You can learn more about this field by reading books on careers in nursing, surfing the Web for information on community health nursing, and talking with your high school counselor, school nurse, or local public health nurse. You might also consider visiting your local hospital or clinic to observe the work of nurses, and participating in a volunteer program as a way to learn more about the environment and the nursing profession. Additionally, contact nursing associations for information on nursing education, scholarships, and career paths.

Take a Red Cross first aid course (which may possibly include instruction on administering CPR or the Heimlich maneuver and how to use an automated external defibrillator). Visit www.redcross.org/take-a-class for available courses.

Middle school, high school, and college students can join HOSA-Future Health Professionals (https://hosa.org) to learn more about health professions. HOSA offers scholarships and competitions at the state and national levels. You could also join a chapter of the Future Nurses of America to learn more about the nursing profession.

Participate in nursing camps that are offered by the National AHEC Organization (https://www.nationalahec.org), National Student Leadership Conference (https://www.nslcleaders.org), and colleges and universities.

Community health nurses may instruct a class for expectant mothers, visit new parents to help them learn how to care for their new baby, talk with senior citizens about exercise and nutrition, or give immunizations at a community center or other site. Other community health nurses travel to remote areas where health care is not readily available. Here they work with a medical doctor or nurse practitioner to provide medical care and health education. Community health nurses usually work with people of all ages. They also may work with different groups of people, including immigrants, residents of homeless shelters, and people who are developmentally or physically challenged.

Community health nurses also work as educators. They plan, promote, and administer community-wide wellness programs. They give presentations to area organizations, schools, and health care facilities regarding health, safety, exercise, and nutrition.

Some community health nurses may work with managed care providers and programs sponsored by health maintenance organizations.

As with almost all health care professions today, community health nurses spend a great deal of time keeping records and charts and documenting the services they provide to meet insurance, government, and Medicare requirements.