Public Health Nurse
TB Clinic

“Follow Your Calling, Find Your Career”
Hiring Range: $64,614.14 - $84,806.06 / year
Application deadline: 4/21/2024
This is an exempt (salary) position.
Pay rates are based on education, skill, experience level and internal equity. Internal equity considerations include an assessment of the applicant’s salary history and qualifications in comparison to the market rate and requirements for the job.
About UsAt Mecklenburg County, you’ll have the chance to build a career as unique as you are with support, inclusive culture and technology to become the best version of you. We’re counting on YOUR unique voice and perspective to help Mecklenburg County Public Health become even better, too. Join us and build an exceptional experience for yourself, and a healthier world for all.
As a member of the Mecklenburg County Public Health team, you will become a subject matter expert in the public health field. The CDC foundation explains that “Public health is the science of protecting and improving the health of people and their communities.This work is achieved by promoting health lifestyles, researching disease and injury prevention, detecting, preventing, and responding to infectious disease”.
Come be a part of Mecklenburg County’s Public Health department’s vision to “assure the health and safety of our diverse and changing community today and for future generations.”
Position Specific InformationThe TB (tuberculosis) Control/ Refugee nurse is a registered nurse in the TB/Refugee Health Program. This RN provides patient assessments, nursing diagnosis, education, counseling and comprehensive case management/care coordination services in specialized clinics of Mecklenburg County Public Health and other community settings. The TB/Refugee RN utilizes public health nursing skills in assessing the provision of specialized health services for a diverse social, cultural and economic population who are multi-lingual. The TB/Refugee RN may be required to make home visits or provide visits in other community settings.
Work hours are Monday through Friday, 8 am -5pm. Weekend and afterhours work maybe required for unplanned contact investigations or public health events.
Must be able to provide effective education, counseling, medication monitoring and supervision, including Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) involving prevention and spread of TB and other communicable diseases.
A recommended knowledge of State TB Control, Refugee Health and the CDC policies, procedures and protocol for the provision of treatment and management of TB and screening for persons with Refugee status.
Injection competence is required.
Position SummaryThis is a public health nurse position that may work in an office, clinical or community setting (e.g., school).
Performs work with individuals, groups, or families to plan or implement programs designed to improve the overall health of communities. This position may have onsite or offsite supervision, assesses patient health problems, and needs; develops and implements nursing care plans; administers nursing care to patients and/or delegates tasks to unlicensed assistive personnel, advises patients on health maintenance and disease prevention; and provides care management.
All Registered Nurses employed by the Mecklenburg County Health Department are Public Health Nurses. Public Health Nurses, regardless of official title or classification, may provide nursing services during urgent and/or emergent public health events. These services include, but are not limited to, administration of immunizations for various ages and groups, mass medication distribution, and provision of health services in shelter environments.
Essential Functions

• Ensure compliance with agency policies, procedures, and protocols, as well as Board of Nursing laws, rules, and standards.
  
• Utilize nursing process in care delivery.
  
• Monitor, record, and report symptoms, medical information vital signs, or changes in patient’s health status.
  
• Provide health services in accordance to standing orders and/or specific orders from health care providers.
  
• Consult and coordinate with healthcare team members to assess patient care plans.
  
• Develop, evaluate, implement, and/or modify plans of care (e.g., standardized treatment plans, individualized health care plans, or emergency action plans).
  
• Perform administrative duties as needed and maintains accurate, detailed reports and records.
  
• Train unlicensed assistive personnel to perform delegable tasks.
  
• Provide health education/health promotion topics and anticipatory counseling to individuals, families, and other groups.
  
• Assess the needs of individuals, families, or communities, including assessment of individuals' home or work environments, to identify potential health or safety problems.
  
• Assess compliance with immunization laws; participates in special immunization clinics provide by Mecklenburg County
• Public Health which may include administering immunizations during the clinics.
  
• Provide health care services, first aid, specified laboratory tests, exams, screenings, immunizations, or related assistance in various locations.
  
• Refer clients to specialized health resources or community agencies for assistance unavailable at Mecklenburg County Health Department.
  
• Document patient history, related findings, and service performed in electronic health record.
  
• Mecklenburg County Health Department Employees: Respond in cases of urgent and/or emergent events that require public health interventions. Employees may be trained for and assigned duties unrelated to their regular work; work outside normal business hours and workdays and/or in a different work location may be required. Emergency events include, but are not limited to, communicable disease outbreaks, severe weather situations (e.g., snow or ice storms, tornados, hurricanes), natural disasters (e.g., earthquakes), fire, or power outages, and acts of terrorism.

Minimum Qualifications
Experience: 

• Minimum of one year of professional nursing experience.
  
• Minimum of two years of professional nursing experience required for School Health.
• Minimum of RN licensure for positions in the Clinical Services Division: new RN graduates with no experience will be considered for hire.*

Education: 

• Graduate from an accredited/approved nursing education program.
• Non-BSN incumbents are required to complete state Public Health nursing coursework and exams within a year of hire.
• Combination of relevant education and relevant experience accepted?: N/A

Licenses and Certifications

• Current license to practice as a Registered Nurse (RN) in NC issued by the NC Board of Nursing or another Nurse Licensure Compact State.
  
• Current certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers (CPR & AED) by the American Heart Association that is valid for at least 90 days after hire. Maintenance of this certification is required and as funds are available may be supported as part of employment.
  
• May require a valid North Carolina or South Carolina driver's license.
  
• May require County Driving Privileges.
  
• May require an Annual Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) check required.
  
• May require an annual Mecklenburg County Human Resource background screening.
  
• Additional certifications may be required in some nursing program areas.
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing
  
• One (1) year community-based nursing experience
  
• Med-surg and/or internal medicine, and experienced in a fast-paced, diverse, and multi-lingual clinical setting is highly recommended
  

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Knowledge of

• Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, statutes, rules, and regulations (e.g., HIPAA (FERPA, if applicable), NC Nurse Practice Act)
  
• Nursing techniques with strong nursing assessment skills
  
• Medical and legal terminology
  
• Principles of public health and associated laws
  
• Human anatomy and physiology
  
• Clinical sanitation and personal hygiene
  
• Principles of child, adolescent and adult growth and development
  
• Nursing in a non-traditional health care setting
  
• Scope of nursing practice
  
• Principles of communicable disease prevention and epidemiology
  

Skills

• Prioritize, assign and delegate work
  
• Manage and execute multiple tasks
  
• Maintain various confidential records
  
• Medication administration and basic nursing procedures
  
• Work with multidisciplinary teams and diverse client populations
  
• Evaluate records to ensure accreditation standards are met
  
• Use electronic heath records for nursing documentation
  
• Evaluate records to ensure standards, regulations and statutes are met
  
• Apply and explaining applicable laws, codes, regulations, policies, and/or procedures
  
• Exercise judgment and discretion
  
• Maintain records and files complying with HIPAA regulations and FERPA (if applicable) regulations
  

Abilities

• Applied Learning: Assimilating and applying new job-related information in a timely manner
  
• Building Trust: Interacting with others in a way that instills confidence in one’s intentions and those of the organization
  
• Care Management: Having the knowledge and skills to secure relevant patient care data and identify key issues and relationships in the management of patient care; understanding the relationships among assessments, interventions, and patient responses; skilled in documentation of assessments and adjusting physical and cognitive prescriptions as needed
  
• Commitment: Using appropriate interpersonal styles and techniques to gain acceptance of ideas or plans; modifying one’s own behavior to accommodate tasks, situations, and individuals involved
  
• Communication: Clearly conveying information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the audience and helps them understand and retain the information provided
  
• Customer Satisfaction: Ensuring that the customer perspective is a driving force behind business decisions and activities; crafting and implementing service practices that meet customers’ and own organization’s needs
  
• Decision Making: Identifying and understanding issues, problems, and opportunities; comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent with available facts, constraints, and probably consequences
  Interpersonal Effectiveness - Creating a good first impression; commanding attention and respect; showing an air of confidence
  
• Patient Education/Health Promotion: Supporting, explaining, and instructing patient and patient’s family (significant other, care giver, etc.) in understanding the clinical procedures and equipment used to facilitate optimum health status; promoting the lifestyle changes required of the patient and the patient’s family to achieve optimum health status
  
• Patient Relations: Meeting patient and patient family needs; taking responsibility for a patient’s
  

Computer Skills

• Proficient in various computer applications including Microsoft Office Suite
  

Compensation and BenefitsIn addition to a competitive salary, Mecklenburg County offers a generous benefits package which greatly increases your total compensation. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, life, short term disability, long term disability, accident, cancer, critical illness, medical bridge, and pet insurance; dependent care, healthcare, and commuter flexible spending accounts; health savings account; paid holiday, vacation, and sick days; near-site clinics for preventive care and illnesses; an employee discount program which provides discounts for retail, dining, shopping, travel, tickets and more; an employee assistance program including financial and legal counseling; access to Mecklenburg County fitness and aquatic facilities; paid family leave; tuition reimbursement; a 5% employer match.
Physical DemandsPhysical Demands Frequency

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time. Occasionally (up to 10 hrs/week)
  
• The person in this position needs to move about from point X to point Y. Occasionally (up to 10 hrs/week)
  
• Operates a computer or other office equipment. Constantly (26 or more hrs/week)
  
• Ascends/Descends a ladder to perform duties or operate equipment. Not Applicable
  
• The person in this role is required to position themselves to maintain equipment such as computers, servers, machinery, etc. Not Applicable
  
• The person in this role frequently communicates and must be able to exchange and convey information. Constantly (26 or more hrs/week)
  
• Must be able to review information on paper or computer. Constantly (26 or more hrs/week)
  
• Must be able to discern information from long distances. Occasionally (up to 10 hrs/week)
  
• Must be able to detect or distinguish flavor or smells. Occasionally (up to 10 hrs/week)
  

Demand Weight Frequency

• Must be able to carry/move equipment 10 lbs or less Frequent
  
• Must be able to carry/move equipment 11-20 lbs Occasionally
  
• Must be able to carry/move equipment 21-50 lbs Occasionally
  
• Must be able to carry/move equipment 51-100 lbs Occasionally
• Must be able to carry/move equipment Over 100 lbs Occasionally

Work EnvironmentWorks in an office setting with moderate noise
Reasonable Accommodations StatementTo accomplish this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, each essential function satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to help enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Disclaimer StatementThis is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of job-related responsibilities, duties, skills, requirements or working conditions. Other duties may be assigned based on business need and the supervisor’s request. Mecklenburg County reserves the right to revise the job description at any time. Designated positions may be required to assist in emergency and/or disaster situations.