Public Health Nurse (Grant Funded)

Position: PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE (PHN)

• Grant Funded

St. Joseph County Department of Health

• Nursing Unit

Opening Date: April 17, 2024

Closing Date: Until Filled

Salary: Up to $63,482/year

Location: 227 W. Jefferson Blvd., South Bend, IN 46601 - 9th Floor

Status: Full Time/Health First Indiana

• Grant Funded

Job Category: PAT (Professional, Administrative, Technological)

FLSA Status: Exempt

Incumbent serves as Public Health Nurse (PHN) for the St. Joseph County Department of Health, responsible for providing health, education, and nursing care to County residents, reporting communicable diseases to the Indiana Department of Health, and ensuring compliance with established policies, practices, regulations, and professional and public health standards.

DUTIES:

Manages the care of clients using established protocols, ensuring compliance with all applicable Department policies and procedures, Indiana Department of Health standards, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations, and all other federal and state laws relating to privacy, confidentiality, and service delivery.

Provides health care and education to County residents, including administering immunizations to infants, children and adults, lead testing, and tuberculosis testing as necessary. Provides education to prevent injury or transmission of reportable illness.

Investigates reportable communicable diseases, providing education to infected clients and their close contacts, submitting appropriate specimens to lab, completing and filing epidemiological reports, and submitting to Indiana Department of Health. Provides case follow-up as needed.

Notifies clients with possible food borne illness, providing education, completing food history, and works with the Food Services Division on possible food borne illness cases.

Investigates, documents, and provides follow-up for complaints from the Indiana Department of Health, local health care delivery agencies, private individuals, patients, or family members regarding health care delivery within St. Joseph County.

Monitors newborns referred by Indiana Department of Health, conducting home visits, providing follow-up, ensuring completion of re-screens, and completing appropriate forms and forwarding to Indiana Department of Health.

Manages cases of pediatric clients with elevated lead levels, in collaboration with the CARE Unit and Environmental Health Unit. Provides clients and families with education, repeats lead level tests, conducts home visits and environmental assessments to investigate source of lead, and makes referrals to appropriate agencies and health care providers to ensure necessary steps are taken to reduce exposure to lead. Completes case documentation in compliance with Department policy.

Assists with preparing and administering vaccines and administers and reads tuberculosis skin tests.

May perform specialized duties such as managing tuberculosis (TB) cases of active and latent patients. Along with Indiana Department of Health and the patient's clinical provider, identifies patients with active, latent, or suspected TB.

If medication is needed, PHN checks allergies and health history for possible interactions before assigning medication to the patient for the Disease Investigation Specialist (DIS) to perform direct observation therapy (DOT). Assesses patient concerns or complications regarding medication and collaborates with patient's clinical provider on next steps. Provides education, support, and resources, conducting contact investigations, collecting specimens and submitting for testing, analyzing results using appropriate guidelines, reporting results to Indiana Department of Health and clinical provider, and providing case follow-up. Provides TB education, guidance, and training to health care providers.

Maintains and updates digital and paper records and documentation on services provided, completing reports as required by supervisor, Health Board, and regulating agencies.

Assists with the development of Unit policies, procedures, and new programs.

Investigates animal bites and sends corresponding letters.

Responds to telephone calls and questions from the public, including scheduling appointments, making referrals, counseling, and providing health-related information as appropriate.

Attends training sessions and meetings on public health issues, provides information and resources to health care providers, community groups, and the public about communicable diseases and public health issues, and serves on committees as a Department representative, as needed.

Serves as a preceptor to nursing and medical students during clinical rotations, as needed.

Participates in emergency preparedness and planning, including collaborating with staff from area clinic sites.

Responds to public health emergencies on a 24-hour basis.

Performs related duties as assigned.

I. JOB REQUIREMENTS:

Associate's degree in nursing required. Bachelor's degree with previous experience in public health nursing preferred.

Possession of required certifications and training, including valid Indiana license as Registered Nurse, and certifications in CPR, lead, Vaccines A-Z or equivalent, TB skin test administration, QuantiFERON blood draw, HIPAA, and other areas as required for public health programs and operations.

Ability to meet all hiring and retention requirements, including passage of drug test.

Thorough knowledge of public health laws and accepted principles and practices of public health nursing, with ability to effectively examine and screen individuals, assess needs, research professional medical resources, and provide information, treatments, assistance, and referrals as appropriate.

Practical knowledge of standard policies and practices of St. Joseph County Department of Health, with ability to apply appropriate procedures accordingly.

Practical knowledge of health and social services available to St. Joseph County residents, with ability to implement public health programs and facilitate referrals as appropriate.

Working knowledge of standard office policies and procedures with computer skills, including word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, email, internet, and Department-specific software systems, and ability to apply such knowledge to a variety of interrelated processes, tasks, and operations.

Working knowledge of filing systems with ability to create and maintain accurate and complete Department files.

Working knowledge of standard English grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and ability to prepare documents, correspondence, and written reports as required.

Ability to effectively listen, comprehend, and communicate orally and in writing with co-workers, other County and City departments, state departments and agencies, medical laboratories, social service agencies, healthcare providers, hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and the public, including being sensitive to professional ethics, gender, cultural diversities, and disabilities.

Ability to competently serve the public with diplomacy and respect, including occasional encounters with irate or difficult persons.

Ability to provide public access to or maintain confidentiality of Department information and records according to state requirements and HIPAA.

Ability to properly operate a variety of standard office equipment such as computer and telephone, and medical equipment.

Ability to count, compute, and perform arithmetic operations.

Ability to compile, classify, and analyze data.

Ability to compare or observe similarities and differences between data, people, or things, and apply knowledge of people and locations.

Ability to copy data from one document to another and mail materials.

Ability to maintain inventory of medical supplies and vaccines.

Ability to understand, memorize, retain, and carry out written or oral instructions and present findings in oral or written form.

Ability to work alone with minimum supervision with others in a team environment.

Ability to work rapidly for long periods and work on several tasks at a time, occasionally under time pressure or amidst distractions.

Shall comply with all employer and Department policies and work rules, including, but not limited to, attendance, safety, drug-free workplace, and personal conduct.

Ability to plan and deliver public speaking presentations, present educational materials, and maintain positive community support and public relations.

Ability to occasionally work extended, evening, and/or weekend hours, travel out of town for meetings and workshops, sometimes overnight, and respond to public health emergencies on a 24-hour basis.

Possession of a valid driver's license and demonstrated safe driving record.

II. DIFFICULTY OF WORK:

Incumbent's work is broad in range and often requires careful consideration of complex circumstances and variables. Incumbent performs duties according to established policies and procedures, exercising judgment to effectively develop and maintain health programs, examine and evaluate individuals, and provide information, counseling, treatment, assistance, and/or referrals.

III. RESPONSIBILITY:

Incumbent ensures proper implementation of public health programs, including examining, educating, testing, and treating individuals. Goals and objectives of incumbent's work are known and work is reviewed primarily for compliance with Department policy and legal requirements. Decisions are restricted by only the broadest policy and/or guidance from supervisor, and unusual circumstances are discussed with supervisor at incumbent's discretion.

IV. PERSONAL WORK RELATIONSHIPS:

Incumbent maintains frequent communication with co-workers, other County and City departments, state departments and agencies, medical laboratories, social service agencies, healthcare providers, hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and the public for purposes of exchanging information, instructing, and mentoring.

Incumbent reports directly to Director of Nursing.

V. PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Incumbent performs duties primarily in standard office and medical clinic environments and client homes, involving sitting/walking at will, sitting/standing/walking for long periods, lifting/ carrying objects weighing less than 50 pounds, pushing/pulling objects, bending, reaching, crouching/kneeling, keyboarding, close/far vision, color/depth perception, hearing sounds/ communication, speaking clearly, and driving. Incumbent is exposed to irate or difficult persons. Incumbent is regularly exposed to normal health hazards associated with public health nursing for which universal health precautions must be followed to ensure safety of self and others, including wearing protective clothing or equipment.

Incumbent is required to occasionally work extended, evening, and/or weekend hours, travel out of town for meetings and workshops, but not overnight, and is required to respond to public health emergencies on a 24-hour basis.

If a certification or license is required, please be sure to attach the documents.