Public Health Nursing, also called Community Nursing, is a type of nursing that is concerned with the overall health of the community. Community health nurses often hold jobs in the government or at publicly-funded clinics, but also work for private health agencies. They may work in a brick and mortar facility or make home visits or work in a specific neighborhood. Public health nurses who work within a business are called occupational health nurses.

Public health nurses work to identify health or safety problems, as well as risk factors, in a home, work environment, and community by working with community leaders, physicians, parents, and teachers. They implement and manage intervention programs to address and correct problems, as well as help prevent future problems and risk factors.

Many community health nurses also offer counseling for their patients to help them improve their general health. This includes disease prevention, nutrition and exercise, and child care. Increasing a patient's knowledge about health care will help him or her make better decisions for his or her health. The more people that make those decisions and get the care they need, the better the overall health of the community will be.

Public Health or Community Nursing Theories and Models

• Neuman's Systems Model
• Nightingale's Environment Theory
• Orem's Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory
• Pender's Health Promotion Model
• Rogers' Theory of Unitary Human Beings
• Roy's Adaptation Model of Nursing
• Erickson's Modeling and Role Modeling Theory
• King's Theory of Goal Attainment
• Orlando's Nursing Process Discipline Theory
• Peplau's Theory of Interpersonal Relations
• Parse's Human Becoming Theory
• Kolcaba's Theory of Comfort
• Watson's Philosophy and Science of Caring
• Roper-Logan-Tierney's Model for Nursing Based on a Model of Living