Public Health Nurse

City of Chattanooga•Chattanooga, TN

19h•Onsite

About The Position

The Public Health Nurse delivers community health initiatives, health education, care coordination, and disease prevention programs to eliminate barriers to care, improve health literacy, and address health disparities across assigned neighborhoods. Clinical responsibilities include administering immunizations, conducting routine biometric screenings, and providing minor acute care such as wound care and first aid; the nurse does not diagnose conditions. The position serves as a central point of contact for community members, coordinates outreach events, designs educational materials, collects health data, and measures health outcomes. The role is a stand-alone position in the Community Health Department. It is based at 6098 Debra Road, Chattanooga, Tennessee. Regular work hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST, though hours may vary by assignment or project, and non-standard hours, including evenings and weekends, may be required based on operational needs. This is an exempt position.

Requirements

Associate degree in Nursing and five years of directly related experience, or a bachelor's degree and three years of relevant experience covering the specified duties and responsibilities.
Degrees from accredited institutions above the minimum education requirement may be substituted for experience on a year-for-year basis.
Active Registered Nurse licensure in Tennessee or a multistate license.
Valid driver's license.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification.
Submit immunization records for review for required vaccines and TB testing.
Pass a pre-employment criminal background check; fingerprinting and subsequent clearance are required.
Provide proof of varicella immunity or obtain varicella vaccination within 90 days of employment.
Employees providing services or working in patient care or clinical areas must comply with the facility or organization's influenza and COVID-19 vaccination requirement.
Ability to perform nursing assessments and patient triage; educate patients and families about disease and appropriate care and treatment; and plan, implement, and evaluate individual patient care programs.
Knowledge of supportive care principles and techniques, accreditation and certification requirements, ethical principles and regulations governing human-subject biomedical research, clinical research principles and procedures, and basic managed care.
Ability to maintain quality, safety, and infection control standards; gather data, compile information, and prepare reports; and read, understand, follow, and enforce safety procedures.
Ability to work autonomously and maintain emotional stability when coping with human suffering, emergencies, and other stressors.
Strong organizational, coordination, interpersonal, written communication, and verbal communication skills; ability to prioritize and reprioritize quickly.
Ability to recruit, evaluate, and instruct clinical research subjects and volunteers.
Ability to work effectively at all levels in a collaborative, customer-service-oriented team environment.
Positions typically require fingering, grasping, talking, hearing, seeing, and repetitive motions; light work involving exertion of up to 20 pounds occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds frequently.
May be required to complete department-specific professional development activities.

Responsibilities

Perform nursing assessments and triage patient care needs for new and ongoing patients.
Oversee the planning, scheduling, and implementation of day-to-day clinical activities and procedures for navigated patients.
Work with physicians and other primary care providers to facilitate and coordinate patient access.
Serve as the central point of contact for navigated patients, interacting with medical, nursing, and ancillary services.
Educate patients, families, and the public on health, disease prevention, and related health factors; serve as an information resource for community members, healthcare professionals, and students.
Collect and report patient data on barriers, healthcare, medications, and prior treatments.
Track order completion and follow-up, and monitor patient compliance with treatment plans.
Assist patients with referrals to outside resources and care coordination as needed.
Follow established policies, procedures, objectives, continuous quality improvement objectives, and safety, environmental, and infection control standards.
Collaborate with medical providers, patient care staff, and clinic or facility management to plan and implement patient and staff education.
Design, develop, and implement culturally competent health education materials for children and adults, accounting for developmental level and literacy needs.
Address chronic disease prevalence, improve health literacy, and reduce inequalities among populations in assigned neighborhoods.
Support health-related events hosted by other departments, centers, and nonprofits.
Develop health curricula for community health courses, mindful of cultural competence and health literacy levels.
Meet regular attendance requirements and maintain good interpersonal relationships with staff, coworkers, managers, and citizens.
Accomplish essential job functions in a timely manner, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Perform other duties as assigned.