As a nurse in the United States Public Health Service (PHS), you are a member of an elite group of individuals participating in the mission of the foremost public health agency in the world. The primary mission of the PHS is to protect and advance the health of the American people and improve the organization and delivery of health services. Through research, field investigations, regulatory control, direct patient care and the provision of technical assistance and health-related facilities the mission is accomplished.

The Public Health Service Act passed by Congress on July 1, 1944, authorized the appointment of qualified professional nurses as U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps Officers. In July 1945 the first nurses received their commission thus the discipline of nursing was recognized nationally by the PHS as a profession. The process of the nursing field becoming a profession occurred slowly over time. Relating the process of the development of the Public Health Service Nursing discipline must include the national professional nursing movement and the evolution of the Marine Hospital System into the United States Public Health Service as they collectively influenced each other.

Within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) is the major health component of the U.S. Government and is under the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health. Corps officers may apply to a variety of positions throughout the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and certain non-HHS Federal agencies and programs such as:

A central premise of career development within the Commissioned Corps is that individual officers are responsible for their own career development.  While career development is ultimately your responsibility, officers may receive support in all aspects of career development from the Commissioned Corps personnel network.  Each of us would like to grow and successfully meet new challenges as we move through our careers.  Whether our goal is to experience a wide variety of different positions, or to explore a particular role to its limits, career development requires both knowledge and planning if it is to be successful.  As with developing a successful plan of care for a patient, the same elements of the nursing process, i.e. assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation, can be applied to the development of the process that will allow you to meet your career goals both now and in the future.  The most important thing to remember about your career is that you are responsible for it.  While there are various resources available to you to help you achieve your goals, you cannot rely on others to do the work for you.  Career planning is hard work but the rewards make good planning well worth the effort.

Developing your nursing career within the Public Health Service requires the knowledge of two separate yet interrelated personnel systems:  The USPHS Commissioned Corps (CC) and the General Schedule (GS) personnel system.  Nurses who choose a career through the General Schedule personnel system need some familiarity with the Commissioned Corps as they may supervise corps officers.  Conversely, Commissioned Officers must be familiar with General Schedule procedures, particularly when locating and competing for jobs as well as when working with GS employees. This chapter is not a detailed description of the two systems.  Rather, this chapter will explore and explain the differences between the two systems with regard to promotions and career development.  These differences include appointment standards, promotions, assignments, and compensation. The career development information in this chapter applies only to registered nurses. 

Licensure/Registration
From a legal standpoint, professional nurse licensure/registration is an affirmation by a duly constituted body, usually a state, that a nurse has met certain prescribed qualifications and recognized under the laws of that state as a nursing professional.  Under the constitution, the power “to guard the health, safety, and welfare of the people” is reserved to the individual states.  Ownership of a state license to practice professional nursing is a condition of employment for USPHS Commissioned Officers and Civil Service nurses.  Nurses must hold a license in any state or territory of the United States.  Specific state information on nursing licensure/registration is in Appendix C, Directory of Nursing Organizations, or on the Internet under the specific state. 

Nurses in the USPHS Commissioned Corps are further required to maintain a copy of their current, valid, unrestricted license in their electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF).

Training opportunities within the federal government are designed to assist staff, managers and supervisors in meeting their staffing and training needs. As the health sciences, administrative, and health-related job requirements advance in scope and technology, nurses must be educated to keep pace with these changes. Progress in a chosen career track needs additional education. For example, clinical specialization or selection of a management career path may require an advanced degree. Continuing education is indicative of a commitment to career development, necessary for career progression and increased value to the Public Health Service.  All nurses, both civil service and commissioned corps, are encouraged to discuss their career path and potential training needs with their supervisor during their annual evaluation and other times as necessary, and also as a progeny, with their mentor. 

Appendix A: Recommended CV Instructions(66kb)
Appendix B: USPHS Awards (42kb)
Appendix C: Directory of Nursing Organizations (126kb)
Appendix D: Commissioned Corps Resources (75kb)
Appendix E: Glossary of Acronyms (54kb)
Nurse Resource Manual Evaluation Form (24kb)