The Various Roles of the

Advanced Public Health Nurse

Lycia L. Harris
Jacksonville State University

Advanced Public Health Nurses (APHNs) play a very

important role community health. Public health programs
include community health assessment, results, analysis of
health statistics, public education for providers, disease
surveillance and investigation, emergency preparedness and
response, compliance to regulations for some
institutions/agencies and school systems and follow-up of
populations
Standhope & Lancaster, 2012

 Public health nurses are skilled at developing, sustaining

and evaluating community wide partnerships and are
involved in these activities in various ways depending on
the public health agency and the identified needs of the
community.
Public health is not a branch of medicine; it is an organized
community approach designed to prevent disease, promote
health and protect populations. It works across many
disciplines and is based on the scientific core of
epidemiology.
Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012

A critical partnership that shapes public health in the

United States is the interaction of local, state, and federal
public health agencies (Standhope & Lancaster)

The Advanced Public Health Nurse

Plays Many Roles in the Community

APHN as an Advocate
As an advocate, the public health nurse collects, monitors
and analyzes data and works with the client to identify and
prioritize needed services, whether the client is an
individual, a family, a community or a population
At community and population levels, public health nurses
promote healthy behaviors, safe water, air and sanitation.
Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012

APHNs as Clinicians

The APHNs practice includes nursing directed at individuals, families

and groups. The primary responsibility is to take a leadership role in
the overall assessment, planning, development, coordination and
evaluation of innovative programs to meet identified community
health needs. The major differences between APHNs and Nurse
Practioners (NPs) are seen in clinical practice.
Clinicians are involved in conducting community assessments;
identifying needs of populations at risk; planning and implementing
and evaluating population focused programs to achieve health goals
including health promotions and disease prevention activities.
Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012

APHNs as Educators

The nurse educator role of the APHN includes health education within
a nursing framework and professional nurse educator (faculty) roles.
The APHN increases wellness education and contributes to
maintaining and promoting health by teaching the importance of good
nutrition, physical exercise, stress management and healthy lifestyle
choices. Educators also counsel clients, families , groups and
communities on the importance of assuming responsibilities for their
own health.
(Stanhope & Lancaster)

APHNs as Administrators

The APHN can also function in administrative roles. Nursing

administrators may be responsible for all administrative matters within
an agency setting. Administrators may be responsible for and have
direct or indirect authority and supervision over the staff and client
care of an organization.

Administrators may also be involved in other business and

management aspects such as supporting and managing personnel;
budgeting; establishing quality control and program planning and
influencing policy, public relations and marketing.
(Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012)

Nurse managers play a strategic role in patient safety. Their

role is to incorporate ethical values of patient safety into
decision-making at all levels in an organization, and also to
encourage clinical nurses to consider values in the provision
of care to patients. Patient safety that is sensitive
to ethics provides sustainable practice where the humanity
and dignity of all stakeholders is respected.

Nursing Ethics, 2013

APHNs as Researchers
All APHNs and most NPs (Nurse Practioners) are trained in
research processes and as researchers, can conduct their
own investigations and collaborate with doctorate-prepared
nurses answering questions related to nursing practice and
primary health care.
The nurse researcher acts on identifying, defining and
investigating clinical nursing problems and reporting
findings, encouraging peer relationships with other
professions that contributes to health care policy and
decision making.
Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012

Community health researchers must conduct community based research at all

times, even in the mist of natural disaster. In the case of Hurricane Ike, September
2008, the information gained by researchers will help nurses learn to cope with
natural disaster. In the early phases of recovery there was no water, electricity,
food, gas, sanitation, communication, health and social services and unsafe
housing and buildings.
Given the susceptibility of natural or man made disasters to strike any place, the
lessons learned about emergency preparedness from those who have lived the
experience can benefit research everywhere.

Public Health Nursing, 2014

APHNs as Consultants
This role is also a important part of practice for APHNs.
Consultation involves problem solving with individuals,
families, or communities to improve health care delivery.
Steps of the consultation process include addressing the
problem, determining the availability and feasibility of
resources, proposing solutions and assisting with
implementing a solution if appropriate.
Nursing Ethics, 2013

The APHN may serve as a formal or informal consultant to other

nurses, providing them with information on improving client care.
They may also consult with physicians and other health care providers
or with organizations or schools to improve the health care of clients.
Nurse consultants are often used at the district or state level of public
health departments.
(Stanhope & Lancaster, 2014)

Where APHNs Work

Primary care/ Independent Practice
Nursing Centers
Faith Community Nursing/Parish Nursing

Institutional Settings
Ambulatory/Outpatient clinics
Emergency Departments
Long-term Care Facilities
Industry/Occupational Health
Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012

 Government
US Public Health Service
Armed Services
Public Health Departments
Schools

Other Arenas
Home Health Agencies
Correctional Institutions
Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012

Issues/ Concerns Effecting the

APHN
Issues and concerns are related to:
Legal Status
Reimbursement
Institutional Privileges
Employment and Role Negotiation
Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012

Role Stressors for the APHN

Factors causing stress for APHNs include:
Legal Issues
Professional Isolation
Liability
Collaborative Practice
Conflicting Expectations
Professional Responsibilities
Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012

Conclusion
Aside from the Nurse Clinician, many of the APHNs roles
do not involve direct patient care. The APHN as an
Educator, Researcher, Consultant, Clinician and
Administrator works to improve quality patient care and
positive patient care outcomes. Though many of the
APHNs roles are similar the slight differences make each
of these nurses vital to the overall health of the
communities they serve.

References

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References

Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2012). Public health nursing: Populationcentered health care in the community (8th ed.). Maryland Heights, MO:
Mosby/Elsevier