Public Health Nurse II

Public Health Nurse II

The Public Health Nurse II provides comprehensive, skilled, and specialized nursing care under a physician's order. Employees in this job have no formal supervisory role, however, may train, guide, or lead employees in the designated work unit. Employees must meet the minimum requirements, conditions of employment, and be able to perform successfully all essential duties and responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodations.

This position could include various public health programs including but are not limited to Healthy Families of America, which is an evidence-based home visiting program focused on early childhood relational health.

This position may require irregular hours.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (may include but are not limited to the following)

• Demonstrates independent nursing judgment performing comprehensive individual and family assessments, including social determinants of health.
• Works independently to conduct home visits with assigned families to provide support services to improve child health, growth and development outcomes.
• Demonstrates decision making and problem solving, using critical thinking skills, regarding public health issues.
• Utilizes a strength-based and person-centered approach
• Demonstrates knowledge and appropriate actions to be taken in multiple diverse and complex circumstances.
• Promotes and participates in public health education and disease prevention.
• Promotes immunization recommendations.
• Acts as a health advocate for individuals, families and the community.
• Prepares, updates, and maintains records to ensure accuracy and completeness.
• Complies with privacy and security laws (HIPAA), Federal, State, and Agency policies, and procedures.
• Complies with all job safety requirements, including OSHA standards and quality control requirements.
• Demonstrates knowledge of community resources and makes referrals to community agencies.
• Collaborates with community agencies to ensure coordination of care.
• Participates in continuing education programs and self-directed education to keep skills and knowledge current.
• Demonstrates appropriate communication skills in addressing co-workers, community members and partners, and clients.
• Demonstrates basic computer skills and willingness to adapt to new software programs as indicated.
• Demonstrates dependable and reliable attendance patterns.
• Participates in trainings, drills, investigations, and team responses to public health emergencies and bioterrorism events.
• Participates in Community Health Outreach activities and events.
• All other duties as assigned or delegated.

EDUCATION, FORMAL TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCE (minimum requirements)

• Bachelor's Degree in Nursing from an accredited nursing program
• Two to four years of related nursing experience (preferred)

CERTIFICATIONS, LICENSES

• Possession and maintenance of a current license to practice as a registered nurse in Michigan
• Current CPR certification
• Other certifications may be required depending on assignment
• Requires a valid driver's license and personal vehicle insurance and must maintain eligibility to drive as per the County's Vehicle policy.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT (minimum requirements - legal or contractual preemployment obligations and/or requirements, such as drug testing, background check, etc.)

A background check may be required initially and periodically for an individual hired, transferred, reclassified, promoted, or currently working in this job. Appointment to or continued employment in this job is contingent upon a satisfactory background check which may include but is not limited to: confirmation of a persons' identity; review of criminal conviction records; verification of educational degree, license, or certificate required for the position; review of Department of Motor Vehicles records; Department of Justice fingerprint scan; and/or drug and alcohol testing as required and allowable by law. A satisfactory background check is defined as the absence of a criminal history record which bears a demonstrable relationship to the applicant's or employee's suitability to perform the required duties and responsibilities of the position. Annually, all public health nurses are required to receive the seasonal flu vaccination.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS, WORK ENVIRONMENT, AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• May be required to climb or balance; reach with hands and arms; sit; stand; stoop, kneel, twist, or crouch; talk and hear; smell; use hands to finger, handle, or feel.
• Position occasionally works in an outdoor environment with exposure to weatherrelated heat and cold, rain, wind, and related elements.
• May be exposed to infectious diseases, criminal suspects or prison inmates.
• May occasionally be required to lift/move up to 50 pounds.

ORGANIZATIONAL KEY COMPETENCIES

• Serve with Integrity
• Be Innovative
• Be Accountable
• Engage the Team
• Provide Service
• Be Transparent

COMPETENCIES

Position Specific Key Competencies for Public Health Professionals, also known as Core Competencies, are a consensus set of skills for the broad practice of public health, as defined by the 10 Essential Public Health Services:

Analytical/Assessment Skills

• Describes factors affecting the health of the community
• Explains how community health assessments use information about health status, factors influencing health, assets, and resources
• Use quantitative and qualitative data
• Describes assets and resources that can be used for improving the health of the community
• Describes how evidence (e.g., data, findings reported in peer-reviewed literature, evidenced based practices) is used in decision making
• Make evidence-based decisions using data and best practice strategies to promote community health
• Apply ethical principles on the use of data and information Advocate for the use of evidence using public health science skills
• Uses information technology in accessing, collecting, analyzing, using, maintaining, and disseminating data and information

Policy Development/Program Planning Skills

• Contributes to community health improvement planning
• Contributes to implementation of organizational strategic plan
• Contributes to the development of program goals and objectives
• Identifies and describes implications of current trends and policies affecting the health of the community, with a focus on marginalized/disadvantaged population groups
• Implements policies, programs, and services
• Explains the importance of evaluations for improving policies, programs, and services
• Applies strategies for continuous quality improvement

Communication Skills

• Identifies the literacy of populations served (e.g., ability to obtain, interpret, and use health and other information, social media literacy)
• Communicates in writing and orally with linguistic and cultural proficiency
• Solicits input from individuals and organizations for improving the health of a community
• Conveys data and information to professionals and the public using a variety of approaches
• Communicates information to influence behavior and improve health
• Describes the roles of governmental public health, health care, and other partners in improving the health of a community

Cultural Competency Skills

• Describes the concept of diversity as it applies to individuals, populations, and the community served
• Recognizes and addresses the diversity in individuals and populations when developing, implementing, and evaluating policies, programs, and services that affect the health of the community
• Describes the effects of policies, programs, and services on different populations in the community

Community Dimensions of Practice Skills

• Describes the programs and services provided by governmental and nongovernmental organizations to improve the health of a community
• Recognizes, suggests, and supports relationships that affect and are needed to support health in the community
• Provides input for developing, implementing, evaluating, and improving policies, programs, and services
• Uses assets and resources to improve health in a community Informs the public about policies, programs, and resources that improve health in a community May collaborate in community