PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE

Job Role Summary

This position is responsible for comprehensive nursing services that promote the health and well-being of residents in Marion County by providing preventive, therapeutic, and educative follow-up to clients in homes, schools, workplace and/or community sites. The Public Health Nurse (PHN) works with individuals and families to promote health and wellness through assessments, counseling and prevention services. Representing Community-Based Care (CBC), the PHN will work with many different departments at Marion County Public Health Department (MCPHD). Working with a diverse population with different cultural backgrounds and varied languages, the PHN must be flexible and adaptive in providing continuity of care. In order to effectively perform the job, the PHN will require a BSN and a variety of nursing skills. The PHN will represent the MCPHD in a professional manner. This position reports to the South District Health Office. 

Essential Duties

Responsibility 1: 55%

• Interview client to assess immediate needs of the client and/or family. Health history is recorded; nursing care plans are developed; referrals are made to appropriate agencies and the continuity of care for the client/family is maintained through home visitation and follow-up. 
  • Provides health education and counseling to individuals and groups. Participates as a team member to provide disease prevention guidelines and surveillance of health practices with regard to physiological, psychological and social processes.
  • Provides comprehensive case management and coordinates services provided by a multidisciplinary approach using MCPHD resources and community resources. Initiates appropriate referrals to agencies/organizations based on needed client services/supplies.
  • Collaborates and coordinates nursing services with other community agencies, organizations, health care providers and social services.
  • Provides Care Coordination for high risk maternal and child health clients and their families. Collaborates with the Community Health Worker about interaction with client and family. Provides education to clients and relatives related to parenting, nutrition, health care, prenatal care, breastfeeding, safety, substance abuse and other subjects needed by the client.
  • Provides home visits to conduct a comprehensive postpartum and newborn physical assessment to mothers and infants. Provides support and education on newborn growth and development. 
  • Provides services to TB clients that include: epidemiological case finding, coordinating the distribution of medications; monitoring therapy compliance; providing patient education; communicating with physician; collaboration with TB control epidemiologist; and  monitors the Outreach Community Health Worker activities with directly observed therapy. 
• Follows MCPHD/CBC Standards of Nursing Care.
• Documentation must be clear and concise and recorded in a timely manner. Electronic medical records require the use of typing and computer skills.
• Must be able to communicate effectively in both verbal and written form.
• Must be able to maintain a varied caseload – i.e., prenatal, infant/child, communicable disease, TB, refugee, chronic disease, etc.
• Must be able to accept direction and work with other members of the team.
• Must be able to maintain client confidentiality and client records are properly stored. Follows HIPAA requirements.

Responsibility 2: 20%

• Performs appropriate diagnostic procedures, treatment regimens, and administers injections and medications according to physician orders and/or MCPHD protocols and policies. 
  • Delivers Nurse of the Day (NOD) services as assigned. NOD is a walk-in service that is provided to assist the community with services such as blood pressure screening, counseling and education, referrals for needed services, infant, child and adult vaccines, TB testing and medication follow-up.
  • Administers vaccines in immunization clinic. Vaccines are administered safely and accurately.
  • Provides services through other clinic assignments, i.e., Refugee, etc. Obtains blood pressure, blood draws for various testing and collects other data and develops information from the health history for follow-up. Performs a variety of related procedures.

Associated Job Duties

Responsibility 3: 20%

• Collaborates with other MCPHD departments and outside agencies to provide necessary services in the community. Examples would be Heart Alive, Communicable Disease outbreaks; Bioterrorism/Biological warfare programs, School services, Health Fairs, etc. 
  • Participates in public health emergency preparedness exercises and in the response to public health emergencies, as directed.
  • May act as a mentor to nursing students.
  • May act as a mentor for new nursing staff.
  • May be asked to develop health education programs based on identified problems and feedback from community.
  • Serves as a consultant to the schools in Marion County.
  • Attends multidisciplinary case conferences.
  • May represent MCPHD at various community activities related to the promotion of health and the prevention of disease.
  • May be required to report for specialized assigned duties during a public health emergency.

Responsibility 4: 5%

• Meetings/In-services/Seminars.
  • Participates in periodic team, staff and committee meetings. 
  • Attends in-services/seminars to remain current in nursing profession.
  • May facilitate in-services or orientations.
  • Participates in a minimum of two H.O.P.E. (health fair) events totaling a minimum of eight (8) hours annually.
  • Attends mandated meetings, HIPAA, BBP, Emergency Preparedness, etc.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Employee will protect and maintain confidentiality of each client’s and each employee’s medical and personal information that may be obtained in the course of job related provision of care or employment.
• Employee may need to remove confidential information from work place setting to transport to another designated setting or to make a home visit.  If the information is removed, it must be protected and secured.
• Employee must complete National Incident Management System (NIMS) training 100 and 700.        
• In the event of a public health emergency, employee must be available to work on week-ends or a schedule that would differ from normal assigned workday. 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in nursing from a NLN accredited college.
• 1 or more years of previous nursing experience – preferred.
• Computer skills including typing skills of a minimum of 30 words per minute.
• Requires access to own vehicle and current automobile insurance.

Licenses/Certifications Required

• Current Indiana RN license.
• CPR certified.
• Requires valid Indiana Driver’s license.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Ability to function independently; set priorities; flexibility.
• Work effectively in stressful situations.
• Requires excellent organizational skills.
• Considerable decision -making, good judgment, assessment ability, prioritization skills.
• Requires good problem solving skills.
• Ability to interact in a professional manner with a variety of agency and community partners.
• Must be attentive to detail.
• Must be flexible in working with a variety of community partners.
• Requires skills in effective interpersonal communication in a multi-cultural setting.
• Requires ongoing knowledge of Marion County communities and agencies.
• Work collaboratively and diplomatically with colleagues, personnel and the public.
• Must maintain confidentiality of information according to HIPAA.
• Ability to deal effectively with demands of clients, agencies, community partners and government entities.

Working Environment

• Unconfined sitting – client interviews, computer data entry (charting), etc., standing or walking to and from community sites; climbing stairs; steady use of hands or fingers; lifting, carrying, etc. with arms and legs (possibly as much as 20 pounds).
• May be exposed to substandard and unsanitary living conditions.
• May be exposed to allergens of all types (i.e., pets, dust, smoke, etc.).
• May be exposed to communicable disease, blood and other bodily fluids.
• In adverse weather conditions may be requested to make home visits for medication directly observed therapy and directly observed preventative therapy (DOT/DOPT).
• Required to wear N-95 masks in situations where client is considered infectious.