Nurse I or Nurse II

About the role

The South Dakota Department of Health's Office of Public Health Nursing Services seeks a Registered Nurse to provide public health nursing services across key program areas, including Pregnancy Care, Immunizations, School Health, and Public Health Preparedness.

Responsibilities

• Apply nursing theory and evidence-based standards; conduct nursing assessments; develop, implement, and evaluate care plans; exercise independent clinical judgment; document according to legal and organizational requirements; and perform age-appropriate, pregnancy-related, and population-based assessments according to OPHNS protocols.
• Provide public health nursing services across program areas such as immunizations, pregnancy care, school health, and public health preparedness. Deliver services in a variety of settings, which may include clinics, schools, homes, community sites, and emergency response settings.
• Navigate sensitive, complex, or challenging client situations with professionalism, sound judgment, and compassion.
• Support regional and statewide service needs, including travel as needed, occasional overnight travel, and flexibility in work settings or schedules when required by organizational priorities, service delivery needs, or public health response activities.
• Participate in training, quality improvement, program evaluation, and professional development activities. Support organizational change and continuous improvement in public health nursing practice.

Requirements

• Licensed as a Registered Nurse to practice in South Dakota.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel as needed.

Qualifications

• Nurse 1 level: Registered Nurse License and Associate’s degree, Bachelor’s degree, or 3-year Diploma.
• Nurse 2 level: Registered Nurse License and Associate’s degree, Bachelor’s degree, or 3-year Diploma plus additional education with 2 – 4 years of progressive experience at Level 1 of the Nursing Job Family.

Skills

• Professional nursing judgment, accountability, and ethical practice.
• Adaptability and resilience in changing environments and priorities.
• Comfort performing nursing assessments and applying clinical judgment to support pregnancy care, immunization services, school health, and population-based public health services.
• Empathy, compassion, and respect for individuals, families, and communities, including underserved and vulnerable populations.
• Ability to navigate sensitive, complex, or challenging client situations with professionalism, sound judgment, and compassion.
• Willingness to travel and adjust work location or schedule when needed based on organizational and public health service needs.
• Ability to work effectively within a public service structure by receiving guidance, collaborating with supervisors and colleagues, and contributing to team-based service delivery.
• Commitment to public health, community service, and population-based care.
• Ability to apply critical thinking and nursing theory in daily practice.

Benefits

• $0 premium employee health insurance option.
• Eleven paid holidays.
• Moderate vacation and sick leave accrual.
• Dental, vision, and other insurance options.
• Retirement benefits.

Pay

This position pays $29.08-$34.09 hourly, depending on qualifications.

Schedule

Routine work hours are generally Monday through Friday during standard business hours. However, schedules, work locations, and assignments may vary based on organizational priorities, service delivery needs, training requirements, community events, and public health response activities. Statewide travel, including occasional overnight travel, may be required.