Public Health Nurse

For Wage and Job Description Details
General Summary

Under the supervision of the Public Health Nurse Administrator, Health Officer or Senior Programs Director, provides comprehensive nursing services in preventive health and clinic programs including assessment, teaching, counseling, and prevention services to individuals, families, and groups to promote health and wellness to clients in the county. Maintains patient records and program activity records and prepares required reports.

Essential Functions

  1. Conducts health assessments in clinics, including conducting physical assessments, obtaining blood pressure, temperature, measurements, and other data and developing information on health history, diet history, and family health status. Administers inununizations, medications, educates clients on potential side effects, and monitors for adverse reaction. Reads and interprets lab reports, administers urine pregnancy tests, and performs a variety of related procedures in clinics.
  2. Assesses various tests and screening results and correlåtes them with health history and physical assessment. Determines absence or presence of abnormalities in the health history and/or physical examination. Plans and provides appropriate intervention and referral based on findings.
  3. Interprets health screening findings to the family and makes appropriate referrals, utilizing an up-to-date list of resources in the county. Contacts local health providers and community agencies to make referrals.
  4. Provides comprehensive case management and coordinates services provided through a multidisciplinary approach, collaborating extensively with multiple community agencies.
  5. Investigates and monitors reports of communicable diseases such as measles, hepatitis, sexually transmitted disease, and tuberculosis. Coordinates efforts with physicians, school personnel, and others regarding spread and treatment of the disease. Provides health care services, instruction, and infonnation to clients in compliance with related public health laws.
  6. Provides HIV testing and counseling services. Provides notification and referral services for HIV positive clients and their partners which may require phone calls, home visits, or extensive searching to locate individuals. Conducts court ordered HIV testing and parmer notification.
  7. Provides education to clients and families relative to parenting, nutrition, health care, prenatal care, breast feeding, safety, substance abuse, communicable diseases or other subjects as needed by client.
  8. Provides home visits and health assessments for new born infants, pregnant women and other clients.
  9. Completes assessments for families with special health needs and makes referrals to other health care professionals as appropriate.
  10. May direct the jail health program, providing health care and health education on subjects including disease prevention, hygiene, and life issues to prisoners in the county jail. Oversees day to day activities including medical care, records maintenance, and scheduling.
  11. Reviews documentation in charts on periodic basis to ensure compliance with federal and state rules and regulations for the specific program area.
  12. Participates on committees within the agency and in the community as assigned.
  13. Represents the agency by making presentations to explain agency programs, policies and procedures to the community.
  14. May serve as the "nurse on call" by seeing walk-in clients needing public health services such as immunizations, blood pressure checks, blood sugar checks, treatment for nuisance diseases, and referrals to other health care providers.
  15. Ensures that clinical documentation regarding clients is kept secure and confidential and maintained consistent with Health Department policies and procedures.

Other Functions

  1. None listed

This may not be inclusive ofthe total scope ofjob functions to be performed. Duties and responsibilities may be added, deleted or modified at any time.

Employment Qualifications

Education: Graduation from an accredited school of nursing. Completion of continuing education units required for RN license renewal.
Experience: Two years of nursing experience is preferred.
Other Requirements: Possession of a current license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Michigan. Possession of a valid Michigan driver's license.
The qualifications listed above are intended to represent the minimum skills and experience levels associated with performing the duties and responsibilities contained in thejob description. The qualifications should not be viewed as expressing absolute employment or promotional standards, but as general guidelines that should be considered along with otherjob-related selection or promotional criteria.

FLSA Status: Exempt
Worker's Compensation Code: 8835/38832
Occupational Employment Statistical Code: 32502

Physical Requirements [This job requires the ability to perform the essential functions contained in this description. These include, but are not limited to, the following requirements and working conditions. Reasonable accommodation will be made for otherwise qualified applicants unable to fulfill one or more of these requirements].
Lifting babies and small children to examination tables.
Lifting and transporting supplies to various clinic locations.
Stooping and bending to examine children.
Restraining children while administering injections.
Ability to travel throughout the county to various clinic locations.
Ability to access clients in their homes.
Ability to access office files.
Ability to enter and access information using a computer

Working Conditions:
Works in office conditions.
May travel throughout the county to work in clinics.
May work in client's homes.
Exposure to communicable diseases, blood, and other bodily fluids.