Address: 439
Fourth Street
Hollister, CA 95023
Telephone: (831)
637-5367 Download Our Referral Form
Fax: (831) 637-9073
Public Health Nursing
Since the
1890s public health nursing has been
a vital force in this country’s health care system. Protecting the
public’s health, promoting health and preventing disease and injuries
have always been the goals of public health nursing practice. From its
inception, the profession of nursing has been rooted in advocacy with
a holistic approach of family-centered care, and community wellness.
Public Health Nurses are men or women who have graduated from a
four-year college with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing and
have a Certificate of Public Health Nursing. They are licensed and
registered by the State of California. They help individuals and
families stay as healthy as possible through health teaching and
nursing services in the home, the community or in clinics.
Public Health Nurses help mothers, babies, and families by visiting
you in your home, referring you to other services, check on growth and
development, and teaching about:
▪ Taking care of yourself
when pregnant
▪ How to care for babies
and children
▪ How to talk with your
babies and children
▪ Which foods are best for
health
▪ What is healthy exercise
▪ Making your home and car
safe to prevent injuries
▪ How and why
breastfeeding is best for baby
▪ Taking care of your
mouth and teeth
▪ Keeping poisons out of
children’s reach
▪ How to prevent illnesses
▪ Helping families get
other help for complicated problems
▪ How to plan for a
healthy family
▪ The importance of health
check ups, including vision and
hearing checkups
▪ How to get health care
and health insurance
▪ Keeping food safe
Public Health Nurses promote health and prevent disease by:
▪ Finding health problems
in the community
▪ Teaching about safety
and healthy living
▪ Investigating diseases
that can be passed from one person to another
▪ Giving vaccines that
prevent diseases
▪ Home visits and
coordinating care
▪ Working with the
community to solve gaps in health services
▪ Being ready for
emergencies or disasters
San Benito County Health & Human Services Agency
Public Health Department
439 Fourth Street
Hollister, CA 95023
(831) 637-5367
Fax: (831) 637-9073
© 2007 San Benito County Health & Human Services Agency Public Health Division, All Rights Reserved