Vilas County
Position: Public Health Nurse Department: Public Health
Status: Full Time Manager: Tammi Boers
Position Classification: M Schedule: Monday – Friday
Salary Range: $57,803-$59,446-$61,110 Hours: 40
FLSA Status: Exempt Posting Expiration: May 31, 2023
Position Summary: The Registered Nurse provides public health nursing services to individuals, families, and population groups. Nursing actions are directed toward the goals of prevention, assessment, risk reduction, and health status improvement for individuals, families, and communities. Nursing activities include, but are not limited to, providing immunizations, communicable disease follow-up, health education and advocacy, coalition building, and collaborating with community partners to promote the health of a population. Nurses often collaborate and consult within multidisciplinary and multi-agency teams in order to achieve desirable outcomes for families and communities. Nursing interventions occur at individual, family, community, and system levels depending upon the responsibilities of the position and the issues involved. All duties and responsibilities are performed under and subject to the review and guidance of the Public Health Director and Public Health Board.
Qualifications / Requirements:
Public Health Sciences
1. Performs comprehensive individual and family assessments which include health history, physical assessment, growth monitoring, developmental assessment, psycho-social assessment, assessment of family functioning, assessment for substance abuse or domestic violence issues, and assessment of basic needs including food, housing, income, resources and supports, and access to health care.
2. Provides care coordination, referral and follow-up to individuals and families who are members of a vulnerable population and/or high-risk groups.
3. Uses public health surveillance/disease investigation methods in community outreach, screening, and case finding of communicable and infectious diseases that threaten the health of the community, such as COVID-19.
4. Investigates complaints regarding environmental health problems and environmental health hazards and initiates enforcement or corrective actions as required.
5. Provides education and counseling services to individuals, families and community groups that are adapted to their unique needs, lifestyle, cultural and socio-economic situation.
6. Ensures patient confidentiality and maintains orderly medical records. Follows established Public Health medical records policies and procedures as well as the State and Federal laws that govern the release of health care information.
7. Documents patient assessment and intervention data in medical records. Uses established medical record forms, databases and documentation practices.
8. Responds to individual client emergency situations in the clinical or home setting with basic life support and first aid skills. Summons other health care providers and emergency response personnel in a timely and appropriate manner.
9. Evaluates outcomes of public health nursing interventions; works with others (clients and other professionals) to makes changes as necessary.
10. Participates in response teams to prevent, minimize, and contain adverse health events and conditions resulting from communicable diseases; food-, water-, and vector-borne outbreaks; chronic diseases; environmental hazards; injuries; and health disparities.
Community Dimensions of Practice
11. Collaborates in Vilas County Public Health Department’s community health improvement planning and intervention activities.
12. Delivers targeted, culturally-appropriate information to help individuals and groups understand health promotion and disease prevention information, policies, regulations, and local code.
13. Advocates on behalf of vulnerable individuals and populations; participates in assessing and evaluating health care services to ensure that people are informed of available services and assists in the utilization of those services.
14. Contributes to a work environment that fosters ongoing educational experiences regarding public health nursing for colleagues, nursing and other health-related students, healthcare professionals and members of the community.
Analysis and Assessment
15. Distinguishes between quantitative and qualitative community assessment data; understands incidence and prevalence data; knows how to access basic community epidemiological data.
16. Participates in the analysis of data to identify trends, health problems, environmental health hazards, and social and economic conditions that adversely affect the public’s health.
Leadership and Systems Thinking
17. Demonstrates knowledge regarding and compliant with applicable professional practice guidelines and i.e. professional practice guidelines for registered professional nurses, the American Nurses’ Association Scope and Standards of Practice for Public Health Nursing any other Federal and State laws and regulations applicable to practice as public health professional.
18. Adheres to applicable Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, such as those concerning exposure to blood borne pathogens, toxic substances, airborne pathogens or exposure to other hazards during routine assignments or assignments during public health emergencies.
Policy Development and Program Planning
19. Coordinates public health activities with environmental and public health professionals and investigators from other agencies and jurisdictions, including, but not limited to, the Wisconsin (WI) Division of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
20. Coordinates activities among and between other governmental agencies, such as the WI Department of Health Services, that enforce laws and regulations that protect the public’s health.
21. Collaborates in the development of evidence-based public health practices and programs in collaboration with universities, other nursing agencies, businesses, trade associations, other staff and the public.
22. Collaborates in the development, implementation, tracking, and evaluation of long- and short-range policies, procedures, plans and programs for public health in Vilas County.
23. Collaborates in and contributes to the Department’s strategic plan, performance management, quality improvement, and evaluation activities.
Communication and Cultural Competency
24. Delivers targeted, culturally appropriate information to help individuals and groups understand local environmental public health policies, regulations and code.
25. Utilizes appropriate methods for interacting effectively and professionally with persons of all ages and from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial, and ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, lifestyles and physical abilities.
26. Follows ethical principles and Department policy in the collection, maintenance, use, and sharing of data and information.
Financial Planning and Management
27. Collaborates in activities such as time studies that contribute to the development of budgets and the efficient use of resources.
Other
28. Performs public health emergency response duties as assigned and consistent with job classification and training provided, in response to threats to the public’s health.
29. Participates in emergency response training and drills consistent with job classification in support of public health emergency and disaster preparedness.
30. Is responsible for own professional growth and development by pursuing education, participating in professional committees and work groups, and contributing to a work environment where continual improvements in practice are pursued.
31. Performs other duties as assigned consistent with job classification.
Education/Licensure
• 4-year degree in Nursing required.
• Valid Wisconsin and Michigan Registered Nurse Licensures
• National Incident Management System (NIMS)/Incident Command System (ICS) 100, 200 and 700.a certification within four (4) months of employment.
• CPR certification within four (4) months of employment.
• Valid Wisconsin driver’s license, current certificate of vehicle insurance, and access to reliable transportation to all assigned work locations.
Deadline Note: Vilas County requires all applicants fill out our application. It can be found at www.workforvilascounty.com