Distribution and Specialties of Broadly Versus Narrowly Defined Public Health Nurses Working in Government Settings in the United States, 2022

Using 2022 data from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, researchers found that PHNs make up 3.7% of registered nurses (RNs) in government settings under a broad definition and 1.8% under a more restrictive definition. The study highlights that PHNs often identify as generalists and work in diverse settings like public health, school health, and correctional health.