Clinical Specialist in Community Health Nursing: Advanced Practice Fit or Misfit?

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to address several questions and issues about the clinical specialist role in community health nursing. A brief history of the development of the clinical specialist role sets the background for a discussion of how the community health nurse specialist fits within advanced practice nursing. The rationale for including the community health nurse clinical specialist role with other specialist roles is presented. The purpose and importance of certification at the advanced practice level in community health nursing are presented. Continued discussion about these and other issues of importance for the specialty is encouraged.

Community/Public Health Nursing Practice Leaders' Views of the Doctorate of Nursing Practice

“…Thus, what is ANP in this specialty? Does the ANP role work with a population focus and a background in public health, as well as nursing (Ervin, 2007;Robertson & Baldwin, 2007)? Perhaps a new title and definition, which fits within both nursing and public health, is overdue.…”

Being a real nurse: A secondary qualitative analysis of how public health nurses rework their work identities

“…Public health nurses often are thought of as having little to do with advanced nursing practice (Ervin, 2007). Public health nurses in Norway (Dahl & Clancy, 2015) and Japan (Iwasaki, Kageyama, & Nagata, 2018) (Edgecombe, 2001;Philibin et al, 2010).…”

The management of advanced practitioner preparation: a work-based challenge

“…There is little doubt that this confusion is fuelled in part by the lack of agreed definitions, lack of understanding and evidence of what APs can do and the array of role titles that serve to confuse rather than help those who work with APs to understand what their unique contribution is (Buchan & Calman 2004, Ball 2005, Austin et al 2006, Czuber-Dochan et al 2006. Indeed, these issues are trans-national (Ketefian et al 2001) and subject to similar debate in many different countries; Ireland (Furlong & Smith 2005, Callaghan 2008) Australia (Gardner et al 2007) and USA (Ervin 2007).…”

“…2001) and subject to similar debate in many different countries; Ireland (Furlong & Smith 2005, Callaghan 2008) Australia (Gardner et al. 2007) and USA (Ervin 2007).…”