Job Title: Public Health Nurse
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Client: Local Health Department
Start Date: 1/7/2025
Duration: 6-month contract with the opportunity for extensions
Position Summary:
This position is responsible for comprehensive nursing services that promote the health and well-being of residents in Marion County by providing preventive, therapeutic, and educative follow-up to clients in the nursing clinic. The Public Health Nurse (PHN) works with individuals and families to promote health and wellness through assessments, counseling and prevention services. The PHN – Immunization Clinic position will primarily be responsible for working in the Immunization Clinics providing nursing services such as administering vaccines, providing TB skin tests, and blood pressure screenings. Working with a diverse population with different cultural backgrounds and varied languages, the PHN must be flexible and adaptive in providing continuity of care. In order to effectively perform the job, the PHN will require a BSN and a variety of nursing skills.
Essential Duties:
Responsibility 1: 70%
Performs appropriate diagnostic procedures, treatment regimens, and administers injections and medications according to physician orders and/or MCPHD protocols and policies. (1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
Delivers Nurse of the Day (NOD) services as assigned. NOD is a walk-in service that is provided to assist the community with services such as blood pressure screening, counseling and education, referrals for needed services, infant, child and adult vaccines, TB testing and medication follow-up.
Administers vaccines in immunization clinic. Vaccines are administered safely and accurately.
Provides services through other clinic assignments, i.e., Refugee, etc. Obtains blood pressure, blood draws for various testing and collects other data and develops information from the health history for follow-up. Performs a variety of related procedures
Follows MCPHD/CBC Standards of Nursing Care.
Documentation must be clear and concise and recorded in a timely manner. Electronic medical records require the use of typing and computer skills.
Must be able to communicate effectively in both verbal and written form.
Must be able to accept direction and work with other members of the team.
Must be able to maintain client confidentiality and client records are properly stored. Follows HIPAA requirements.
Responsibility 2: 20%
Collaborates with other departments and outside agencies to provide necessary services in the community. Examples would be Heart Alive, Communicable Disease outbreaks; Bioterrorism/Biological warfare programs, School services, Health Fairs, etc.
Participates in public health emergency preparedness exercises and in the response to public health emergencies, as directed
May act as a mentor to nursing students.
May act as a mentor for new nursing staff.
May be asked to develop health education programs based on identified problems and feedback from community.
May be required to report for specialized assigned duties during a public health emergency.
Responsibility 3: 10%
Meetings/In-services/Seminars
Participates in periodic team, staff and committee meetings.
Attends in-services/seminars to remain current in nursing profession.
May facilitate in-services or orientations.
Participates in a minimum of two H.O.P.E. events totaling a minimum of eight (8) hours annually.
Attends mandated meetings, HIPAA, BBP, Emergency Preparedness, etc.
Other Duties and Responsibilities:
Other duties as assigned.
Employee will protect and maintain confidentiality of each client’s and each employee’s medical and personal information that may be obtained in the course of job related provision of care or employment.
Employee may need to remove confidential information from work place setting to transport to another designated setting or to make a home visit. If the information is removed, it must be protected and secured.
Employee must complete National Incident Management System (NIMS) training 100 and 700.
In the event of a public health emergency, employee must be available to work on week-ends or a schedule that would differ from normal assigned workday.
Qualifications:
Education/Licensure/Certifications/Experience:
Bachelor’s degree in nursing from a NLN accredited college
1 or more years of previous nursing experience – preferred
Computer skills including typing skills of a minimum of 30 words per minute.
Current Indiana RN license
CPR certified
Knowledge and Skills:
Ability to function independently; set priorities; flexibility
Work effectively in stressful situations
Requires excellent organizational skills
Considerable decision -making, good judgment, assessment ability, prioritization skills.
Requires good problem solving skills.
Ability to interact in a professional manner with a variety of agency and community partners.
Must be attentive to detail.
Must be flexible in working with a variety of community partners.
Requires skills in effective interpersonal communication in a multi-cultural setting.
Requires ongoing knowledge of Marion County communities and agencies.
Work collaboratively and diplomatically with colleagues, personnel and the public.
Must maintain confidentiality of information according to HIPAA.
Ability to deal effectively with demands of clients, agencies, community partners and government entities.
Work Environment:
Requires valid Indiana Driver’s license
Requires access to own vehicle and current automobile insurance
Unconfined sitting – client interviews, computer data entry (charting), etc., standing or walking to and from community sites; climbing stairs; steady use of hands or fingers; lifting, carrying, etc. with arms and legs (possibly as much as 20 pounds).
May be exposed to substandard and unsanitary living conditions.
May be exposed to allergens of all types (i.e., pets, dust, smoke, etc.)
May be exposed to communicable disease, blood and other bodily fluids.
In adverse weather conditions may be requested to make home visits for medication directly observed therapy and directly observed preventative therapy (DOT/DOPT).
Required to wear N-95 masks in situations where client is considered infectious.