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Pictured: Caroline Michell & Ellis Matheson
Celebrating Public Health Nurses During National Nurses Week
Buncombe County joins hundreds of agencies in celebrating National Nurses Week from May 6th through May 12. We celebrate the Public Health Nurses who work for Buncombe County and want to use this celebration to raise awareness of the essential roles Public Health Nurses play within the healthcare system. From investigating communicable diseases and working to prevent their spread through education, testing, treatment, and vaccination; to providing individuals with sexual and reproductive health care that is free from judgment, bias, or coercion; to working alongside parents and their children, helping them access information and services that improve their health outcomes; to detecting cancer early through exams and screenings; and so much more, Buncombe County’s Public Health Nurses work hard to support and protect the health of all members of our communities.
Public Health Nurses improve health through social justice, ethics, and quality care to individuals, communities, and populations in the United States. Public Health Nurses work within and for communities, reaching out to disadvantaged and underserved groups across cultural and language groups. The skillset of Public Health Nurses in the 21st century is ideal for advancing a Culture of Health through assessment, communication, collaboration, and knowledge of health care systems and forces driving change. Public Health Nurses have a holistic understanding of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being and the social and environmental conditions that limit access to health, education, and opportunity. For over a century, Public Health Nurses have used these skills to lead changes that improve health (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Public Health Nurse Leaders, 2017).
We hope that you will join us in recognizing the expertise and dedication of Public Health Nurses in Buncombe County.
A note from Dr. Jennifer Mullendore
“Public Health Nurses have helped to improve the health and wellbeing of their communities for over a century, but often behind the scenes. The COVID-19 pandemic shone a spotlight on the unique skill set of these nurses and how critical they are to protecting our health, even outside of a pandemic. I am privileged to work with an amazing group of compassionate, knowledgeable, and dedicated nurses at BCHHS.” – Dr. Jennifer Mullendore, Medical Director, Buncombe County Health & Human Services
