Beyond the hospital: your guide to a rewarding role as a community nurse

Thinking of working beyond hospital walls? If so, a career in community nursing could be the right fit. It’s a highly rewarding profession where you’ll support people with various needs, build meaningful connections and make a difference every day.

If you’re interested in becoming a community nurse, this article will provide a comprehensive overview of community nursing in Australia. You’ll have a better understanding of what community nursing involves, how much community nurses earn, the diverse specialties available and the key steps to launching your career in this field.

Community nursing in Australia: key statistics

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In Australia, approximately 16,000 registered nurses or roughly 5 per cent of the total nursing workforce, work in community nursing roles. Of these, 23.5 per cent hold postgraduate qualifications, indicating a strong focus on continued learning and professional development. 47 is also the median age of community nurses, reflecting the experience and clinical expertise often required to work in community-based settings.

What is community nursing?

Community nursing is a cornerstone of the Australian healthcare system and encompasses delivering accessible care, providing health education and supporting clients in managing chronic conditions in non-hospital settings.

Delivering accessible care

Community nursing helps ensure that essential health services are more accessible to those who would otherwise be unable to access healthcare due to factors such as disability, chronic illness or geographical location.

Providing health education

Community nurses educate individuals, families and groups within the community on a wide range of topics such as wound care, disease management and healthy lifestyle habits. This approach aims to prevent illness, increase awareness and empower people to make informed health decisions.

Supporting clients in managing acute and chronic conditions

Beyond general education, community nurses provide individualised support to help people manage ongoing or complex health needs. This includes explaining treatment plans, monitoring symptoms and guiding clients through medication or lifestyle changes.

By supporting clients to manage their conditions at home, it reduces unnecessary hospital admissions and emergency presentations, helping to ease pressure on the broader healthcare system.

What is a community nurse?

A community nurse is a registered nurse who provides care outside of hospital environments. They may work in settings such as homes, community health centres, schools and mobile health clinics.

Community nurses have a multifaceted role that combines clinical care with education and care coordination. On any given day, a community nurse might see several clients, carrying out tasks such as conducting health assessments, providing wound care and educating clients on insulin administration.

What does a community nurse do?

The day-to-day responsibilities of a community nurse can vary significantly depending on the setting and population they serve. Their work, however, is grounded in a preventive, person-centred approach. So rather than simply responding to illness, community nurses focus on early intervention, health promotion and education with the goal of helping individuals manage their own wellbeing.

Community nurses may also support people recovering from illness or managing long-term conditions in their own homes. This includes both short-term post-hospital care and ongoing support for individuals living with disability and complex chronic conditions or who have palliative care needs.

Some of the tasks that community nurses may perform include:

• Monitoring and assessing client health including checking blood pressure, temperature, heart rate and respiratory rate
• Wound care and post-surgical support such as dressing changes, infection monitoring and recovery management
• Administering treatments including injections and medications
• Catheter care, including insertion, monitoring and ongoing management of urinary catheters
• Helping clients and their families understand conditions, medications and preventive health practices
• Delivering community health programs such as group education sessions on areas such as diabetes, nutrition and sexual health
• Chronic disease management, especially for older adults living with conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and arthritis

In addition to general nursing care, community nurses may also provide more specialised medical care depending on their area of practice and the needs of the local population. This may include:

Enteral feeding for clients who require nutritional support via feeding tubes

• Palliative end-of-life care
• Diabetes monitoring and insulin administration for individuals managing blood glucose levels
• The administration of medications and fluids via intravenous (IV) therapy
• Mental health care including medication support, risk assessment and therapeutic interventions
• Sexual health services such as STI testing and treatment

Community nurse salary

According to Indeed, the average annual salary of a community nurse in Australia is approximately $78,000 per year. This can, however, vary depending on factors such as specialisation, experience and location.

For instance, community nurses in the Northern Territory earn around 153 per cent above the national average. This is likely due to the high demand of community nurses needed in rural and remote areas.

Here are the average annual salaries of community nurses in each Australian state and territory:

• Northern Territory: $196,000
• Victoria: $82,000
• South Australia: $80,000
• Western Australia: $79,000
• New South Wales: $79,000
• Australian Capital Territory: $73,000
• Queensland: $65,000
• Tasmania: $61,000

Where do community nurses work?

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Community nursing is incredibly dynamic, offering a wide range of environments for nurses to work in based on their interests, skills and the needs of the population. Here are some settings where community nurses provide care:

Homes

One of the most common settings that community nurses work in is a client’s home. Here, nurses are typically employed by health services or care organisations and travel to different client’s homes throughout the day to provide care.

Home-based care may include wound management, health assessments, palliative care, disability support or helping older adults manage ongoing health needs. For example, a community nurse might regularly visit an elderly client to administer treatments, change wound dressings and provide family members with the knowledge and skills needed to support recovery.

Community health centres

Community health centres act as local hubs where individuals can access a wide range of services in a non-hospital setting. Community nurses working in these centres may administer routine immunisations, conduct injury assessments and deliver health promotion programs.

Schools

Also known as school nurses, community nurses based in schools play a key role in supporting the health and wellbeing of children and adolescents. Their work can include providing timely and effective nursing care and first aid treatment for students and staff, health screening and delivering curriculum-aligned education on topics such as nutrition, puberty and mental wellbeing.

Mobile health clinics

Community nurses may also work in mobile health clinics that typically exist in rural and remote areas. These services are often directed towards vulnerable populations, including individuals experiencing homelessness. Here, community nurses may provide chronic disease and acute infection screenings, sexual and reproductive health education, STI testing and treatment and a range of other health services.

Correctional facilities

Community nurses working in correctional facilities help to support the health and wellbeing of incarcerated individuals. Responsibilities may include managing and implementing client care plans, providing comprehensive health assessments and promoting the rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates.

What are the specialties in community nursing?

Since community nurses work in such diverse settings, there are many areas that they can specialise in based on their interests and experience. Specialisations may include:

Aged care

Community nurses frequently work with older Australians as the population often requires ongoing care to manage chronic conditions and support their independence and wellbeing. Responsibilities as an aged care community nurse may include medication management, providing wound care and supporting personal care needs.

If you’re looking to enhance your skills in aged care, a Graduate Certificate in Aged Care Nursing is ideal for community nurses who want to gain further expertise in gerontological care or pivot into more specialised aged care nursing roles.

Child and family health

Community nurses specialising in child and family health typically work closely with families from the prenatal stage through to early childhood. Responsibilities may include providing health checks, developmental assessments, breastfeeding and lactation support and guidance on parenting, sleep, early nutrition and childhood immunisations.

If you’d like to build your skills in child and family health, the Graduate Certificate in Child and Family Health at the University of Technology Sydney can be completed in just eight months part-time and is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to deliver high-quality care and support to families. The course also includes a clinical placement component, giving you the opportunity to apply your learning in a real-world setting.

Mental health

Community nurses specialising in mental health focus on assessing, planning and coordinating care for individuals living with mental health conditions. In addition to administering medications and providing support and guidance during mental health crises, they may also coordinate care with psychologists, social workers and other allied health professionals.

If you’re keen to upskill in this area, you may want to consider pursuing a postgraduate mental health nursing qualification. These courses can range from six months to three years depending on the qualification level.

The Graduate Diploma of Mental Health Nursing at Southern Cross University, for example, can be completed in 16 months part-time and is accredited by the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN). It includes eight core units, including a unit on Mental Health in Community, Non-Government and Primary Health Settings.

Palliative care

Community nurses specialising in palliative care help individuals maintain comfort and quality of life in their final stages. The role involves more than just managing pain and physical symptoms, it also includes providing emotional and psychological support to both the client and their family.

If you’d like to increase your expertise in this area, the Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care at the Australian College of Nursing is designed to enhance your ability to deliver evidence-based palliative care. The course can be completed in 12 months part-time and consists of four units including an elective of your choice.

Rural and remote nursing

Community nurses in rural and remote areas often serve as the primary point of care for geographically isolated populations. They frequently work with limited resources and must operate with a high degree of autonomy, delivering everything from primary and preventative care to health education.

If you’re interested in deepening your skills in this area, the Graduate Certificate in Nursing (Rural and Remote Nursing) from Charles Sturt University can be completed in six months full-time. It includes units such as Advanced Nursing Practice and Strengthening Primary Healthcare with Rural Communities which will provide you with the knowledge required to meet the unique healthcare needs of rural and remote communities.

Skills and qualities of a community nurse

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Community nurses need a strong and versatile skill set to deliver effective care across varied environments and populations. As they often work independently and with vulnerable or diverse groups, their success hinges not only on clinical knowledge but also interpersonal and organisational capabilities.

Some of the skills and qualities a community nurse requires include:

Strong clinical skills

Unlike hospital-based nurses who typically have access to a multidisciplinary team, community nurses often operate independently. This means that community nurses require a high level of clinical competence and confidence in performing tasks such as wound care, stoma management, catheter maintenance and more.

For instance, a community nurse may visit a post-operative client living alone and be responsible for assessing the wound site, changing dressings, monitoring for signs of infection and ensuring medications are being taken correctly. This calls for advanced clinical skills, sound clinical judgement and the ability to make informed decisions on the spot.

Effective communication

Clear and compassionate communication is vital in community nursing, particularly when it comes to educating clients and their families on how to manage health conditions at home. Since the goal is often to support clients in becoming more independent, community nurses need to translate clinical instructions in a way that aligns with the client’s level of health literacy.

For example, when working with a client recently diagnosed with diabetes, a community nurse will need to explain how to administer insulin and monitor blood glucose levels in a clear, concise and empathetic manner. This clear and effective communication will help the client understand what’s required and build their confidence in taking an active role to manage their condition.

Ability to work independently

Community nurses often work independently in environments where unexpected situations can arise at any time. Hence, it’s important to be comfortable with autonomous decision-making and confident in problem-solving. 

For example, a nurse caring for a client with diabetes may suddenly notice signs of hypoglycemia. In such an instance, they need to assess the situation quickly, provide appropriate care and decide whether escalation to emergency services is required.

Cultural competence

Community nurses work with individuals from a wide range of cultural and social backgrounds. This is especially true in rural and remote areas where community nurses often support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

In these contexts, demonstrating intercultural sensitivity is essential as understanding cultural differences, showing respect for diverse health beliefs and using culturally appropriate communication can significantly impact the effectiveness of care.

Time management and organisation

Depending on their role, community nurses may see up to 10 or more clients a day across different locations. Time management is critical in this instance as it’s important to stay on schedule while still ensuring that each client receives the attention and quality of care required.

Furthermore, in addition to clinical care, community nurses must also factor in time for administrative duties such as logging visits and writing clear and detailed clinical notes.

Strong relationship-building skills

Relationship-building lies at the heart of community nursing as it’s common for community nurses to often care for the same clients over extended periods. This continuity requires empathy, active listening and compassion to build a strong foundation for effective, person-centred care.

Community nurse vs hospital nurse: What’s the difference?

While both community and hospital nurses are qualified professionals who deliver vital healthcare services, the nature of their roles differs significantly.

Level of autonomy

Nurses working in hospitals typically work within structured, team-based environments with clear reporting lines and access to a multidisciplinary team. Decision-making is also often collaborative involving doctors, specialists and allied health professionals.

In contrast, community nurses operate with a higher degree of independence, often visiting clients alone in their homes or supporting students as the sole nurse in a school. Without immediate access to medical teams or diagnostic equipment, they must rely heavily on their clinical judgement, critical thinking skills and decision-making abilities.

Scope of practice and clinical responsibilities

Hospital nurses are primarily focused on acute and immediate care, responding to health issues as they arise in high-pressure, fast-paced environments. Their role often involves stabilising patients, administering treatments and supporting short-term recovery within a multidisciplinary team setting.

In contrast, community nurses are more likely to focus on preventative care and long-term health management. Care is typically delivered one-on-one, often over an extended period and responsibilities may include supporting clients with chronic conditions, delivering education and conducting health assessments.

Relationships

In hospital settings, nurses typically interact with patients over short periods. Relationships, while meaningful, tend to be brief and focused primarily on immediate recovery needs. This rapid turnover limits opportunities for nurses to observe long-term outcomes or build extensive personal relationships.

Community nursing on the other hand, is distinctly relationship-centred. Nurses often see the same clients regularly, sometimes for months or even years, developing a deep connection focused on trust and familiarity. This sustained engagement enables nurses to understand their client’s lives holistically, including their family dynamics, cultural context and individual preferences.

Why choose a career in community nursing?

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You want to develop strong relationships with your clients

Community nursing offers the opportunity to form meaningful, long-term relationships with clients and their families. Unlike hospital settings, where care is often fast-paced and episodic, community nurses spend dedicated time with one client at a time. This focused, person-centred approach allows for deeper rapport and a more comprehensive understanding of each person’s health needs and life circumstances.

You want a nursing career that’s flexible

Community nursing often offers greater flexibility compared to hospital roles. Many positions are available on a casual or part-time basis and night shifts are generally not required.

Depending on the setting and organisation you work for, you may also care for the same clients over an extended period. This consistency allows you to establish a predictable routine and is ideal for nurses seeking stability and work-life balance.

You want a career that will always be in demand

Demand for community nurses is expected to grow steadily, driven by an ageing population, an increase in chronic health conditions and a preference for receiving care at home.

According to a nursing workforce study by the Department of Health and Aged Care, the primary healthcare sector, which encompasses community health, is projected to face a shortfall of 21,675 nurses by 2035. This growing demand means community nursing offers strong long-term career security and ongoing opportunities across Australia.

You enjoy working independently

If you enjoy autonomy and problem-solving, community nursing could be the right fit for you. As a community nurse, you’ll be working largely on your own and will have to make clinical decisions without access to a broader medical team.

You want to make a difference through health promotion and education

Community nursing is largely preventative and a big part of this involves educating clients and their families on how to manage health conditions, prevent complications and make informed lifestyle choices. If you’re someone who values educating others and wants to make a long-term impact, this could be the right role for you.

You want to support vulnerable and underserved populations

Community nurses frequently care for individuals who face barriers to accessing traditional healthcare services, including those with disabilities, mental health challenges or those living in rural and remote areas. If you’re passionate about making others feel seen, respected and valued regardless of their background or circumstances, you could be well-suited to this role.

How to become a community nurse

1. Complete a Bachelor of Nursing
   If you’re interested in pursuing a career in community nursing, the first step is to complete a Bachelor of Nursing. This undergraduate degree typically takes three years of full-time study and will provide you with the foundational knowledge and clinical skills required to become a competent nurse.

   At the University of Canberra, for example, in addition to completing units that will develop your clinical and theoretical expertise, you will also undertake a 10-day placement and complete a minimum of 800 hours of clinical practice as part of the Bachelor of Nursing course.

2. Obtain registration
   After completing your degree, the next step is to apply for registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra). To do this, you’ll need to lodge your application online and provide the required supporting documents. Ahpra will then assess your application on behalf of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). Once approved, you’ll be officially registered and eligible to practise as a nurse in Australia.

3. Gain experience
   Once you’ve registered, you can focus on building your experience. If you’re considering a graduate nurse program, some organisations do offer programs with a community nursing focus. In these programs, you’ll be supported in your first year of nursing practice and gain valuable experience in a variety of care settings.

   Alternatively, you may choose to apply for a graduate nurse program in a hospital or build experience in an aged care facility or general practice clinic. These experiences can help with strengthening your foundational nursing skills while giving you insight into different areas of care.

4. Apply for community nursing jobs
   If you’ve chosen to complete a graduate nurse program with a community nursing focus, it’s likely that you’ll naturally transition into a permanent role within the same organisation.

   For those looking to move into community nursing from other areas, you’ll be able to apply for roles through platforms such as SEEK and Indeed.

   Most roles usually require at least two years of clinical experience along with first aid and CPR certifications. Some roles may also require knowledge in complex wound, diabetes, stoma, catheter and PEG care. Since many community nursing roles involve travelling between clients, holding a valid driver’s licence is also usually essential.

5. Join a professional association
   To aid in your professional growth, you may want to consider becoming a member of the Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA). Membership provides access to valuable resources such as a nurse support line, expert-led meetings, ongoing education and training and the latest industry news.

6. Upskill with a postgraduate healthcare course
   As you build your career in community nursing, you may want to consider upskilling with a postgraduate healthcare course. The Graduate Certificate in Community and Primary Health Care Nursing by the Australian College of Nursing, for example, is a good one to pursue if you’re looking to further your expertise in areas such as diabetes care, rural and remote nursing and chronic disease management.

   If you want to enhance your skill set in specific areas such as chronic disease management, for example, the Master of Nursing (Chronic Disease and Ageing) at Victoria University will equip you with the skills to excel in the field. It focuses on teaching person-centred strategies that will support older individuals with complex comorbidities or chronic health conditions and consists of units such as Complex Care Coordination and Health and Wellbeing for the Older Person.

   Alternatively, if you’re interested in expanding your knowledge in diabetes education, the Graduate Certificate of Diabetes Education at Deakin University is a course that’s designed for healthcare professionals looking to enhance their understanding of diabetes prevention, treatment and self-management strategies.

Begin your career in community nursing

If you’re ready to make a real impact and be part of meaningful change in people’s lives, a career in community nursing could be the path for you. Community nurses promote health and wellbeing, support individuals with complex needs and play a vital role in shaping healthier communities.

At GlobalHealth Education, we partner with leading universities to offer a wide range of nursing courses tailored to your career goals. Getting started is easy, simply explore our course options and submit an enquiry to connect with a Student Enrolment Advisor. We also offer courses in health leadership, counselling, psychology, public health, social work and mental health.