Correctional Health Nurse I

• Provides direct health care services to Adult Detention Center inmates;

• Conducts admission interviews to gather medical, mental health and social histories;

• Performs medical, dental and mental health screenings and/or assessments;

• Provides therapeutic nursing services including administers tests (e.g., PPD, pregnancy testing) and injections, dispensing medications, and collecting vital signs;

• Reviews and interprets laboratory and diagnostic test results for advanced level practitioner follow-up;

• Assesses and identifies contributing or co-occurring mental health issues, determines risk of harm to self and/or others;

• Monitors medical status of patients through the acute and chronic disease management and the withdrawal/detoxification of alcohol and drugs processes;

• Triages and refers the patients to the staff physician, nurse practitioner, dentist, mental health or substance use disorder professional;

• Administers medication as ordered by the authorizing authority and in accordance with standard operating procedures;

• Documents all treatment and counseling on the appropriate records;

• Ensures proper protective equipment is worn or used;

• Maintains universal precautions, and promotes their observance by all agency staff.

• Knowledge of nursing standards, theories, principles, practices, methods, and protocols;

• Knowledge of federal, state, and local regulations, policy and procedures relating to the nursing services provision;

• Knowledge of human growth and development, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology (e.g., medication therapeutic use, side effects, contraindications), preventive medicine, epidemiology, and nutrition;

• Knowledge of federal and state pharmacology regulations specific to the storage, dispensing and administration of medications;

• Knowledge of psychiatric, psychological, and/or sociological terminology and concepts;

• Knowledge of substance use disorders, addiction signs and symptoms, assessment techniques, and applicable treatment interventions;

• Ability to perform technical and complex nursing procedures (e.g., injections, venipuncture, blood pressure screening, STD testing, tube feeding, nebulization treatment, wound care assessment and dressing, and use of various medical equipment in delivering services to clients;

• Ability to apply emergency medical techniques such as CPR, control of bleeding and airway maintenance;

• Ability to assess and monitor the effects of medical and psychiatric medications;

• Ability to maintain security of the work environment and comply with facility rules, regulations, policies and directives;

• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, public and private organizations, and community medical and mental health providers;

• Ability to maintain composure in fast-paced, potentially stressful situations.

• Prior experience working in an emergency room (ER) or Intensive Care Unit (ICU); 
• Experience working in correctional health. 

• Possession of a current license or a multistate licensure privilege to practice as a Registered Nurse in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
• Basic Life Support (BLS). 
• CCHP-RN Certification required within 12 months of hire.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
Prior to appointment, must successfully complete a criminal background check, credit, driving record check, polygraph examination, pre-employment medical evaluation, psychological examination and clearance from the National Practitioners Data Base; Must undergo a medical screening prior to starting work. Must obtain Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) certifications within 1 year after the appointment; Must be able to work a shift work schedule which includes evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Ability to quickly assess an emergency and respond appropriately. Duties are performed in a correctional facility medical environment. Maintain physical requirements needed to perform duties. All duties may be performed with or without reasonable accommodations.
 
SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include exercise.
 

The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 38.7% of residents speak a language other than English at home (Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and others) and we encourage candidates bilingual in English and a foreign language to apply to this opportunity.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.  
Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY 703-222-7314. EEO/AA/TTY.

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Salary : $67,426 - $112,377