The Public Health Nurse Workforce in U.S. State and Local Health Departments, 2012

Objective. Public health nurses (PHNs) represent the single largest group of public health practitioners working in U.S. state and local health departments. Despite the important role of PHNs in the delivery and administration of public health services, little research has been conducted on this group and relatively little is known about PHN education, training, and retirement intentions. We describe the findings of a nationally representative survey of PHNs working in state and local health departments by characterizing their educational background and plans for retirement. Methods. An advisory committee convened by the University of Michigan Center of Excellence in Public Health Workforce Studies developed the Public Health Nurse Workforce Survey and disseminated it in 2012 to 50 U.S. state and 328 local health departments. Results. The 377 responding state and local health departments reported an estimated 34,521 full-time equivalent registered nurses in their employ, with PHNs or comm