What are the responsibilities and job description for the Street Medicine Nurse Practitioner position at Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department?
*This position is currently funded through December 2025, with the intention of extending the position.*
Some of what you'll do:
•Provide primary care and urgent care for people living unsheltered by engaging in proactive outreach wherever people are living or spending time during the day.
- Services will include urgent care, chronic disease management, mental health care, and substance use care.
•Coordinate with healthcare organizations in Pierce County (including opioid treatment programs) to help people transition into traditional facility-based care (if they are able to do so).
•Build collaborations with community partners and organizations involved in homeless services.
•Develop and review Street Medicine policies and procedures, including standing orders if needed.
•Develop training materials and sessions for other Street Medicine staff.
•This work might require you to participate in the Title XIX Medicaid Claiming Program.
•Performs other duties as assigned.
•When public health responds to an emergency you may be assigned duties and responsibilities that are outside your regular job description. This may involve responding at any time and reporting to a location other than the department with different working conditions and physical requirements. You are expected to participate in emergency preparedness activities including our emergency notification system, WA SECURES. Drills and real-world events may take place at any time.
Click here for a detailed Classification Specification. (See Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner)
•Knowledge of the patient population and approaches to effective engagement and care for people experiencing homelessness.
•Knowledge of principles, laws, regulations, policies, practices, and guidelines applicable to the body of work, including those governing the prescribing of medications for opioid use disorder and the provision of substance use care more broadly.
•Effective coordination of care and appropriate use of referrals.
•Understanding of ethical principles and how they apply to public health work.
•Diagnostic reasoning and clinical decision-making skills.
•Strong communication, engagement, and de-escalation skills.
•Excellent planning and analytical skills.
•Exhibits dynamic leadership and mentorship skills for fostering a strong team environment.
• Intermediate knowledge of the following software: standard Microsoft Office programs, electronic medical records usage.
•Cultural Competency: Demonstrates knowledge of the implications for public health of increasingly diverse communities (including racial, ethnic, linguistic, religious, gender diversity and more.) Understands the impact of decisions on our diverse workforce and community. Adapts public health education practices to the needs of diverse populations.
•Nurse Practitioner training completed through a masters or doctoral nursing program from a school accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
•One year of experience working in a public or community health setting.
•Experience with medical care for people experiencing homelessness preferred.
•Experience with substance use care preferred.
We will consider any equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the necessary qualifications to successfully perform the duties of the position.
Professional certifications and licensure we require the below for this role.
•Current Washington State Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) License and Washington State Registered Nurse (RN) License.
•Current Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) License.
•Current American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR certification.
•Work is performed in both indoor and outdoor environments.
•Indoor work exposure hazards are limited to those commonly found in government or medical office environments.
•Potential for dealing with dissatisfied or angry patients and community members exists; this role requires skills in conflict resolution and situational awareness.
•Work may be performed outdoors in a variety of weather conditions, including heat, humidity, snow, and rain, leading to exposure to hazards related to heat or cold exposure.
•Given the nature of the work, this role also involves the potential for secondary trauma, e.g., work with patients who have experienced sexual abuse and other traumatic events.
•Work is up to 100% in-person
•Regularly required to sit or stand continuously.
•Regularly communicate clearly in-person, over the phone, and via written communication, including communicating with dissatisfied or angry individuals.
•Capable of reading physical and electronic documents and working for prolonged periods on a computer monitor.
•Fine motor skills sufficient to grip and manipulate paper and operate a telephone, a computer mouse and keyboard, and use standard medical equipment.
•Reaching and gross manipulation capabilities sufficient to pick up and use standard office supplies and medical equipment.
•Frequently move across various surfaces including unlevel or uneven ground when working in outdoor environments.
•This position may require lifting, carrying, pulling, or moving objects up to 10 pounds consistently, 20 pounds frequently, and exerting up to 30 pounds of force occasionally.
•Specific vision abilities required by this job include close, color and peripheral vision and the ability to adjust focus.
•Duties require the use of standard office furniture and equipment (e.g., desk, filing cabinet, computer, printer, telephone, copy machine, etc.)
•Medical equipment.
•Frequent travel will be required throughout the City of Tacoma and potentially the rest of Pierce County.
•Some additional travel may be required, and is typically local or regional, to conduct business and attend or provide training.
Salary : $115,378 - $148,595
