SENIOR PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE

Senior Public Health Nurse - 40001927

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DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC HEALTH

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The primary purpose of this position is to independently plan, implement, and evaluate nursing care of individuals with active tuberculosis or infection and initiate individualized case management and contact investigation as the situation warrants: also, may assist with communicable disease outbreak response if needed.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The functions listed below are those that represent the majority of the time spent working in this position. Management may assign additional functions related to the type of work of the position as necessary.

• Independently plan, implement, and evaluate nursing care of individuals with active tuberculosis or latent infection and initiate individualized case management and contact investigation as the situation warrants;
• Assists with communicable disease surveillance and outbreak response;
• Conduct when assigned, communicable disease screenings on refugees seen in the clinic, assess vaccination status and administer vaccinations to refugees as indicated or assigned, provide necessary follow-up and referral, and assist with change of status applications;
• May be required to provide nursing services and health support in other Community Health clinics and programs;
• Perform related tasks as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: Must be able to work independently and make sound nursing judgments in a variety of complex health situations. Must have the ability to accurately record the services rendered and to interpret and explain records, reports and medical instruction. Must have good verbal and written communication skills. Considerable knowledge of, and skill in, the application of nursing theory, practice, principles, and techniques employed in the field of public health and related programs; Considerable knowledge of and ability to apply the principles and practices of public health; Knowledge of available resources and organizations and the ability to coordinate these as needed; General knowledge of current social and economic problems relating to public health, including health disparities; Ability to plan, coordinate, and oversee the work of others; Ability to deal tactfully with others and to exercise good judgment in appraising situations and making decisions; Ability to work in partnership with patients and with other service providers to elicit needed information and to maintain effective working relationships; Ability to record accurately services rendered and to interpret and explain records, reports, and medical instructions; Adequate computer skills to allow communication, patient record documentation, and accessing of information.

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: Graduation from an accredited school of professional nursing and one year of professional nursing experience.

SPECIAL CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES REQUIREMENTS: A current license to practice as a Registered Nurse in North Carolina by the N. C. Board of Nursing. General Statutes of NC, Chapter 90, Article 9.

EMERGENCY PREPARDNESS REQUIREMENTS: Primary work hours are between the hours of 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM. Employee is subject to be called upon at any time to help the agency respond to a public health emergency, which may include but is not limited to outbreak investigations, staffing mass dispensing or immunization clinics, providing disaster relief, or incidents (man-made or natural and intentional or non-intentional) as they arise, or any public health response as requested by the Health Director. Emergency duty may require the employee to travel during inclement weather. Refusal to comply with emergency response requirements may result in disciplinary actions, up to and including termination.

To further the mission of the Durham County Department of Public Health (DCoDPH) to partner with our community to advance health equity, protect the environment, and promote health and wellness for all, DCoDPH is implementing the employee vaccination and tuberculosis screening policies. All DCoDPH employees are considered healthcare personnel (HCP) working in a health care setting with the potential for exposure to patients and/or infectious materials and, therefore, are required to comply and provide documented proof of the following: Measles, Mumps & Rubella (MMR) vaccination/immunity Varicella-Zoster Virus (Chicken Pox) vaccination/immunity Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis) Tuberculosis (TB) baseline screening within the last twelve (12) months prior to employment Hepatitis B vaccination/immunity – only required for DCoDPH employees with potential Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) exposures. Identified DCoDPH HCP with potential Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) exposure have an additional requirement for the Hepatitis B vaccination. Required vaccination, serological testing to determine immunity, and baseline tuberculosis screening are available for all Public Health employees who elect to become DCoDPH patients upon request and at no cost. Proof of vaccination and tuberculosis screening must be provided to Human Resources within seven (7) business days prior to the date of employment.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT COMPLIANCE: Durham County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires Durham County to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are encouraged to discuss ADA accommodations with management.

BACKGROUND CHECK STATEMENT: This position may be subject to a background check, which could include, but is not limited to, criminal history (employment-related and/or SBI fingerprint-based), credit history, motor vehicle records, educational verification, and checks of the sexual offender registry, depending on the specific requirements of the role. A conviction record does not automatically disqualify an applicant from employment consideration, unless otherwise required by applicable state law.