Nurses have been the backbone of the US governmental public health system, constituting the largest professional group within the public health workforce. However, while the overall governmental public health workforce has seen a significant decrease in size, the public health nursing (PHN) workforce has been particularly affected.

This article addresses gaps in understanding the public health nursing workforce regarding competencies recognized as critical during an emergency response.

Don’t have access to the full text? Email Paula Kett (pmk@uw.edu) to request a pdf version.