Public Health Nurse - Maternal Child Health

Registered Nurse

Chester County Health Department (CCHD) is currently hiring a full-time registered nurse for our Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) program. Be part of a dynamic team that makes a difference in the lives of first-time pregnant and parenting families. Services include home visits to promote parent, child, and family health. Must have a PA RN license or an active Multistate RN License; BSN required. Reliable vehicle and valid driver's license required. Mileage will be reimbursed in accordance with County policy. Full-time employment (40 hours/week). Weekday hours.

This is an Essential Employee position. Essential employees are obligated to report to work as scheduled or remain at work during emergencies. Following is the Duty Statement for Essential Employees:

"Carries out essential job functions or assigned emergency duties which may involve assignments within the Department of Health Command Center, deployment to a field location to participate in public health activities, or other duties as required during periods of emergency. If received, emergency assignments may be performed under adverse conditions and continue for periods ranging from a few hours to several weeks."

A criminal background check and Pennsylvania child clearances are required.

Essential Duties

• Provide comprehensive community health nursing services to pregnant and parenting families in accordance with program goals, objectives and visit guidelines and with a focus on health promotion, assessment and education.
• Assess physical, emotional, social and environmental needs of women and their families as they relate to maternal child health, including social determinants of health.
• Provide prenatal teaching to include the areas of nutrition, fetal development, preterm labor prevention, preparation for labor and delivery, and anticipatory guidance related to newborn care/parenting.
• Provide postpartum teaching to include the areas of breastfeeding, family planning, emotional support and maternal-child engagement.
• Provide newborn/child education to include the areas of feeding/nutrition, safe sleep, growth and development, safety and promotion of socio-emotional health.
• Provide community-based health education including representing CCHD at health fairs.
• Be a vaccine champion, educate parents about the importance of adult and child vaccines and referring clients to CCHD and community immunization providers as needed.
• Provide assessment, education, and referrals to address the needs of children with elevated blood lead levels.
• Develop a therapeutic relationship with women and their families that promotes goal setting and problem-solving competence.
• Assist families to access healthcare resources and communicate with healthcare providers as needed to address special health conditions of mother or child.
• Link families with community resources relevant to their specific needs.
• Consult and collaborate with other inter-agency professionals involved in providing services to women and families in caseload.
• Document all client assessments, interventions, and education accurately and in a timely manner.
• Utilize program-relevant databases proficiently and enter data within required time frames.
• Engage in continuing education and meet requirements to maintain licenses and certifications.
• Participate in the orientation of new staff.
• Participate in providing public health experiences for students and interns
• Promote positive team dynamics through participation in team meetings, contributing input for program development initiatives, and supporting healthy communication patterns.
• Work effectively with interpreters as needed in home visit and clinic settings.
• Submit program outcomes data by designated due dates.
• Participate in relevant Continuous Quality Improvement initiatives to pursue program excellence.
• Perform other duties, tasks and special projects as required to support CCHD programs, including vaccine outreach clinics.

Qualifications/Preferred Skills, Knowledge & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Nursing (BSN).
• Graduate of an accredited Nursing School or College.
• Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN), issued by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing or an active Multistate RN license.
• Current CPR certification.
• Strong professional ethics.
• Strong working knowledge of nursing theory, principles and practices.
• Broad knowledge of public health issues and concerns.
• Strong critical thinking and decision-making skills.
• Ability to follow protocol.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and positive communication patterns.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to take self-initiative to accomplish program goals and tasks.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Time management skills and ability to establish priorities.
• Positive customer service skills.
• Ability to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to maintain confidential information and handle confidential matters.
• Ability to work extended hours, as necessary.
• A valid driver's license and proof of insurance is required.
• Preferred Skills, Knowledge & Experience:
• One to two years of experience in the Community or Public Health field.
• One to two years experience in the Maternal Child Health field.
• Excellent physical assessment skills.

Additional Information

Relevant background checks, clearances, physicals, drug tests, and any other assessments or evaluations will be conducted after an offer of employment is given per County policy.

Computer Skills: To perform this job successfully, an individual should have:

• Proficient keyboarding skills
• Basic Word skills
• Basic Access skills
• Basic OutLook skills (Email and Calendar)
• Ability to use web-based tools

Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this position, the employee is frequently required to walk, sit, lift or carry items, drive a vehicle during working hours, and talk or hear. Occasionally, the employee will need to stand; reach or work with arms above shoulders; bend, twist or rotate at the waist; kneel, stoop, crouch or squat; climb stairs; push items; or work with office machinery. The special vision requirements for this position are:

• Close vision (clear vision at 20 inches or less) ability to read drug labels accurately for name, lot numbers and dates and ability to read syringe calibrations
• Color vision (ability to identify and distinguish colors)
• Ability to adjust focus of the eye to bring an object into sharp focus

Work Environment: The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate. Typically work at clinics, patients' homes, or other community settings. Will sometimes be required to work at outdoor health fairs, etc.