Maternal Child Health (MCH) Home Visiting Nurse (Public Health Nurse II)
About the role
The Maternal Child Health (MCH) Home Visiting Public Health Nurse (PHN) II provides home visiting services to at-risk and high-risk pregnant/postpartum women, infants, and children in accordance with the specific home visiting program model. This position helps transform the lives of vulnerable families using a multidisciplinary approach to improve pregnancy outcomes, child health and development, and family economic self-sufficiency.
Responsibilities
- Apply public health nursing principles of case-finding, health promotion, anticipatory guidance and education, case management and disease prevention
- Identify, screen, and assess clients for health risks and implement public health nursing interventions that focus on positive pregnancy and infant/child health outcomes
- Provide parenting education, child health and development screening, evaluation and consultation
- Possess knowledge of community resources and refer clients as necessary
- Collaborate with other professionals to ensure appropriate care is provided, coordinate multi-disciplinary services, and support families in attaining their targeted goals
- Maintain a high level of integrity and discretion in handling confidential information and professionalism in dealing with clients, families, and colleagues
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Knowledge of nursing and public health theories, principles, practices, methods, processes, and procedures required to provide public health nursing
- Knowledge of human growth and development, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology (e.g., side effects, contraindications), preventive medicine, epidemiology, and nutrition
- Knowledge of current practices in public health nursing service delivery
- Knowledge of available community resources for referral or the ability to rapidly acquire such knowledge
- Knowledge of documentation, nursing diagnosis, and quality assurance
- Knowledge of professional standards of nursing practice
- Knowledge of applicable federal, state, and county laws and regulations
- Knowledge of county Health Department policies and procedures
- Ability to perform technical and complex nursing procedures (e.g., injections, venipuncture, blood pressure screening, STD check, tube feeding, nebulization), administering treatments and medications, and using medical equipment in delivering services to clients
- Ability to perform emergency treatment(s), with limited supervision, for life threatening conditions
- Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with others, including those from varied backgrounds and different situations, in individual and team-based settings
- Ability to handle contentious interactions, especially with those who may appear difficult, hostile, or distressed
- Ability to identify problems and make sound, well-informed, and objective decisions or judgments relating to client health care
- Ability to assess the quality, appropriateness, implications, and impact of decisions or judgments made by others and identify courses of corrective action, where appropriate
- Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with individual or small and large group interactions
- Ability to provide health training to clients and families with complex, multiple health needs, using knowledge of adult learning concepts
- Ability to accurately maintain client medical records and information (e.g., filing, retrieval, recording, and archiving) and to protect the privacy of clients served
- Ability to use technology to document, file, retrieve, make adjustments to medical records or information, and communicate or share public health information in the appropriate format
- Ability to assign paraprofessionals, volunteers and students according to ability level and set work priorities according to clinic and/or caseload demands
Minimum Qualifications
Graduation from a college or university accredited by the National League for Nursing or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education with a bachelor's degree in Nursing; plus one year post-licensure nursing experience.
Certificates and Licenses Required
- Possession of current license or a multistate licensure privilege to practice as a Registered Nurse in the Commonwealth of Virginia
- Valid driver's license
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification (Required within 60 days of hire)
- Automated External Defibrillator (AED) certification (Required within 60 days of hire)
Preferred Qualifications
- Two years of post-licensure experience working with pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and children
- One year of experience in home visiting case management in a public health/community setting serving culturally diverse families
- Strong interpersonal abilities to communicate effectively and clearly with a diverse population
- Ability to establish and maintain collaborative connections with internal and external partners
- Demonstrated ability to work independently and on interdisciplinary teams
- Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office Suite and other software applications
Physical Requirements
Job is generally sedentary in nature, and requires walking, standing, sitting (for long periods of time), and kneeling, reaching, bending, climbing stairs; may be required to lift or carry up to 25 lbs. as required for the position. Uses hands to grasp, handle, or feel. Visual acuity is required to read data from paper and on a computer monitor or other electronic device; ability to operate keyboard driven equipment and computer and use of touchscreen. Position frequently communicates and must be able to exchange accurate information with others verbally and in writing. Generally, works in an office environment and may occasionally be required to perform job duties outside of the typical office setting. Ability to drive a motor vehicle. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.
Selection Procedure
Panel interview and may include exercise.
Additional Requirements
- The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check, Child Protective Services Registry check, driving record check, and sanction screenings to the satisfaction of the employer
- This position is emergency/essential services personnel (required to report for duty during inclement weather and/or other emergencies)
- May occasionally start as early as 7:00 AM or work as late as 9:30 PM based on service demands and occasionally on weekends
- May be assigned to work at various sites
- Must provide own transportation