Public Health Nurse

Job Description

Job Description

The Public Health Nurse (PHN) is responsible for initiating and maintaining regular and long-term (up to two years) contact and support with families. This activity will occur primarily within the family’s home; each visit should last for at least one hour. The interventions should be family-centered, strength-based, and directed at establishing a trusting relationship; strengthening the parent-child relationship; promoting healthy childhood growth and development; and enhancing family well-being by reducing risk and building protective factors. The PHN partners with families and honors diverse family structures and parenting practices. Activities may also include but are not limited to administering screening tools such as the ASQ, ASQ-SE, Depression Screens etc.; identifying and referring families for other supportive services, including health care services.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Complies with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations as appropriate for the position. Complies with all policies and procedures of the agency, including those specified in the employee handbook.
• Promotes and uses the nursing process in working with clients and families. Develops, implements, evaluates, and revises a plan of nursing care.
• Consults with and educates the client and family regarding the disease process, self-care techniques, and prevention strategies.
• Accepts case management responsibilities in assessing client needs; planning, coordinating, and organizing care both within and outside the agency; and referring clients to other services as needed.
• Initiates appropriate preventative teaching, refers clients to appropriate community resources and is an advocate for families.
• Actively participates in a multidisciplinary team approach by providing family focused care.
• Communicates appropriately verbally and in writing with clients, staff, health care providers, referral sources, funding sources and other community resources.
• Evaluates effectiveness and outcomes of client care.
• Meets all of the documentation and productivity standards including outcomes of care as identified by the agency.
• Respects and maintains client confidentiality.
• Functions independently with minimal supervision.
• Contributes to employee satisfaction through positive interactions and professionalism.
• Promotes a positive working environment for program staff and the agency as a whole.
• Promotes the growth of the VNA by representing the organization, its mission, and its role in the community in a professional manner.

Education and/or Work Experience Requirements:

• Graduation from an accredited School of Nursing. A baccalaureate degree in nursing is preferred. Bilingual English/Spanish strongly preferred.
• Active license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Nebraska or Iowa or other nurse licensure compact state.
• Certified in Basic Life Support .
• One or more years of nursing experience preferred. Experience in maternal child nursing preferred.
• Possess maturity and experience working with families with children 0 to 5 years of age. Experience working with community agencies, including implementing a referral process. Ability to interact with a multidisciplinary team and other providers involved in the care of clients. Ability to establish trusting relationships, acceptance of individual differences, experience, and willingness to work with the culturally diverse populations present among the population served. Must be open to reflective practice with the capacity for introspection, communicates awareness of self in relation to others.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including ability to effectively communicate with internal and external customers. Ability to present information and respond to questions from employees, clients, managers, and the general public.
• Excellent computer proficiency. (MS Office – Word, Excel, and Outlook)
• Must be able to work under pressure and meet deadlines, while maintaining a positive attitude and providing exemplary customer service.
• Ability to work independently and to carry out assignments to completion within parameters of instructions given, prescribed routines, and standard accepted practices.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of standards effectively. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written or oral form. Ability to prioritize and check for errors and spot inaccuracies. Ability to predict the logical outcome of various choices and to make good decisions.
• Adapts to changes in procedures and technology. Willingly learn new skills as required for the position.
• Understands legal and ethical obligations for maintaining professional competency. Participate in professional development.
• activities. Integrate standards into practice. Limits practice according to competence.
• Ability to interact with a multi-disciplinary team and other providers involved in the care of clients. Must be task-oriented with the ability to complete a project/task within a specified time frame.
• Ability to establish trusting relationships, accept individual differences, have knowledge of infant and child development and be open to reflective practices.