Public Health Nurse III

Position Summary:

The Public Health Nurse in Communicable Disease Control and Prevention is a highly skilled professional nurse who possesses a variety of skills and knowledge directed at the identification, characterization, control, and prevention of communicable diseases of public health importance, to include in-person field nursing such as vaccination, testing, outbreak investigation and response, training, and infection control and prevention assessments. May work in a mobile or field operation or in the Childhood / Adult Immunization and Travel Clinic as required.

Under general supervision of the Chief Epidemiologist, the Public Health Nurse in Communicable Disease Control and Prevention;

Essential Duties:

• Investigates and responds to communicable diseases and outbreaks of public health significance and works with multidisciplinary team and regional public health partners as needed.
• Actively and routinely uses disease reporting and surveillance systems, including the Ohio Disease Reporting System (ODRS), EpiCenter, Realtime Outbreak Disease Surveillance (RODS), Ohio Contact Tracing System (OCTS), National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS), BioWatch, etc.
• Assists with informing local medical providers, affected populations, community organizations, and the public of relevant disease trends, alerts, and outbreaks in a timely manner through informational bulletins, routine reports, trainings, exposure notices, advisories, public meetings, website and/or social media content, and other means.
• Investigates and documents communicable disease cases and outbreaks promptly in the Ohio Disease Reporting System. This includes phone interviews, reviewing medical records, working with partners, and conducting field visits. Tasks involve confirming diagnoses, identifying exposed contacts, assessing risks, ensuring treatment, collecting specimens, enforcing infection control, offering education, filling out forms, and reporting to agencies.
• Maintains close collaboration with other jurisdictions, agencies, city departments and healthcare facilities. Answers questions, provides technical support and training, and collaborates on complex health issues.
• Advises other staff for broader outbreak investigation, preparedness, and implementation of disease control and prevention measures.
• Monitors contact with patients having communicable diseases through phone, email, video conference, eDOT or field visits.
• Participates in preparation and/or service of Medical Director’s Orders.
• Develops and updates standard work protocols, procedures, and policies and relevant preparedness plans.
• Participates in professional development opportunities to remain current on specialized areas like disease trends, vaccination guidelines, and professional standards.
• Plans, organizes, and staffs vaccination events including those based in facilities, schools, the community, and the field/street. Administers vaccines, monitors vaccine recipients, and responds to adverse events.
• Maintains expertise in vaccine storage, handling, and administration.
• Receives training in, and complies with, infection control procedures and personal protective equipment use.
• Receives training in other Disease Prevention activities to improve cross-branch capacity, emergency preparedness, and surge.
• Participates in emergency preparedness activities to respond to emerging communicable disease cases and situations.
• All health district employees have an emergency response role and may be expected to respond to threats to the public’s health in accordance with the Lake County General Health District Emergency Response Plan.
• Performs other duties as assigned consistent with position.
• Participates in continuous quality improvement activities.
• Participates in relevant activities/ preparing documentation for PHAB Accreditation.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• The Public Health Nurse performs other duties as assigned/required;
• This position will be primarily in office;
• Qualified Candidate will be required to work from the Mentor and Chardon locations;

Minimum Qualifications

• Possession of a valid permanent/temporary Ohio license as a Registered Nurse issued by the Ohio Board of Registered Nursing; 
• One (1) year (equivalent to 2,000 hours*) of verifiable experience as a Registered Nurse in an acute hospital, primary care facility, home health agency, and/or public health agency within the last five (5) years; 
• Possession of a valid current Ohio Driver’s License issued by the Ohio Department of Motor Vehicles. (Possession of a valid Ohio Driver’s License is required at the time of appointment.)

Applicants must meet the minimum qualification requirement by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.

Desired Qualifications:

• Possession of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
• Experience in communicable disease control, epidemiology, and/or outbreak management.
• Experience handling, analyzing, and reporting data on cases (case management), outbreaks, and high-risk environments.

The Lake County General Health District does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

Salary : $29