Public Health Nurse I/II

County of Shasta • Redding, CA

7d • Hybrid

About The Position

Under close supervision, PHN performs a variety of tasks. In Child Welfare Services (Foster Care Nursing Unit), Public Health Nurse I/II provides all services and support required by the Health Care Program for Children in Foster Care (HCPCFC). The tasks of the Public Health Nurse I/II include but are not limited to conducting medical health history interviews, providing health information to clients, collection and review of medical health information, entry of medical records, and health care planning. On occasion, the Public Health Nurse I/II will attend home visits to assist in assessing youth’s health needs and development. Public Health Nurse I/II works collaboratively with a team, including child welfare social workers to ensure the safety, permanency, and well-being of youth experiencing abuse and/or neglect are met. Public Health Nurse II: Same as above, however this classification will work under general supervision. Public Health Nurse I: This is an entry-level class for Registered Nurses who have recently been certificated as a Public Health Nurse or those who have been out of practice for a number of years. Incumbents apply the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities in learning to perform the full scope of public health nursing duties. Public Health Nurse II: This is the journey and fully qualified professional level of the Public Health Nursing series in which incumbents have demonstrated competence to assume broad responsibilities requiring independence and professional judgment in assessing individual, family, and community health needs, and in planning and evaluating public health nursing activities.

Requirements

• Skilled nursing as applied to public health practices; promoting health and the prevention of disease and disability; general nursing skills in the areas of maternal, child, and adult health; child growth and development; nutritional needs of all ages; normal and abnormal health conditions and health behavior; teaching, counseling, interviewing, and history taking; case management; epidemiology and methods for the control of communicable diseases; community resources and how to utilize them; environmental, sociological, cultural, policy, and psychological issues influencing health; current developments in public health nursing; ordinances, rules and regulations governing public health services and nursing practices; basic economics for delivery of health care; workload management and management of personal stress; and the work of other social and health agencies, and functions of other professions as related to public health nursing.
• Exercise independent judgment to plan, organize, and problem solve; manage time effectively; adapt to various cultural, physical and behavioral conditions of patients and environment; teach individuals and groups; seek and use appropriate resource materials; work effectively with individuals, families, groups, agencies, and coalitions to assist in the satisfactory solution of health problems; recognize and respect the impact of cultural differences on health behavior and practices; perform assessments, interviews, and gather needed information to reach appropriate nursing diagnosis; make appropriate referrals to community resources; provide adequate follow up to help maximize use of resources; perform clinical tasks such as venipuncture, injections, and dispensing medications; keep accurate, concise and legally appropriate records and reports; establish and maintain cooperative relationships with health and other professionals, paraprofessionals, agencies, community groups, and the general public; communicate effectively orally and in writing; and actively promote the Department’s mission and its population-based health outcomes orientation.
• Skilled nursing as applied to public health practice; control and prevention of communicable and chronic disease; maternal, child, adolescent, and adult health; prevention of abuse, neglect, and violence throughout the age continuum; prevention of injuries; learning, teaching, interviewing, counseling, and problem solving; normal growth and development including the aging process; impact of nutrition at all age levels; community resources and methods to mobilize and access them; case management; work of other social and health agencies, and functions of other professions as related to public health practice; literature and trends in public health nursing and the general field of public health as a whole; environmental, sociological, cultural, psychological, political and policy issues influencing health; and funding sources and cost of health care.
• Assess comprehensive health needs of children and adults; problem solve and case manage individuals or families with complex problems and health issues; identify and respect cultural patterns influencing health practices; facilitate access to resources; identify populations with specific health needs; monitor the accessibility and quality of community and personal health services in the community; advocate for needs of culturally, economically, or geographically disadvantaged persons; work effectively with individuals, department staff, families, community groups agencies, and coalitions in developing and implementing satisfactory solutions to health problems; apply principles of epidemiology to a wide range of social and health issues; apply principles of primary prevention to the prioritization, design, implementation and evaluation of community-based health programs; maintain confidentiality; communicate effectively orally and in writing; mentor other nursing personnel and train and direct the work of staff, interns, or volunteers; respond effectively to critical situations and emergencies; and actively promote the Department’s mission and its population-based health outcomes orientation.
• A bachelor’s degree in nursing from an accredited college or university nursing program.
• Twelve (12) months of experience comparable to a Public Health Nurse I with Shasta County.
• Possession of a valid license as a Registered Nurse issued by the California Board of Registered Nursing
• Possession of a valid California State Public Health Nursing (PHN) Certificate
• Possession of an appropriate California driver license

Nice To Haves

• The ideal candidate will be able to make an immediate positive impact on external and internal customers. With a professional attitude and appearance, the ideal candidate will demonstrate a desire for serving those in need while promoting community health and well-being. This individual will be a positive contributor to the site culture and exemplify the agency values of Collaboration, Adaptability, Respect and Excellence. We welcome a candidate who is interested in a fast-paced, team-oriented, collaborative environment. The ideal candidate will be good with communication, multitasking, organizing and have the ability to maintain strong interpersonal skills. The Behavioral Health and Social Services Branch Foster Care Nursing Unit is looking for a Public Health Nurse I/II, who has a desire to work with parents (i.e. Biological Parents, Foster Parents, Relative Caregivers), and infants, children, and youth in out-of-home placement in Shasta County. The ideal candidate has adult and/or pediatric experience, understands all aspects of child and adolescent development, and works well with vulnerable or medically fragile populations. The ideal candidate should possess excellent communication skills, both orally and written. The candidate will be comfortable with communicating directly with clients, referring clients to resources, and collaborating with medical providers, dental providers, and community partners. The candidate must be able to work autonomously as well as collaboratively within a team.

Responsibilities

• Elicits health and social histories of individuals and families through use of observation and effective interviewing skills; participates in the promotion of communicable disease prevention education; identifies health care needs through physical assessments; recognizes the significance of abnormal findings; helps individuals and groups change their health behavior through discussions that highlight their specific health knowledge, attitudes, and skills; provides case management services based on assessment of the comprehensive health needs of the individual and family; identifies cultural patterns influencing community health practices, increases access of hard-to-reach populations to public health and other services, and assists in increasing the cultural competency of staff and the Health and Human Services Agency as an organization; teaches and counsels individuals, families, and groups regarding specific diseases or health conditions as well as health maintenance; investigates and monitors cases of communicable disease, obtains specimens, interprets laboratory results, determines sources and contacts to prevent the spread of communicable disease; compiles and uses records, reports, and statistical information for appraisal and planning; attends required meetings and trainings; and performs related duties and responsibilities as assigned.
• Plans, organizes, and provides public health nursing services, including assessment, intervention, referral, and follow up of persons who have a communicable disease; assesses persons who have been exposed to a communicable disease to assure early detection and referral of health conditions deviating from normal; provides tailor-made personal, preventive, and community health services to targeted populations in need; teaches individuals and groups about disease and disability prevention, and health promotion; participates in epidemiological investigations for control of communicable and chronic diseases; interacts with all aspects of the community--individual, family, agency, business, and professional; develops and implements community projects as an outgrowth of issues identified during public health nursing practice; mobilizes the community to develop partnerships and alliances to address identified high-priority community health needs; evaluates health of special population groups, such as the elderly, the culturally, economically, or geographically disadvantaged, or those with alternate life styles; identifies cultural patterns influencing community health practices, increases access of hard-to-reach populations to public health and other services, and increases the cultural competency of staff and the Health and Human Services Agency as an organization; keeps accurate, concise, and legally-appropriate records and reports; effectively uses records, reports, and statistical information for appraisal and planning; attends required meetings and trainings; with certified sexually transmitted disease (STD) training and supervision, may be assigned to perform STD exams, including moderate complexity laboratory tests; prioritizes multiple tasks, exercises effective time management, and manages workload and personal stress well; may assume delegated responsibility for the work of the Program Supervisor or the Program Manager in the absence of either; and may supervise a small number of other Department staff, interns, or volunteers.

Benefits

• CalPERS retirement program
• Employees are eligible for a merit-based salary increase from Step A to Step B after six months of satisfactory service. Thereafter, employees may be eligible for annual merit-based step increases, beginning one year from the Step B effective date, until they reach the top step of the salary range.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level