Director of Public Health

Final filing deadline: July 24, 2023

About the role

The Health Department’s Public Health Bureau is seeking to fill a vacant Public Health Nurse III position within Maternal Child Adolescent Health (MCAH). The Maternal Child Adolescent Health home visiting program aims to improve the health and well-being of pregnant and parenting people, infants, children, and adolescents in Monterey County. The MCAH program is committed to serving women, children, teens, and their families by improving access to comprehensive, quality health care, focusing on prevention and early intervention strategies.

The PHN III in the MCAH program will support efforts to ensure availability and accessibility to early prenatal care, promote preventative health care as a major component of perinatal health, provide education and technical assistance surrounding perinatal health to collaboratives and health providers, and gather and compile data for required reports. The role also includes providing education and training on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)/Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) to local partners, the coroner’s office, families, and ensuring SIDS/SUID State protocols are met.

The eligible list established by this recruitment may be used to fill current and future vacancies on a regular full-time, part-time, or temporary basis. This classification is part of a flexible series; incumbents may be promoted to higher levels subject to meeting employment standards and recommendation by the appointing authority.

Responsibilities

• Train, assign, and review the work of Public Health Nurses and other staff.
• Provide consultation and assistance and make decisions on program or administrative problems.
• Plan, develop, review, monitor, evaluate, and directly participate in providing services in a major nursing or health services program for the Health Department.
• Participate on various committees and serve as a liaison to provide information to other County departments, agencies, and organizations.
• Determine needs in an assigned area and recommend and implement projects to address those needs; participate with community groups in identifying and developing needed public health services.
• Apply the nursing process of assessment, planning, intervention, and evaluation when evaluating individuals and family situations for problems detrimental to good health.
• Coordinate care, confer with physicians, nursing staff, other agencies, and community members, and refer clients to appropriate public and private resources, agencies, and clinics for further evaluation and treatment.
• Provide case finding, health counseling and instruction, and epidemiological investigation in the prevention and control of disease and the promotion of health; provide care and treatment for health problems; carry out physicians' orders; administer injections and oral medications.
• Formulate written program goals and objectives; recommend program policies and develop and update program protocols and procedures as appropriate.
• Provide supervisor with updated information on program or personnel issues.
• Keep records, prepare reports, and compile statistical information.

Requirements

• Thorough knowledge of the principles, methods, and practices of public health nursing.
• Working knowledge of:
  • Community aspects of nursing programs, including provisions for continuity of patient care, nursing services in health programs, and nursing care in the home.
  • Epidemiologic investigations; causes, control, and care of chronic and communicable diseases, handicapping conditions, mental illness, and other disabling conditions.
  • Environmental, sociological, and psychological problems associated with public health nursing clients and families.
  • Normal and abnormal human physiological development and behavior patterns.
  • Principles and procedures involved with family planning, sexually transmitted diseases, maternal and child health, child growth and development, and communicable diseases.
  • Prevention, detection, reporting, and treatment specific to public health programs.
  • The laws, codes, and standards applicable to specific public health programs.
  • The use of community resources for assistance in public health programs.
• Some knowledge of:
  • The principles and practices used in public health program coordination and implementation.
  • Principles and practices of staff supervision and development.
  • Federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing public health.
  • Principles of mental health.
  • Basic statistical concepts.
• Skills and ability to:
  • Analyze, evaluate, and draw logical conclusions from data; evaluate problems, policies, and procedures and formulate an effective course of action.
  • Think creatively; develop new methods, procedures, or approaches to achieve program goals; exercise initiative, ingenuity, and sound judgment in identifying and solving administrative and technical problems.
  • Work independently with little or no direct supervision.
  • Plan, prioritize, direct, and review the work of others.
  • Communicate effectively in writing to prepare a variety of reports and records.
  • Work effectively with the public and others contacted during the course of work.
  • Understand, interpret, and apply rules, laws, policies, and regulations relative to specific public health programs.
  • Read, understand, and apply oral and written policies and procedures.
  • Independently manage an assigned caseload.
  • Communicate verbally to address groups and individuals.

Qualifications

Any combination of training, education, and/or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. An example of how these requirements might be acquired includes:

• Two years of extensive experience in public health nursing.

Conditions of Employment

• Possess and maintain a valid California Class C driver’s license or provide suitable transportation approved by the appointing authority.
• Possess a license in active status to practice as a registered nurse in California and a Public Health Nursing Certificate issued by the State of California.
• Successfully complete a background check, including fingerprinting.
• Be available to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and during times of disaster and/or emergency.
• As a condition of employment, be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or request a medical or religious exemption with appropriate certification.

Pay

$8,779 – $11,991 per month

Benefits

The County of Monterey offers an excellent benefits package. Benefits include those listed in the Unit S Benefit Summary Sheet, though the Monterey County Personnel Policies and Practices Resolution or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) prevail over this listing.