A Community Nurse is a registered nurse or a nurse practitioner with years of healthcare experience who understand the community they serve.  
Their assessment ability and nursing knowledge help them to address simple and complex problems. They are familiar with health care systems and have experience working as part of a team. They understand the course of an illness, the functional consequences of that illness, and the impact on the individual and the family. They have familiarity with the community resources necessary to support the clients they serve. 
The nurse can do any of the following:

• health education
• health counseling
• referral agent/care coordination for vulnerable members of the community and their families
• care management
• medication reconciliation​
• physical assessment
• goals of care discussion

The nurse does not do direct care (e.g., wound care, IV administration). Direct care needs for homebound individuals can be referred to the area home care agencies or VNA's.