Public Health Nursing Reflection Paper

Before beginning my nursing education, I only thought nurses worked in hospitals and doctor offices. I never knew that nursing opened up so many different opportunities. For example, I didn’t know public health nursing even existed until I began my education. I never in my life heard such thing and I feel like not many people out there are aware of community nursing. Public health nursing has made me view nursing from a different perspective and I think it’s great that some decide to make it their career. For my independent observation I decided to observe a public health nurse from Cliffside Park on February 9, 2018. Her name is Lori Lukanik, RN and she works for the Cliffside Park Health Department. Nurse

It was very surprising for me. In other words, Cliffside is a complete different community compared to Newark, and this is where public health nurse stands out. Each city has their own public health nurse with many responsibilities and the main one is looking out after the welfare of the community in which they reside or work. Nurse Lori has general responsibilities in which I will only explain a few. Her focus is on both children and adults. There is no preference. Lori explained that her job as a public health nurse is like the one of a social worker. For children she makes sure children are immunized and provides examinations and referrals (Child Health Conference Coordination). She also, follows up with Lead Screening Education/Screening and Testing, as well as Leadtrax Enrollment and Usage. These tests are done for children who are suspected of having lead in their system and with the Leadtrax, nurses like Lori can track all NJ children with lead and follow up on it. Both these tests are done together, but since healthcare is constantly changing, there is a limitation to it. Lori said that many are done at doctor’s office by the time a child is one. Among children being immunized, Lori said she goes to Cliffside daycare