Wabasha County Public Health Nurse

PURPOSE OF POSITION:

To meet the health needs of the individual and the community and improve the general health utilizing the nursing process of assessment, plan development, plan implementation and evaluation in providing direct nursing care, health education, and disease prevention practices. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. To the Community:

·Assess health needs, finances, risks, assets, and resources to identify needed services and develop an appropriate plan.

·Develop program plans to address identified community or target population needs and priorities for primary prevention services.

·Develop and coordinate educational and promotional material, reports, plans, grant applications and related communication tools to support health policy or program plans. 

·Establish, coordinate, and maintain collaborative relationships with a multitude of providers, agencies, and organizations including, but not limited to, clients, physicians, Minnesota Department of Health, Insurance Providers, and other counties. 

·Sensitivity to and ability to work with ethnically, culturally and sexually diverse populations.

2.  To Clients:

·Inform, educate and empower people about health issues. 

·Identify and assess client’s physical, psychosocial, and emotional needs through observation and analysis of data. 

·Set up a plan to meet client’s needs, collaborating with and referring to other agencies. 

·Exercise independent judgment while utilizing nursing process to create a nursing care plan.

·Provide skilled nursing services based on current nursing standards. 

·Provide case management to assure all client’s needs are met, as well as assuring coordination, continuity of care, and referral to appropriate resources. 

·Maintain an accurate client record.

·Demonstrate sensitivity and respect for client’ beliefs, values and rights, including the right to confidentiality.

3.To the Agency:

·Exhibit commitment to the agency’s philosophy and functions and understands and adheres to agency policies.

·Continue study to maintain knowledge of current nursing practice and ever changing government regulations.

·Interpret, review, and evaluate client records to maintain quality assurance.

·Interviews and recommends hiring and disciplining of staff.

·Flexibility in responding to staff, client, and agency needs.

·Contribute to program planning and evaluation

·Orient, supervise, and complete performance evaluations on home Health Aides/ Family Health Aides, Hearing and Vision techs, and LPNs. 

·Complete all required paperwork in a timely manner.

·Other duties as assigned by the Administrator/ Director of Nursing

ADDITIONAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

·Perform duties that require a PHN certification including:

oPCA assessments.

oLong Term Care Consultation.

oSupervision and coordination of the School Nurse Program.

oDevelopment and coordination of a Bio-terrorism plan or grant.

MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Minimum of a high school degree, or equivalent, with graduation from a NLN accredited 4 year baccalaureate degree program in nursing with current licensure as an RN in the State of Minnesota, and a PHN certificate from Minnesota Board of Nursing, with 1 year experience, preferably in a hospital setting, with general nursing experience.

• Maintain number of continuing education training as mandated by the state
• Annual Blood Borne Pathogen/Infection control training
• CPR certification.

MINIMUM ABILITIES REQUIRED:

·Comprehensive knowledge of nursing practice and nursing principles.

·Ability and knowledge to use equipment to perform health screenings.

·Knowledge of proper body mechanics.

·Ability to utilize standard nursing and medical equipment.

·Working knowledge of medical terminology.

·Sensitivity to, and experience working with, ethnically, culturally and sexually diverse groups and individuals.

·Knowledge and ability to perform nursing procedures for which the preparation of the RN has provided the necessary degree of skill and judgement.

·Comprehensive knowledge of RN nursing practice and delegated authority.

·Ability to accept and utilize supervision.

·Ability to work within a team environment.

·Ability to observe and report to the appropriate person any signs and symptoms or problems of the client or family which may require alteration of the plan of care.

·Must apply knowledge of infectious disease process to protect self and others from exposure to potentially harmful infectious agents i.e. exposure to contaminated needles, body fluids, etc.

·Must travel long distances under a wide range of road, weather and climate conditions.

·Ability to assess safety and health risks related to ever changing work environment.

·Ability to work in various living conditions found in clients home and other community locations.  (i.e. needing to set up a sterile field for treatment.)

·Must be able to promote self and services to clients and other professionals.

·Ability to use tact and diplomacy with community members, staff medical personnel and other community professionals, including state and federal agencies.

·Ability to make decisions in an environment that may be a crisis, an emergency, hectic or panic by clients and/or general public.

·Ability to use telephones, calculators, scales, computers, and printers.

·Must travel relatively long distances under a wide range of road, weather, and climate conditions.

·Ability to assess safety and health risks related to ever changing work environments.

·Ability to work in various living conditions found in clients home and other community locations.  (i.e. needing to set up a sterile field for treatments).

·Ability to apply knowledge of infectious disease process to protect self and others from exposure to potentially harmful infectious agents i.e. exposure to contaminated needles, body fluids, etc.

·CPR certification.

·Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

Physical Requirements:

·Work is performed in an office environment, providing in-home care to clients, and out of office clinics.

·Ability to lift or transfer clients of 100 lbs. or over without injury to self or client.

·Moving, transporting and setting up equipment up to 50 lbs. On a regular basis. 

·Adequate hearing, vision, manual dexterity and physical endurance.

Numerical Aptitude:

·Ability to calculate financial eligibility for a variety of government programs according to each program’s specific criteria. 

·Calculate and manage budgets for individuals and programs.

·Ability to interpret, teach, and adjust medication dosages per MD orders.

·Interpret lab values.

·Conduct a daily time study of job duties. 

·Ability to use telephones, calculators, scales, computers, and printers.

·Converting health data from metric to the English system. 

Licensing Requirements:

Valid driver’s license.

Licensure as an RN in the State of Minnesota

Language Ability and Interpersonal Communication:

·Good command of English language, both written and oral, with the ability to access an interpreter as needed.

·Must be able to communicate effectively with people of varied educational background, ages, intelligence levels and/or those with sensory impairments.

Supervision of Others:

None.

Consequences of Error:

Errors in assessment and/or evaluation can lead to illness, injury or death to self, client or others.  Other consequences include workman’s compensation claims, loss of work hours, staffing problems and disruption of services to clients. Breech of confidentiality can result in personal or professional harm to individuals, families and/or community and have legal ramifications.Loss of agency revenue if grants and various government programs are not properly managed.Potential fines, lawsuits or agency or professional license revocation due to non-compliance with government (state and federal) regulations.

Behavior Standard:

Maintain a positive work atmosphere by acting and communicating in a manner so that you get along with clients, co-workers, and management.