Registered Nurse (Street Medicine)

Street Medicine Registered Nurse

Wellness Equity Alliance is a national multidisciplinary health organization that designs and delivers integrated, community-based care for populations most impacted by health inequities. We do this through mobile and field-based models, providing medical care, behavioral health services, substance use treatment, harm reduction, and care coordination in nontraditional settings such as encampments, schools, reentry sites, and rural communities as well as with sovereign tribal nations. Grounded in trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and data-driven practices, WEA combines clinical expertise, lived experience, and advanced population health analytics to reduce barriers to care, improve continuity, and strengthen local systems. We have partnered with more than 60 public agencies, managed care plans, and community-based organizations across the U.S. to implement scalable, sustainable programs that are advancing health equity and improving outcomes for historically marginalized populations.

We are known as Renegades, Rebels, Disruptors and Dreamers. If that sounds like you, we want you on our team.

WEA has launched a unique street medicine program featuring primary care, mental health, substance use disorder treatment, and infectious disease management in several regions across Southern California!

As a Registered Nurse with strong experience working with special populations, the position provides care to the unsheltered homeless in the Greater San Diego area wherever they may be living, including encampments, tents, vehicles, shelters, or temporary housing. This role includes working alongside diverse healthcare workers to assist individuals in adopting healthy behaviors, with the ultimate goal of improving health disparities and advancing individual and community health.

The RN is responsible for the mental and physical well-being of the community by advocating for health promotion, disease prevention, treatment, and education. The RN is a trusted member of the community served. This trusting relationship enables the RN to serve as the first healthcare professional who defines evident or underlying health issues. As these positions represent some of the early roles to help build this program, the street medicine RN must have a considerable understanding of and direct experience working with communities, in a public health capacity.

Key Responsibilities

• Provides health coaching, patient navigation, health education and/or health promotion for a diverse Patient panel within the health district and region
• Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records on medical information, to include recording critical encounter data into systems or on patient health records
• Makes assessments, based on encounter and patient interaction; communicates to consumers effectively and exercises compassionate patient centered service
• Administers medication in accordance with established standards and procedures; ensures administration is accurate; assesses for any allergic reaction, as required
• Assist with or instituting emergency measures for sudden adverse developments during treatment
• Document patients' medical and psychological histories, physical assessment results, diagnoses, treatment plans, prescriptions, or outcomes
• Handles and stores vaccinations and medications in accordance with CDC and organizational policies and procedures
• Provide personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to patients; take and administer labs, including handling specimens
• Perform physical examination; take vital signs; provide referrals, as required.
• Participate in community special educational outreach projects such as screenings and health fairs

Key Highlights

• Compensation: The annualized compensation range for this position is $90,000 - $115,000, based on a 1.0 FTE. Final compensation will be prorated based on the agreed-upon FTE allocation and determined by experience, qualifications, and role responsibilities.
• Work Location & Expectations: Seeking per diem and part-time Registered Nurses to join our San Diego Team.
• Professional Development: Opportunity to collaborate with cross-functional leaders across Behavioral Health, Medical, Street Medicine, Public Health, Rural Health, and Tribal Health initiatives.

Requirements

• Active, unrestricted California Registered Nurse (RN) license.
• Demonstrated history of experience successfully working with diverse cultural backgrounds, in a healthcare capacity
• Ability to work both independently and to collaborate with teams of individuals in diverse settings, using a solution-oriented approach
• Preference given to candidates with previous experience working as a Public Health Nurse, in an RN capacity
• Must possess active Basic Life Support (BLS) certification

Preferred Skills

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
• A Public Health Nurse (PHN)
• Some experience with case management/care coordination
• Experience with medical Spanish is strongly preferred
• Cultural competence with LatinX communities
• Demonstrated knowledge of infectious diseases such as HIV, STIs, COVID-19, and industry standard treatments of such
• Skill in the use of equipment and tools, including needles, stethoscope etc.
• Skilled in-patient intake and triage procedures
• Demonstrated knowledge of local and regional community resources
• Demonstrated knowledge of public health programs
• Skilled in utilizing appropriate industry standard assessment techniques
• Demonstrated ability to provide appropriate guidance and positive customer service while utilizing a patient centered approach