A public health nursing shortage

Reilly et al talk about the shortage of public health nurses. Although a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree isn't universally required for entry into public health nursing, it's practically essential. Yet most registered nurses with diplomas or associate's degrees don't continue their education and are thus ineligible to work in public health. Among the formidable barriers is a lack of information about public health nursing in associate's degree program curricula, which typically expose students to hospital-based and long-term care nursing almost exclusively. Associate's degree students may be more likely to consider completing a BSN and working in this field if they're taught about the role of public health nurses as educators and case managers and lean about the potential advantages of a career in public health. Other barriers facing students who seek to further their education include a significant outlay of time and money, personal and family issues related to these challenges, and the complexity of the application process.