Job Description

Public Health Nurse

Under the direction of the Health Officer/Director the Public Health Nurse provides public health nursing services to individuals, families, and population groups. Public health nursing actions are directed toward the goals of prevention, assessment, risk reduction, and health status improvement for individuals, families and communities. Activities include, but are not limited to systemic analysis of health data, care plan development, health education and advocacy, coalition building, and collaborating with community partners to promote the health of a population. Public Health Nurses often collaborate and consult within multidisciplinary and multi-agency teams in order to achieve desirable outcomes for families and communities. Public health nursing interventions occur at individual, community and systems levels depending upon the responsibilities of the position and the issues involved.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities: Under general supervision and/or as part of various workgroups and teams, the Public Health Nurse maintains a set of knowledge and skills for the broad practice of public health within the framework of the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals, and provides the following core functions and essential services of public health within the Public Health Foundational Framework:

Public Health Sciences Skills • Performs comprehensive individual and family assessments, health history, physical assessment, growth monitoring, developmental assessment, psycho-social assessment, assessment of family functioning, assessment for substance abuse or domestic violence issues, and assessment of basic needs including food, housing, income, resource and supports, and access to health care.

• Provides care coordination, referral and follow-up to individuals and families who are members of a vulnerable population and/or high-risk groups. Evaluates outcomes, effectiveness of plan, and makes changes as necessary.

• Uses public health surveillance/disease investigation methods in community outreach, screening and case finding of communicable and infectious diseases that threaten the health of the community.

• Investigates complaints regarding environmental health problems and environmental health hazards and initiates enforcement or corrective actions as required.

• Provides education and counseling to individuals, families and community groups that are adapted to their unique needs, lifestyle, cultural and socio-economic situation.

• Obtains and completes appropriate patient "consent for care" forms, ensures patient confidentiality and maintains orderly medical records. Follows established Public Health medical records policies and procedures as well as the state and federal laws that govern the release of health care information.

• Documents patient and environmental assessment and intervention data in medical records. Uses established medical record electronic systems, forms databases and documentation practices.

• Responds to individual client emergency situations in the clinical or home setting with basic life support and first aid skills. Summons other health care providers and emergency response personnel in a timely and appropriate manner.

• Collaborates in development and delivery of programs and activities for individuals, families and population groups that promote health and prevent disease, in settings including but not limited to health department building/site, homes, community organizations and businesses, schools and the community in general.

• Evaluates outcomes of public health environmental and other nursing interventions; works with others (clients and other professionals) to make changes as necessary.

• Participates in response teams to prevent, minimize, and contain adverse health events and conditions resulting from communicable diseases: food-, water- and vector-borne outbreaks, chronic diseases, water quality, environmental hazards, injuries and health disparities.

Community Partnership Skills • Delivers targeted, culturally-appropriate information to help individuals and groups understand health promotion and disease prevention information, policies, regulations, and local code.

• Actively participates in and acts as a liaison with other community agencies and professionals in collaborative efforts to address community health priorities.

• Advocates on behalf of vulnerable individuals and populations; participates in assessing and evaluating health care services to ensure that people are informed of available health department and community programs and services and are assisted in the utilization of those services.

• Participates in the Shawano-Menominee Counties Health Department research and demonstration projects that seek to improve the health of communities and determine new ways to address health issues.

• Contributes to a work environment that fosters ongoing educational experiences regarding public health nursing for colleagues, nursing and other health-related students, healthcare professionals and members of the community.

Data Analytics and Assessment Skills • Participates in community assessment; can distinguish between quantitative and qualitative community assessment data; understands incidence and prevalence data; knows how to access basic community epidemiology data.

• Participates in the analysis of data to identify trends, health problems, environmental health hazards, and social and economic conditions that adversely affect the public's health.

Leadership and Systems Thinking Skills • Demonstrates knowledge of applicable state professional practice guidelines for registered professional nurses, the American Nurses' Association Scope and Standards of Practice for Public Health Nursing and any other federal and state laws and regulations applicable to practice as a public health nursing professional.

• Adheres to applicable Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards, such as those concerning exposure to blood borne pathogens, toxic substances, airborne pathogens or exposure to other hazards during routine assignments or assignments during public health emergencies.

• Assumes responsibility for own professional growth and development by pursuing education, participating in professional committees and work groups, and contributing to a work environment where continual improvements in practice are pursued.

• Coordinates activities among and between other governmental agencies, such as the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, that enforce laws and regulations that protect the public's health.

• Collaborates in the development of evidence-based public health nursing practices and programs in collaboration with universities, other nursing, businesses, trade associations, other staff and the public.

• Collaborates in the development, implementation and evaluation of long- and short-range policies, plans and programs for public health, environmental public health and public health nursing in Shawano and Menominee Counties.

• Collaborates in and contributes to individual, team, and departmental performance management, quality improvement and evaluation activities.

Communication and Cultural Competency Skills • Utilizes appropriate methods for interacting effectively and professionally with persons of all ages and from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial and ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, lifestyles and physical abilities. Examples may include: one on one, group sessions, media interviews, story boards, website and Facebook.

• Educates local and state policy makers and community stakeholders on public health issues.

• Adheres to ethical principles and Shawano-Menominee Counties Health Department policy in the collection, maintenance, use and dissemination of data and information.

Financial Planning and Management • Collaborates on the MCH, Immunization, Lead and other consolidated contract budgets.

• Collaborates in activities such as time studies that contribute to the development of budgets and the efficient use of resources.

• Accurately tracks time spent on public health project strings.

Other • Performs public health emergency response duties in response to threats to the public's health as assigned and consistent with the job classification, training and according to the Shawano-Menominee Counties Health Department Incident Command Structure.

• Actively participate in Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) activities.

• Performs other duties as assigned consistent with job classification and licensure.

Work Requirements: -Bachelor's Degree in Nursing with requirements that meet HSS 139. -Licensure as a Registered Nurse in the State of Wisconsin, CPR/AED Certification, Valid Wisconsin Driver's License (or evidence of mobility).

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