Public Health Nurse I

Description

Under supervision, to apply systems-level thinking from knowledge of nursing, social, and public health sciences to provide public health nursing services in diverse settings, including homes, clinics, hospitals, schools, agencies, and community settings as required by the assigned program area.

Distinguishing Characteristics

The Public Health Nurse I classification is the entry level in the Public Health Nurse classification series. Public Health Nursing is a specialty practice within nursing and public health. Incumbents receive close supervision and on-the-job training and instruction but are expected to develop professional nursing skills and techniques to improve population health by emphasizing prevention and attending to multiple determinants of health from an ecological perspective, acknowledging the complexity of public health problems and the contextual nature of health, including cultural, environmental, historical, physical, and social factors through experience and training.

The Public Health Nurse I classification is distinguished from the Public Health Nurse II classification in that the Public Health Nurse I is the entry-level classification with no or limited public health nursing experience, while the Public Health Nurse II is experienced, has the skills, knowledge, and ability to assess needs, opportunities, and inequities of individuals, families, and populations and translate this assessment into actions at all levels that impact health, and assigned responsibilities are more complex and varied. Public Health Nurse IIs receive less direct supervision, work with more independence, and are expected to be knowledgeable of the community and its resources.

Bilingual (Vietnamese, Mandarin, and Cantonese) candidates are encouraged to apply. If you speak a second language fluently, specify the language located under Agency-Wide Questions of the application.

A day in the life: What does a Public Health Nurse do?

A day in the life: How does a Public Health Nurse prepare for the day?

Day in the life: What it means to be a Public Health Nurse.

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Typical Tasks

• Provides nursing services to individuals by assessing, diagnosing, planning for, implementing, and evaluating appropriate nursing care;

• Assists individuals and families in following medical provider recommendations;

• Recognizes attitudes and cultural patterns that are detrimental to health and guides families towards desirable changes through a trauma-informed lens;

• Teaches and counsels individuals, families, and groups regarding specific diseases, health conditions, and health maintenance;

• Participates in various clinics by interviewing and counseling clients;

• Assists individuals and families to identify their needs and establish their goals and refers them to appropriate community agencies and clinics for specialized services;

• Coordinates care of clients with other public and private agencies;

• Collects specimens from clients, performs medical tests and reports test results, and administers injections and oral medications;

• Performs ongoing and follow-up evaluation to determine effectiveness of nursing care plan;

• Interprets 'medical providers' orders and assists families in following these orders;

• Utilizes health literacy concepts to improve the public's understanding of their health conditions, treatments, and self-care practices;

• Facilitates informed decision making and encourages families to identify the need for appropriate medical, psychiatric, hospital, or other care, as necessary;

• Performs defined technical/skilled nursing tasks;

• Recognizes the current Essential Public Health Services;

• Maintains documentation and prepares necessary reports;

• May provide guidance and direction to support staff;

• Attends appropriate staff meetings and in-service training sessions;

• May pursue appropriate job related educational courses;

• May be assigned as a Disaster Service Worker (DSW), as required;*

• Performs other related work, as required.

Employment Standards

Sufficient education, training, and experience to demonstrate the ability to perform the above tasks, plus the possession and direct application of the following knowledge and abilities:

Training and Experience Note: The required knowledge and abilities are attained through possession of a Bachelor's Degree, or higher, in Nursing.

Special Requirements

• Possess and maintain a valid License as a Registered Nurse issued by the State of California for the duration of employment in this classification.

• Possess and maintain a valid Certificate as a Public Health Nurse issued by the State of California for the duration of employment in this classification.

• Possession of a current Basic Life Support (BLS) Certificate.

• Ability to travel to alternate locations in the course of work. If driving, possession of a valid California driver's license prior to appointment and the ability to qualify for and maintain a County driver authorization.

• *As a condition of employment, pursuant to California Government Code Sections 3100-3109 and Local Ordinance, all County of Santa Clara employees are designated Disaster Service Workers (DSWs), including extra help. A DSW is required to complete all assigned DSW-related training, and in the event of an emergency, return to work as ordered.

Knowledge of:

• Principles, practices, and methods of public health nursing;

• Stages of nursing process and principles of trauma-informed care;

• Principles of case finding and case management in a variety of settings;

• Causes, transmission, prevention, control, and care required for communicable disease(s);

• Community resources and health agencies related to public health nursing;

• Uses and effects of medicines;

• English usage, style, grammar, punctuation, and spelling;

• Interviewing techniques;

• Common computer technology, system applications, and electronic medical record systems.

Ability to:

• Plan, organize, and deliver public health nursing services;

• Work effectively with clients and families to assist them with satisfactory resolution of health problems;

• Develop and maintain effective public relations with community organizations;

• Assess and analyze situations accurately and take appropriate action when working in the field alone and entering homes for client visits;

• Maintain sensitivity to cultural competency principles that are inclusive and representative of our community;

• Collect specimens and administer injections and medications;

• Provide treatment recommendations based on current clinical guidelines and best practices;

• Prepare accurate reports and documentation;

• Provide guidance and direction to support staff;

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work, at all levels, including colleagues, the public, and representatives of other agencies;

• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people of diverse backgrounds and cultures.

Physical Requirements

The physical requirements may include:

• Lift objects weighing up to 15 pounds, squat, bend, and climb stairs;

• Ability to work alternate shifts and/or weekends.