Public Health Nurse

Job Requirements

• Current Indiana Registered Nurse license required, and experience in public health or related area preferred.
• Registered Nurse (RN) licensure is preferred; however, Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) with a minimum of five (5) years of relevant nursing experience may be considered.
• Certification in CPR, Mantoux, and as tuberculosis instructor. Possession of Nurse's Liability Insurance required.
• Working knowledge of and ability to make practical application of state and local public health regulations, Department policies and procedures, and accepted principles and practices of public health nursing.
• Working knowledge of standard immunization practices, procedures and potential complications, with ability to effectively supervise related clinics.
• Ability to effectively examine and screen individuals, assess needs, and provide appropriate information, treatment, assistance and appropriate referrals. Ability to properly use various medical equipment, including stethoscope, thermometer, Bp cuff, scales, and syringes.
• Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing with co-workers, local health care providers, school personnel, community organizations, and the public, including being sensitive to professional ethics, gender, cultural diversities and disabilities.
• Working knowledge of standard English grammar, spelling and punctuation, and ability to properly use standard office equipment, including computer, printer, and telephone.
• Ability to understand and follow written and oral instructions and work alone and with others in a team environment with minimum supervision.
• Ability to maintain accurate records, prepare detailed reports, and maintain confidentiality of Department records as required.
• Ability to work on several tasks at the same time and complete assignments effectively amidst frequent distractions and interruptions.
• Ability to serve on 24-hour call and respond swiftly, rationally and decisively to emergency situations.
• Ability to occasionally work extended, evening and/or weekend hours, and occasionally travel out of town for meetings/training, sometimes overnight.
• Possession of a valid driver's license and demonstrated safe driving record.

Responsibilities

• Communicable Disease Nurse: Investigates reports of communicable diseases according to guidelines, including interviewing, educating, and testing patients and their contacts, maintaining records, communicating with/reporting to appropriate agencies, and conducting follow-up interviews.
• Tuberculosis Nurse: Assists in monitoring/maintaining tuberculosis prevention and treatment program, including screening and testing adults and children, maintaining detailed records, administering medications as prescribed by physicians, conducting periodic follow-up tests, coordinating control activities in the community, and notifying medical personnel of new cases.
• Immunization Nurse: Implements free and public immunization programs according to Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) guidelines, including scheduling clinics, interviewing/educating patients, assessing vaccine history, determining/giving appropriate immunizations, maintaining written client records for entry on computer, and preparing/submitting monthly statistical reports to ISDH as required. Monitors/ maintains current vaccine inventory, ordering as needed.
• All Public Health Nurses: Assists Department environmental health personnel as needed in testing persons exposed to environmental hazards, such as foodborne and waterborne illnesses, animal diseases, and lead.
• All Public Health Nurses: Provides nursing care to local parochial schools, including interviewing patients, making physical assessments, providing information, making referrals, and administering medications, injections and treatment as ordered.
• All Public Health Nurses: Maintains current knowledge of medical practices, public health issues by reading professional publications, attending meetings, and periodically attending training seminars as required.
• All Public Health Nurses: Performs blood draws to determine HIV status as required by court order.
• All Public Health Nurses: Are cross trained with each of the other nursing departments to cover each other for time off/out of office or any time needed.
• All Public Health Nurses: Prepare and dispense medications and administer injections.
• All Public Health Nurses: Maintain inventory of medical supplies and forms, ordering and restocking accordingly.
• All Public Health Nurses: Contact patients, pharmacies, and other medical facilities as necessary, issuing codes to hospitals, obtaining approval from Medicaid and phoning in prescription information to pharmacies.
• All Public Health Nurses: Serves on 24-hour call for emergencies.
• All Public Health Nurses: Performs related duties as assigned.

Difficulty of Work

Incumbent's duties are broad in scope, involving many variables or considerations with interrelationships difficult to ascertain. Incumbent performs according to well-established standard practices of the profession and standard department policies and procedures, exercising independent judgement in determining appropriate treatment or referrals for individual cases.

Responsibility

Incumbent ensures proper implementation of public health programs according to standardized practice of the nursing profession. Incumbent works with minimum supervision, referring to supervisor unusual and/or unprecedented situations, such as adverse reactions to immunizations. Work is periodically reviewed for attainment of objectives and effect on Department goals/ objectives.

Personal Work Relationships

Incumbent maintains frequent contact with co-workers, local health care providers, school personnel, community service organizations and the public for the purpose of exchanging and explaining information, coordinating health clinics, and providing health screening, treatment and education. Incumbent reports directly to Nursing Supervisor.

Physical Effort and Work Environment

Incumbent performs majority of duties in a standard office environment and at various residential sites, such as patient homes and institutions. Duties involve standing/walking for long periods, pushing/pulling/lifting/carrying supplies/equipment weighing over 25 pounds, reaching, bending at waist, crouching/kneeling, close/far vision, color and depth perception, hearing sounds/communication, and handling/grasping/fingering objects. Incumbent is exposed to normal hazards associated with driving, such as adverse weather conditions, and normal hazards associated with public health nursing, such as communicable diseases and blood-borne pathogens, for which universal health precautions must be followed to ensure safety of self and others. Incumbent occasionally works extended and/or evening hours, and occasionally travels out of town for meetings/training, sometimes overnight.