Pre to 3 Public Health Nurse 1

• Public Health Nursing Program Activities: Performs professional public health nursing services focusing on prevention including: family planning, maternal child health, adult health, sexually transmitted disease, immunizations, and primary care. May provide emergency preparedness services, school nursing, infectious disease control and other services.
  • Provides health education and builds family resiliency by home visitation with Growing Great Kids Next Generation. Assesses reproductive goals, performs identified screening and assessment, and advocates for client needs.
  • Conducts home visits and provides community health education. Will travel to clients’ homes and on occasion various community sites as needed to deliver services. Completes accurate program documentation. Coordinates care and collaborates with team members and community partners to ensure optimal health. Performs health, development, and nutrition assessments on pregnant women, infants, and toddlers. Assesses clients’ needs based on gathering of information, histories, and screening tools. Educates and encourages lead testing and assist investigation.
• Health Education and Referrals: Provides education, information, support, and guidance to client/family/community, and makes appropriate referrals based on findings. Uses data on community health needs to provide health education, promote optimal health, and prevent disease. Instructs in prevention and care of a wide variety of health problems.
  • Will focus intervention on positive prenatal and child health outcomes, positive parenting, and attaining the life skills necessary to promote family self-sufficiency.
• Documentation and Reporting: Maintains timely, complete, and accurate documentation in the electronic medical record, which reflects nursing observations, assessments, and interventions. Data will be documented and submitted for required reports. Uses reporting/information systems as indicated. Documents visits as required per policy. Bills for services as defined by policy.
• Quality Assurance/Training: Participates in all necessary training to ensure understanding of and adherence to programming elements. Participates in quality assurance programs for continuity and improvement of documentation and client services. Seeks out and attends training sessions and/or continuing education classes as needed.
• Internal and External Collaboration: Participates in team meetings, as well as various inter-Department and intra-Department teams, to ensure continuity and consistency in service delivery as defined by protocols, procedures, grants, and program standards. Collaborates with other public health professionals in the development of population based community assessments, public health messaging, community engagement, strategic planning, and policy development. Serves as a case manager for Community Health Workers and Clients Advocates on an assigned team. Participates in orientation/education of new employees, nursing students and medical residents by preparing caseloads, role modeling public health nursing practices, and periodic consultation with academia instructors. Ability to effectively educate a wide range of individuals in public health practices and department programs.
• Compliance: Adheres to nursing standards of practice and follows Department procedures and protocols as well as local, State, and Federal regulations.

• Emergency Response: Assumes leadership roles and duties for public health emergency response. When public health responds to an emergency you may be assigned duties that are outside your regular job description. This may involve responding at any time, including nights and weekends, with possible deployment to locations other than the department. Administers vaccines and medications for emergency plans as needed. Maintains vaccine regimen. Performs other related duties as assigned.

• Minimum Qualifications: License to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Indiana. Holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN) with training in community and population health; or Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) with minimum 5 years’ experience in a maternal child area Valid driver’s license and working car. Bilingual in English and Spanish/another language strongly preferred.
  • Bachelor’s degree in nursing, including a public health nursing rotation and one year of public health nursing experience; or Master of Public Health and graduation from a school of professional nursing and one year of professional nursing experience; or graduation from a school of professional nursing and two years of professional nursing experience including one year of public health nursing experience; or an equivalent combination of training and experience. Individuals without a bachelor’s degree will be required to complete a training on Principles and Practices of Public Health Nursing within one year of employment.
• Knowledge: Public health theory and practices. Nursing process. Nursing assessment skills. Basic human physical, nutritional and psychosocial needs. Federal, State, and County laws and regulations which impact the department. Working knowledge of electronic medical record documentation standards. Basic knowledge of statistics/data, community based participatory research.
• Skills: Proven proficiency with computers including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) is required. Excellent writing, communication, interpersonal, and public relations skills. Assessment skills and experience making independent judgements is critical to success. Skills and ability to administer injections.
• Abilities: Work independently in challenging situations. Prepare and maintain records, charts, and reports. Follow detailed written and verbal directions. Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously. Self-motivated to plan, organize, and complete work accurately with little direction. Exceptional attention to detail. Communicate effectively to individuals and groups, both verbally and in writing, using the English language. Exercise independent judgment and critical thinking, and seek solutions to problems which arise on a regular basis. Prepare concise and accurate reports. Present effective facts and make recommendations both verbally and in writing. Passion for community health, health equity, addressing health disparities and social determinants of health, disease prevention, and health promotion. Follows and adheres to cost methodology or budgeting as appropriate. Willing to learn about health issues across the lifespan. Work with a diverse team in a multi-disciplinary setting. Establish effective working relationships with persons of varied backgrounds both lay and professional. Maintains confidentiality. Conducts self with honesty and integrity; follows ethical principles of public health practice and follows the rules and laws applicable to public health nursing.
• Licensing/Certification: License to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Indiana. Required to complete Lactation Certification. Required to pass a pre-employment physical and drug screen. Assessment skills and have experience across the lifespan. Maintain CPR certification and other programmatic certifications.

• Physical Requirements: Physical Activity: Standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, fingering, touching, talking, hearing, repetitive motions. Physical Requirements: Sedentary work, light work. Sufficient manual dexterity to process and package specimens, administer injections, draw blood, etc. Visual Activity: Close to the eyes, at or within arm’s reach. Extra: Lifting up to 25 pounds occasionally, and/or up to 15 pounds of force frequently, and/or very minimum amount of force constantly to move objects. Employee works both inside and outside. Employees move around and stand on foot for long periods of time in order to accomplish job requirements.  Employee maybe in contact with patients and blood-borne pathogens.

Background Check: Pass a drug screen and criminal background check.

Our benefits make Vanderburgh County Health Department an exceptional place to work. We offer:

• Starting salary: $62,400
• Comprehensive benefits package, including: 5 vacation days after the first 6 months and 10 per year with expanded vacation after 5 years and 15 paid holidays annually; medical, dental, and vision coverage; disability insurance; life insurance.
• Workforce Development including ongoing training, and promotional opportunities
• Flexible work hours; 40-hour work week with very occasional weekend assignments. Full time, usual hours 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., M–F, with lunch breaks. May be required to work occasional evenings with the ability to flex these hours.
• A guaranteed pension plan after meeting pension benefit requirements, Public Employee Retirement Fund (PERF)
• Opportunities for Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program for eligible workers
• Commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and welcoming environment. Affirmative action commitment.
• Employees will receive fully funded trainings and certifications throughout their onboarding process and workforce development during their employment.
• Vanderburgh County Health Department is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. In keeping with our commitment, Vanderburgh County Health Department will take the steps to ensure that people with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. Accordingly, if reasonable accommodation is required to fully participate in the job application or interview process, to perform the essential functions of the position, and/or to receive all other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Vanderburgh County Health Department at 812-435-2400.