SUMMARY
Performs immunizations; attends meetings and educational seminars as required; participates in sexually transmitted infections (STI) clinics; participates in tuberculosis (TB) elimination clinics; and reports and investigates reportable-communicable diseases and conditions to appropriate officials, organizations and individuals. Performs and coordinates daycare and school audits as assigned by Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
1. Complete various activities to assess the performance of their immunization program, including child-care facility and Head Start center assessments and child-care audits. In addition, complete public and private school audits, retrospective surveys, and validation surveys.
2. The activities listed below should be completed and reported in accordance with the DSHS Immunization Contractors Guide for Local Health Departments (LHD) and Population Assessment Manual:
● Child-Care Audit
● Annual Report of Immunization Status (school self-assessments)
● School Audit
● Texas School Immunization Validation Survey
● Texas Child-Care Immunization Assessment (not done every year)
● Texas County Retrospective Immunization School Survey (TCRISS) (not done every year)
● Assigned surveys/assessments/audits must be completed utilizing the instructions in DSHS Immunization Contractors Guide for Local Health Departments and the Population Assessment Manual
● Analyze, provide feedback, and monitor vaccination trends for public school districts, private schools, licensed child-care facilities, and registered family homes to increase vaccination coverage using audit/assessment data
● Identify trends and areas of need for LHD jurisdictions and coordinate interventions.
● Collaborate with schools, licensed child-care centers, and registered child-care homes to identify needed improvements. Report these results/findings to the DSHS Immunization Unit.
In addition, responsible for providing assistance in the Perinatal Hep B program. Assists with reports for Perinatal Hep B, assists Public Health Nurse with Perinatal Hep B Monitoring of Mother and Infant and assists in surveillance, case management.
The ten objectives of the program are:
● Ensure that all pregnant women are tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg).
● Ensure reporting and tracking of HBsAg-positive pregnant women.
● Ensure that delivery facilities/hospitals receive all prenatal HBsAg lab reports prior to delivery.
● Ensure identification and management of infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers.
● Ensure reporting of infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers.
● Ensure identification and case management of infants born to mothers of unknown HBsAg status.
● Ensure timely completion of the hepatitis B vaccine series for all infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers.
● Ensure timely completion of post vaccination serologic testing (PVST) for all infants born to HBsAg-positive women.
● Ensure vaccination of household contacts 24 months of age and younger.
● Ensure program quality, monitoring, and evaluation.

Additional Duties to include:
1. Performs immunizations inside and outside of city, including preparing materials and medical supplies (syringes, Band-Aids, alcohol, cotton), providing counseling/teaching, and obtaining proper consent, assessing vaccine records, administering shots, and maintaining inventory of supplies:

2. Coordinates and performs Perinatal Hep B activities according to DSHS guidelines.

3. Acts as a resource person for staff and community in Immunizations and STI protocols; informs nursing staff (formally and informally) of current trends, new development, and objectives of these programs.

4. Attends meetings and educational seminars as required, and prepares and distributes statistical reports monthly;

5. Participates in STI clinic, including drawing blood for laboratory tests, assisting provider with exams as necessary, counseling patients in person and on the phone, issuing medication and/or administering injections, and referring patients as appropriate;

6. Participates in Rapid HIV, Hep C and HIV PrEP clinics, including drawing blood work, finger sticks, obtaining urine samples, counseling patients, issuing medication, providing information and referrals as appropriate.

7. Tests for TB, including administering skin tests, evaluating results and counseling patients, issuing medication as necessary; tracking and contacting non-compliant clients by letter or home visits;

8. Responds to referrals from local and state agencies and provide physicians for TB testing, including providing group testing;

9. Provides information and assistance with TB and STI testing, immunization administration, and communicable disease reporting to local agencies and organizations;
10. Assists in maintaining the monthly inventory of TB and STI medication, vaccines, etc;

11. Complies with policies and procedures delineated in the current “Employee Handbook and Personnel Policies of Brazos County, Texas” and department supplements;

12. Reports and investigates reportable-communicable diseases and conditions to appropriate officials, organizations, and individuals, including coordinating and relaying recommendations for preventative measures, and acting as a education resource for communicable diseases to local community schools and organizations; and

13. Provides public health and medical information to individuals and groups, including preparing and giving presentations and representing the Health District at community functions.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
This is a non-supervisory position.

QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this job successfully an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
Graduation from an accredited school of nursing (Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing, Associate Degree in Nursing, Registered Nurse) plus 2 years of general nursing experience, or any equivalent combination or education and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, abilities, licensure requirements.

KNOWLEDGE OF
Medical/first aid procedures; immunization laws and schedules; physical assessment skills; and the philosophy, purpose, goals and objectives of public health.

SKILLS/ABILITY TO
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with county employees, representatives of governmental agencies, and the general public; communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; communicate effectively with individuals, families and groups from all social levels; operate standard word processing, spreadsheet software and electronic medical record (EMR)software, interpret public health policies and procedures; administer medical tests; provide counseling to patients; and analyze and interpret data.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS
Registered Nurse Licensure (Texas); valid Texas Driver’s License.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of the job, the employee is regularly required to sit, use hand and fingers to handle and/or feel; reach with hands and arms, and talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to stand and walk, the employee must occasionally lift and/or move objects weighing up to 20 pounds, such as files, stacks of records, or other similar objects. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be make to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. The employee must frequently perform multiple tasks simultaneously work closely with others as part of a team, and work under time pressures. The employee may face possible exposure to diseases and illnesses.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $65,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Medical specialties:

• Public Health

Standard shift:

• Day shift

Weekly schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person