Public Health Nurse (RN) - Maternal Child Health and Better Birth Outcomes

Lake County•Waukegan, IL

19d

About The Position

The Public Health Nurse is a member of the Maternal and Child Health Care Team, providing independent nursing-process services and comprehensive health navigation to individuals and families in their homes and in community settings. The nurse participates in orientation, program development, community assessment, and quality assurance and improvement. The role works primarily in the Better Birth Outcomes–Comprehensive program and may also be assigned to other Maternal Child Health programs. Scheduled hours are 37.5 per week. The position serves clients in homes within an assigned geographic area and in clinics. It involves assessing health needs, developing and evaluating client-centered care plans, coordinating with multidisciplinary health professionals and community organizations, managing a caseload, documenting care and outcomes, and providing health education. The nurse may also translate for staff and client families if bilingual. Applicants must live in Illinois or Wisconsin to be eligible to work for the Lake County Health Department. Any offer is conditioned on successful completion of background screening and drug and alcohol testing, and may include a pre-employment medical exam.

Requirements

Current Illinois licensure as a registered professional nurse, or an Illinois license by reciprocity within six months of the initial date of employment.
Valid driver’s license and use of a personal vehicle.
Maintain CPR certification.
Ability to lift up to 30 pounds, including carrying a scale and other supplies and handling patients.
Must live in Illinois or Wisconsin to be eligible to work at Lake County Health Department.

Nice To Haves

Pediatric and/or OB experience preferred.
Bilingual ability, for translation for staff and client families as needed.

Responsibilities

Assess ongoing health needs and develop plans with clients and other health professionals to address identified needs.
Apply the outcomes-oriented nursing process for clients in their homes and clinics, including assessing health needs, setting goals with clients, developing and implementing care plans, evaluating plans, and monitoring progress.
Coordinate with multidisciplinary health care team members, community services, and organizations to develop and modify client care plans.
Manage an assigned caseload, including timely and appropriate client contact and provision of needed interventions.
Maintain complete, timely, accurate, and concise documentation of nursing interventions and outcomes; compile required inter-agency and intra-agency reports.
Maintain current knowledge of maternal, infant, child, and adolescent health trends and issues and apply it to practice.
Participate in clinical case conferences, staff meetings, in-services, committees, and orientation of staff and students, as appropriate.
Provide health education in clinic settings or the community.
Serve as a resource to staff, health care providers, and the community in managing multidisciplinary situations related to public health issues.
Translate for staff and client families, as needed, if bilingual.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Participate in orientation, program development, community assessment, and quality assurance and improvement.
Work primarily in the Better Birth Outcomes–Comprehensive program and, as assigned, in other Maternal Child Health programs.