Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Where can nurses work besides hospitals?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Nursing
A nurse uses a sphygmomanometer to check a patient's blood pressure.
While hospital-based practice is the most recognized form of nursing, the profession extends into a wide variety of community settings focused on promoting and protecting the health of populations.12
Nurses work in numerous environments outside of hospitals, including:
- Public Health and Government: State and local health departments and public health programs.2
- Educational and Community Facilities: School health programs, senior centres, and neighbourhood health centres.2
- Specialized Clinics: Migrant health clinics and nursing centres.2
- Workplace Health: Occupational health programs.2
- Home Care: Providing sophisticated and complex care directly in patients' homes, which is increasingly viewed as a preferred alternative to institutional care.2
These roles often prioritize providing essential health services to vulnerable or disadvantaged groups, utilizing knowledge from nursing, social, and public health sciences to manage care effectively.2