Public Health Nurse

Job Description

Job Description

General Summary

Assesses the health needs of individuals and groups within the locality. Provides nursing, teaching, and health counseling services to the community to prevent or control diseases or adverse health conditions. Provides nursing care both through home visits and in-office care. Documents client care, collects data, and reports to the state as necessary. Tests and treats communicable diseases. Performs work at the professional journey level.

Essential Duties and Responsibilites

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by employees in this job. Employees may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

• Provides skilled nursing care for patients/clients in the home or office setting. Provides referrals to other community and health care providers as necessary.
• Assesses the health status of individuals and groups in the community through a systematic and continuous collection of objective and subjective data derived from observations, physical assessments, and interviews.
• Develops diagnosis by identification of actual or potential responses to health needs or problems based on collecting, analyzing, and comparing data with appropriate nursing standards to serve as the basis for indicating nursing care or for which referral to appropriate medical community resources is required.
• Develops a plan of care which includes measurable goals derived from the nursing diagnosis and identified priorities to maintain comfort, support of human functions and responses, and an environment conducive to wellness.
• Implements the plan of care to maximize health capabilities of individuals and groups including provision of specific tasks.
• Provides case management of clients. Provides short-term support, including needs assessment, education, and coordination of care. Identifies, coordinates, implements, and evaluates individualized, cost-effective health care services on a long term, ongoing basis. Assesses persons for community services and nursing home placement. Evaluates persons who may be at risk to self or others.
• Appraises the effectiveness of goal attainment in the plan of care by reassessing health status, and modifying nursing diagnosis, plan of care, and interventions; apply theoretical concepts as a basis for decision in practice.
• Collaborates with other health care providers, professionals, and community representatives in assessing planning, implementing, and evaluating programs for community health.
• Participates in planning and conducting various clinics and classes as assigned.
• Reads, understands, and implements medical orders.
• Stays abreast of new trends and innovations in the field of nursing.
• Maintains records of activities and operations.
• Offers presentations to other agencies and community groups in order to promote the services offered.
• Performs related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Nursing or a related field
• One (1) to three (3) years of experience in public health nursing 
• Any equivalent combination of training, education, and experience that provides the required skills, knowledge, and abilities

Required Licenses or Certifications:

• Class C driver's license
• License to practice as professional Registered Nurse in the state of Wyoming
• CPR certification

Competencies for Successful Performance of Job Duties

Knowledge of:

• English grammar, spelling, and punctuation
• Principles and practices of basic bookkeeping
• Modern office procedures, methods, and computer equipment
• Principles, procedures, methods, and techniques of physical, biological, behavioral, and nursing sciences and health care
• Principles and practices of public health nursing
• Nursing Code of Ethics
• Techniques and methods of assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention, and evaluation
• Principles and practices of nutrition
• Causes and methods of control of various communicable diseases
• Principles of child development
• Medical terminology
• Principles and methods of training and instruction

Skill in:

• Interpersonal skills necessary to develop and maintain effective and appropriate working relationships 
• Performing a variety of duties, often changing from one task to another of a different nature
• Performing basic mathematical functions such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages, and ratios
• Communication, both oral and written 
• Operating a variety of medical and laboratory tools and equipment

Ability to:

• Meet schedules and deadlines of the work
• Understand and carry out oral and written directions
• Accurately organize and maintain paper documents and electronic files
• Maintain the confidentiality of information and professional boundaries
• Collect, compile, and analyze information and data
• Apply medical diagnosis and treatment to patient care
• Interpret medical data and prepare medical reports

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The position involves heavy physical demands, such as exerting up to 100 lbs. of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 lbs. of force frequently, and/or up to 20 lbs. of force constantly to move objects. 

Campbell County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.