Public Health Nurse II - Care Management for At-Risk Children

An employee in this class provides intermediate level nursing care in all health department program areas. Work involves functioning independently in promoting healthy behaviors and provides counseling related to disease prevention in the clinic setting as well as through outreach in schools and the community at large. Employees holding this position are expected to participate in group meetings and assist in data collection and review in any project they are associated with. Employees at this level spend their time performing multiple roles.  An employee in this class also provides care management for the clients enrolled in the Care Management for At Risk Children (CMARC) program.  Work involves identifying children ages zero to five who meet the identified target population and making sure they are in a medical home. This employee works to coordinate services between health care providers, community support programs, and family support programs. Employee will provide education, outreach, and support to clients/patients on topics such as immunizations, health living/lifestyles, and resources that are available to improve health outcomes. Work is performed under the direct supervision of the Care Management Program Supervisor.

• Provides direct nursing care to clients in all clinics as dictated by state agreement addenda and agency policies, including documenting all program-specific health information, obtaining pertinent vital signs, conducting indicated screenings/labs, educating/counseling, administering/dispensing immunizations and/or medications. Follow-up visit information and advice may be provided by phone.
• Manages a program-level support activity, such as an In-Service or Quality Assurance activity by participating in regularly scheduled program audits. Contributing observations or data related to patient or community trends/practices. Sharing ideas for improved program performance. 
• Serves as charge nurse in one or more program areas. Responsibilities include directing the work done during the clinic, assigning task to lower-level staff appropriately, managing clinic flow, and advising other clinic staff about management of unfamiliar patient situations. Employees may independently manage nurse-screening clinics held outside of the health department, requiring strong patient assessment skills.              
• Provides community outreach services for the purpose of case management or any other nursing activity by functioning independently outside of the agency. Employees in these roles carry a caseload of patients and/or families and work in partnership with them to identify strengths/needs and develop a plan for health maintenance and improvement. Employees provide a combination of case management and nursing assessment to help patients and families manage healthcare needs. They make referrals to medical facilities, social service agencies, etc. when needed and agreed upon by the patient and/or family. Employees take a lead role in coordinating all plans and resources for these clients. 
• Collaborates with school health staff to ensure positive utilization of resources to promote optimal health and wellness through health services and health education to students, families, and school staff including helping to develop quality assurance policies and procedures, data collection policies and procedures, and assisting in planning new programs for students and families as the need arises. 
• Works with considerable independence in a community-based health promotion project that involves developing programs or support groups, promoting community advocacy, and developing strong partnerships with residents. Employees have limited administrative and personnel responsibilities; unusual situations and problems are discussed with and/or referred to the Director of Nursing. 
• Works with providers and Medicaid/Medicaid plans to provide outreach and education and share referrals. This will include travel within and outside of county.
• Documents information into the EMR platform. 
• Performs screenings, assessments, and care plans in a timely manner in the EMR platform. 
• Supports the member and their family in meeting goals.
• Refers individuals to community partners for assistance with social, medical, and/or developmental issues.
• Reviews reports weekly and interacts with prepaid health plans.
• Accesses members in different environments including medical homes and home visits.
• Follows NC-CMARC state guidelines for documentation.
• This position has identified responsibilities in the Preparedness Plan for the Health Department. In the case of an event within the county the employee is required to work at a specified location in-house or off-site as identified in various Health Department Emergency Response Plans (ex. Preparedness, Pan Flu, etc.).
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• Thorough knowledge of and skill in the application of nursing theory, practices, principles and techniques employed in the field of public health and related programs.
• Considerable knowledge of and ability to apply the principles and practices of public health.
• Knowledge of the available resources and organizations and the ability to coordinate these as needed.
• General knowledge of public health.  
• Ability to plan, coordinate, maintain effective working relationships.
• Ability to record and to interpret and explain records, reports, and medical instructions.

• Graduation from an accredited school of professional nursing and one year of professional nursing experience. 
• A current license to practice as a Registered Nurse in North Carolina by the NC Board of Nursing. 
• Possess a valid NC Driver's License.

If applicant does not hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, the employee must complete the Introduction to Public Health Nursing course within the first year of employment. 

Salary : $51,672 - $73,011