Digital transformation and artificial intelligence are redefining how people access and navigate community healthcare. Concurrently, community nursing services are facing a sustained workforce decline. While digital nurse leadership has matured in many acute organisations, community nurses are increasingly expected to deliver technology-enabled care without equivalent leadership structures, support or career pathways. In this article, the author details a proposal for a digital specialist community public health nurse (digital SCPHN) role framework. The author describes the digital SCPHN as first and foremost a clinician, with digital capability as an essential enhancement rather than a replacement of core nursing objectives. Positioned as a digital translator and champion within community teams, the digital SCPHN helps people to navigate complex digital healthcare systems while supporting their colleagues through technology-enabled care prioritisation, secure safeguarding communication and community risk insight. The author also outlines six actionable recommendations for front-line nurses, team leads and system commissioners to strengthen community nursing impact, improve digital literacy and ensure equitable, person-centred care in digitally enabled neighbourhood healthcare systems.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Michelle Lorraine Vizard (2026) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: