Registered Nurse 3 - Public Health

Department: Health & Human Services

Union Affiliation: AFSCME

Work Schedule: Monday – Friday

Total Hours Per Week: 40

Tillamook County follows Oregon Pay Equity laws in reviewing education, experience and seniority for wage offers.

This position will work within the department's home visiting programs providing care coordination, education, and support to pregnant and parenting individuals, infants and children, and children with special health needs.

The Registered Nurse 3-Public Health is an employee of Tillamook County Health and Human Services Department (HHS); includes the Community Health Center which provides medical, behavioral, dental, services and integrated Tillamook County Public Health and Environmental Health programs and services. HHS is a dynamic department with a fast-paced environment serving diverse populations. This position works in the public health section of the department. The classification is a 3-level series and includes positions that require professional knowledge of nursing. The Registered Nurse 3 serves as the Public Health Nurse (PHN) and provides comprehensive public health nursing services to individuals, families and communities. Care is provided in the home, clinic, and community settings through direct care, health promotion education, referrals and community education and connections. The Registered Nurse 3 works together with individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations to provide Public Health Services.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The individual in this role is expected to possess and exhibit the following knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Knowledge

• In-depth knowledge of professional nursing principles, practices, and Public Health Services.
• Knowledge of case management for complex patients.
• Knowledge of Social Determinants of Health
• Knowledge of reproductive health, immunizations, child growth and development, pregnancy and childbirth, and communicable disease.

Skills

• Skill in using nursing assessment and judgement to provide client care.
• Skill in developing diagnosis and subsequent nursing interventions.
• Skill in develop and implement nursing care plans.
• Skill in utilizing trauma informed care practices when interviewing, screening, and counseling clients.
• Skill in utilizing a broad range of development and growth screens
• Skill in utilizing a broad range of clinical equipment.

Abilities

• Ability to provide individual and family counseling, guidance, and health instruction to help clients understand how to prevent disease and maintain good health.
• Ability to take medical histories and conduct physical examinations.
• Ability to effectively and appropriately interact and communicate with clients and families with a wide range of cognitive abilities, cultural backgrounds, and education levels.
• Ability to provide compassionate care in a non-judgmental way and possess self-awareness of personal bias.
• Ability to problem solve complex situations.

Required Qualifications

(Minimum qualifications for this role)

Education

• Associate's degree in Nursing.

Experience

• Two (2) years of progressively responsible professional nursing experience, preferably in a public health setting.

Certifications or Licenses

• Current Oregon Registered Nurse License.
• At the time of appointment, must possess a valid Oregon driver's license and maintain an acceptable driving record.

Preferred Qualifications

• Four (4) year degree in a related field.

Other Qualifications

• Must pass a pre-employment criminal history background investigation.

Duties assigned to this classification include, but are not limited to, the following examples.

The Registered Nurse 3 provides services to clients in the home, clinic, and/or community setting utilizing a trauma informed care approach. Services are provided with a team approach utilizing support from community health workers and other public health staff where applicable. Individual and Community Based Services may include but are not limited to:

• Direct case management of pediatric and adult clients ensuring appropriate referrals and connection to services.
• Prenatal and postnatal outreach, screening, care, lactation support, and education.
• Infant and pediatric; outreach, growth and development screening, nursing interventions, health and development education, well child assessments, infant feeding assessments, and immunizations.
• Effectively utilize nursing assessments; formulate, apply, and monitor nursing care plans.
• Utilize agency standing orders and protocols to provide STI screening, treatment, education, and counsel appropriate risk reduction strategies. Utilize agency standing orders and protocols to provide contraception services and education.
• Utilize agency standing orders and protocols to counsel and administer appropriate immunizations.
• Provide counseling and education in an individual or group settings in the areas of chronic health conditions such as prevention and management of diabetes, drug and alcohol abuse, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Communicable disease such as STIs, TB, and other reportable conditions. As well as topics such as pregnancy prevention, child abuse prevention, teen dating violence, first aid, and disaster preparedness.
• Provide communicable disease services by partnering with state and local health agencies, hospitals, and health clinics to monitor, track, and investigate communicable diseases. Provide education, investigative, and treatment services as needed to individual clients.
• Participate and expect program review work will be reviewed during State Triannual reviews including communicable disease and home visiting.
• Provide limited oversight and direction to Community Health Workers (CHWs) or similar support staff, including reviewing documentation and ensuring adherence to prescribed care plans and protocols.

Performs additional duties as assigned

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Acts in a lead capacity (does not formally supervise) to direct workflow or to mentor employees in the assigned department.

Supervisory Controls

• Works independently within a broad framework, managing a complex area of responsibility. The supervisor provides direction on overall goals, and performance is reviewed periodically based on outcomes and expected results.

Working Conditions

Mental effort

• High degree of concentration with above normal periods of attention, above normal deadlines, or a high degree of creative thinking.

Physical effort

• Moderate: The work requires some physical exertion, such as long periods of standing; walking over rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces; recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, or similar activities; or recurring lifting of moderately heavy items, such as tables, equipment, and medium-sized parts. The work may require specific but common, physical characteristics and abilities, such as above-average agility and dexterity.