Public health nursing had always appealed to Amy Greene, but when she graduated from nursing school six years ago, she took a job in a hospital cardiology department.

"I still felt the desire to be a public health nurse," said Greene, BSN, RN, SANE-A.

A couple of years later, a trip to a public health department for her pre-wedding blood test led to an interview and a job change. "I did an on-the-phone interview and began work at the Jackson County Health Department," she said.

That was three-and-a-half years ago. Today, Greene manages the sexually transmitted diseases clinic at the Hall County Health Department in Gainesville. The department is an arm of the Georgia Department of Human Resources' Division of Public Health.

"Public health nurses work in an expanded role, beyond being a hospital nurse," she said. "In infectious diseases, we're trained in microbiology, so we not only examine and treat patients, we get to use the microscopes and do labs."

The clinic sees a variety of patients, including teens who may be practicing risky sexual behaviors and adults who have symptoms and come in to be tested and treated.

The nurses at the clinic draw blood, perform physical examinations, take samples and analyze them. Staff members also educate and counsel patients of all ages about STDs, as well as meeting with victims of sexual assaults as part of an after-care program.

"Every patient, every scenario is different, and that's one of the things I love the most," Greene said. "Our jobs in public health are very diverse and are truly filling a gap between various practice areas in an expanded nursing role."

Many of the infectious disease protocols used by physicians in Georgia have been developed and fine-tuned through the Division of Public Health.

Public health is a complex field, Greene said. For that reason, it was important for Greene to find a mentor early in her career.

"Sarah Kidd, a nurse practitioner in District II, literally poured herself into me as I learned the intricacies of the job," she said. "It really helps to have someone bring you along and help you understand all about the job."

Educational requirements for public health nurses include either an RN or BSN degree.

Greene is also a board-certified sexual assault nurse examiner.

Greene said that the typical starting salary for infectious disease nurses in public health is on par with that of hospital nurses. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics, the average salary for registered nurses in Georgia is about $50,000.

For Greene, the salary isn't as important as the work she does.

"Not only are we helping the people who come to the clinic, we're also helping people who never come here, through education and by reducing the incidence of various public health threats," she said.