Conclusions
One of the most important findings in this study was that the majority of public health nurses with at least a bachelor’s degree is in the 55-64 year-old category and is quickly approaching traditional retirement age. Those in the next age groups, the presumed successors to the retiring nurses, generally have less education. Nurses in the youngest age bracket are, overall, well educated, but they comprise only a small percentage of the total public health nursing work force. In order to avoid a shortage of nurses generally, and properly prepared nurses specifically, steps must be taken to increase the number of nurses with at least a bachelor’s degree. This could prove difficult in an environment where nurses are in short supply and are therefore recruited by other workplace settings. However, as evidenced by this study, public health nurses tend to be very satisfied with their jobs and are likely to remain with the same employer for long periods of time. Recruitment strategies could emphasize the unique characteristics of public health that generally appear to encourage increased satisfaction.
Nurses working in public health reported higher satisfaction than nurses
in the other workplace settings in:
- adequacy of RN staffing;
- physical work environment;
- opportunities to learn new skills;
- opportunities for continuing education;
- skill of RNs in workplace;
- level of personal safety at work location;
- work schedule;
- support from other nurses;
- support from nursing administration;
- employee benefits;
- adequacy of clerical staff; and
- time available for patient education.
In addition, nurses stated they commonly selected work in public health because of the work schedule, and chose to stay in public health because they felt the work was important. This could be an indication that many nurses are unaware of the function of public health. Perhaps, as suggested by Ouzts (2008), changes to the clinical experience required by nursing education in Wyoming could result in better understanding by the students and therefore more interest in pursuing a career in public health.