Public Health Nurse

Public Health Nurse - Public Health Department - White Salmon or Goldendale, WA - Full-time, Exempt, Grade 70, steps 1-3, $32.53-$34.52/Hr, DOQ.  First review 8/30/2024, open until filled.
 
Performs a variety of professional nursing duties in a generalized community health nursing program or specialty area including sexually transmitted infections, maternal and child health programs, immunizations, various clinics, communicable disease, family planning and prenatal programs.

Essential Job Duties:

1. Develops intervention plans, determining the type and scope of services needed.  Refers client to other resources or private physicians.  Provide education and counseling as indicated.
2. Provides direct nursing services including physical assessment, history, diagnostic and screening tests, performing or preparing patients for examinations, and administering medication.
3. Instructs and counsels patients and family members concerning the patient's medical and health care needs, and interpreting and understanding laboratory test results, diseases, and physicians' recommendations.
4. Investigates reports of communicable diseases, contacting persons and groups with potential exposure to the disease about transmission, treatment, and prevention.  Prepares written reports of cases investigated.  Performs professional nursing in clinics conducted by the Health District, taking patient histories, providing treatment and tests, charting records, and advising or counseling patients.  Maintains equipment and orders supplies.  Prepares and labels specimens for laboratory analysis.  Highlights problems for Nurse Practitioner to examine more in depth.
5. Documents client contacts through charting in the client's record according to program requirements or protocol.  Prepares reports and statistical data as required.
6. Coordinates services and exchanges information with physicians, co-workers, other agencies, and health care providers as appropriate for more effective patient care.
7. Serves on special committees or task forces at the local or state level, representing the Health District.
8. Serves the community and the county through the provision of positive internal and external customer service.
9. Responds to telephone and walk-in requests for medical advice.  Assesses the situation, gives advice and refers the caller to appropriate resources within established guidelines.
10. Participates in and teaches health education classes or group meetings with specific program content for parents, teens, other health care professionals, clients, teachers, industrial groups, expectant parents, or the general public as appropriate to the program.  Serves as instructor for parenting classes for families in the community.
11. Drafts or reviews and comments on proposed health care protocols as assigned.
12. Participates in regional and quarterly meetings for all programs contracted with the county as well as local interagency meetings.
13. Serves as Children With Special Health Care Needs Coordinator.
14. Performs as program lead and prepares annual reports for contracted programs.
15. Initiate and update new charting procedures for all programs as needed, developing forms for new charting procedures.
16. Duties also include going to client's home with infant scales, educational information, and videos.

  
Additional Job Duties:

1. Annual report writing.
2. Gives and reads TB skin tests.
3. Performs initial investigation of outbreaks or reportable diseases.
4. Performs other related duties as assigned.

• Knowledge of principles, practices, and techniques and related tools/equipment to accomplish the basic function of this position, including any safety and/or legal requirements.  This may, but not necessarily, include specialized skills.
• Any equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the applicant with the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform this job.  A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be
• Graduation from an accredited school of nursing and successful completion of course work or training in a clinical nursing specialty, as required by the position, from an accredited university program

• Valid state driver's license in state of residence
• Valid Washington license as a Registered Nurse at the time of appointment

Salary : $67,662 - $88,275