could eventually become a Chief Nursing Officer or Director of Public Health Nursing.

The skills you gain as a PHN can easily translate to a role as a clinical nurse specialist. As a CNS, you’ll provide care for patients while also consulting with and teaching other medical professionals. CNSs seek to improve healthcare outcomes and reduce system-wide problems. The American Nurses Credentialing Center offers certifications for clinical nurse specialists.

Your Path to Becoming a Public Health Nurse Starts Today

If you want to help your community become more healthy, PH nursing might be a perfect fit. To get started, look into ASN, BSN, and MSN programs from Joyce University to get you prepared for a nursing career in as little as 20 months. With convenient online classes and hands-on labs and clinicals, you can get real experience in a program that works for your needs. Our coursework will make sure you’re ready for the NCLEX-RN and the day-to-day challenges of nursing.

Contact us today to get started.