Public Health Nurse II (Immunizations)

Position Overview

Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve as Clinic nurses in one or more settings;
• Directing the work done during the clinic, assigning tasks to lower-level staff appropriately, managing clinic flow, and advising other clinic staff about management of unfamiliar patient situations;
• Coordinates and/or provides public health nursing services such as STD, Immunization, Family Planning, General Clinic, Adult Health, BCCCP, WiseWoman, OS, Prenatal, Perinatal, and Tuberculosis by assessing health requirements, counseling, teaching, and providing follow-up health and social services to clients and their families; may organize and coordinate specialized clinics; make appropriate referrals to other County programs, community agencies and physicians, works within established agency protocols to provide therapeutic nursing care, administer medications, and treatments, and to teach self-care;
• Participate in epidemiological studies by conducting investigations to control diseases;
• Makes home visits to a variety of high risk clients and their families to provide public health nursing services;
• Makes physical, psycho-social and health care needs assessments, arranges for required medical and social services, consults with clients’ physicians on matters pertaining to the clients’ health status and care, and counsels clients and families concerning child abuse and other sensitive issues;
• Participates in defining community health needs;
• Assess physical, psycho-social and health care needs for high risk clients;
• Acts as a client advocate to health care providers; coordinates, develops, and implements various community and specialized health education programs to teach and inform in the following public health program areas- immunization, sexually transmitted diseases, maternal and child health, preventive measures, family planning;
• May serve as a consultant for public health nursing issues to social workers and other staff;
• May be assigned to coordinate a specialized program or provide specialized nursing services to target populations-such as a program manager assignment; program manager for immunizations and general clinic;
• May assist on grant or demonstration project preparation, implementation, and evaluation;
• May participate in preparation of procedure manuals, forms, instructional materials, surveys, and questionnaires;
• Attends staff meetings, in-service training, team meetings, and others;
• Makes presentations to community groups, assists in developing and maintaining automated and manual recordkeeping systems;
• Utilizes electronic health records and other electronic documentation;
• Provide community outreach services by making home visits for the purpose of case management or any other nursing activity that involves functioning independently outside the agency;
• Work with considerable independence in a community-based health promotion project that involves developing programs or support groups, promoting community advocacy, and developing strong partnerships with residents;
• Serve as team leaders by coordinating the work assignments and quality of services delivered by sub-professionals that are part of a sub-group of a full project. Nurses have limited administrative and personnel responsibilities; unusual situations and problems are discussed with and/or referred to a higher level supervisor.
• Managing a program-level support activity, such as In-Service or Quality Assurance; participating in program or agency-wide planning and quality assurance activities (in this capacity, they will contribute observations or data related to patient or community trends or practices, ideas for improved program performance, and will participate in record audits and other program reviews);
• Participating in Public Health Preparedness activities as directed by agency management; this nurse will be expected to work as needed during public health emergencies, which may result in extended hours and long work shifts;
• Observes federal, state, and local HIPAA laws and regulations;
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor, Health Director, or Deputy Health Director

Education and Experience

Jackson County provides a robust offering of employee benefits including: employer paid medical and dental benefits, participation in the Local Governmental Employees’ Retirement System, paid leave (vacation, sick, and holiday), Employee Clinic, Wellness program, and supplemental benefit offerings.