Job Summary: The Public Health Nurse provides comprehensive nursing services in preventive health, and clinic programs through assessment, diagnosis, teaching, counseling, and prevention services to individuals, families, and groups to promote health and wellness to clients. This includes administering public health programs, maintaining patient and program activity records, preparing required reports and obtaining adequate public health funding.
Essential Functions (Major Duties or Responsibilities): These duties are the essential functions and are not all-inclusive of all duties that the incumbent performs. • Identify health needs in the community to create and facilitate programs to promote health and welfare. Assess community health strengths, needs, and expectations to adopt a plan to utilize available medical resources and standards of nursing practices to serve families and individuals through health promotion and to serve those who are at risk of illness, injury, disability, or death. • Provide nursing services to individuals to prevent illness, disability, or premature death. Perform physical assessments, temperature, measurements, etc. Retrieve information on health histories, diet histories, and family health histories. Read and interpret lab reports, administer tests, and perform a variety of related procedures. • Promote health department goals by advising on health matters and medication options; carrying out immunization programs in schools; assessing environmental hazards; and working to prevent the spread of disease. • Investigate and monitor reports of communicable diseases such as measles, hepatitis, sexually transmitted diseases, and tuberculosis. Coordinate efforts with physicians, school personnel, and others regarding the treatment and prevention of diseases. • Provide health education, health promotion, health assessment, and disease prevention activities in the community to increase community awareness of the value of public health in the County. This includes representing the Department at various community activities. • Implement strategies to obtain sustainable public health funding for the delivery of quality services and programs that meet the needs of the community members. Identify funding sources; apply for grants; stay current about funding at the local, state, and national level; promote long-term funding planning; and identify opportunities to expand billable services. • Ensure that any programs administered by the Health Department operate in compliance with state and Federal standards, policies, guidelines, and/or grant provisions. This includes monitoring and tracking demographic data on participants, conducting site inspections, compiling reports, and administering necessary budgets. • Ensure that clinical documentation regarding clients is secure, confidential, and maintained in compliance with Health Department policy and state and federal regulation. • Review the strategic plans of the County on a yearly basis to ensure they meet community health needs and that services are coordinated to maximize the effective use of resources and personnel.
Non-Essential Functions: • Attend regional public health meetings and conferences, meet with regional partners, and negotiate agreements to maximize services available to County citizens. • Work with relevant government agencies and other training organizations for continuing education in community nursing field. • Provide on-site services in the jail health program including health care and education on subjects including disease prevention, hygiene, and life issues to prisoners in the County jail. • Perform other duties as assigned including managing special projects, attending meetings and conferences, providing backup for other staff, participating in training, etc. Physical Demands and Working Conditions: The demands and conditions described here are representative of those the employee must meet to perform the essential functions of the job. • Intermittent periods of standing, sitting, walking, lifting babies and children to examination tables. Required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. • Carry clinic supplies needed to perform tasks to clinics or homes up to 25 pounds. • Work in a clinical nursing environment or on-site locations best suited for nursing purposes. • Work in office conditions and travels throughout the County to work in clinics, and other locations such as schools, youth centers, women’s shelters, migrant camps, senior centers, County nursing home, and community centers.
Supervision Exercised: Directly supervises any additional nursing staff and support staff as needed (i.e. Contract Billing Specialist, and Public Health Assistant).
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: The job requires knowledge of physical, biological and behavioral sciences; the principles and practice of Public Health Nursing; assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention and evaluation practices; and medical and patient care practices. Requires knowledge of nutritional principles and practices; educational and learning theories; public health funding sources and grant administration; health psychology theories; community assessments; and program implementation and evaluation. The job requires excellent verbal and written communication skills; analytical skills necessary to prepare nursing care plans, coordinate and implement effective nursing care; and to develop solutions to problems concerning a patient's mental or physical well-being. Requires skills in public relations, organizing and prioritizing work; and in developing approaches to sensitive issues that have significant impacts on patients, stakeholders, and Health Department programs. The job requires the ability to exercise independent professional judgment, to delegate work to others, evaluate services, to project a positive image of the Health Department, and to work effectively in treating patients that range from infants to the elderly.
Education and Experience: The job requires an Associate’s Degree in Nursing and two (2) years nursing experience. A Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and certification in Community Health Nursing Preferred. The job also requires possession of a current license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Montana and possession of a valid Montana driver’s license
The Granite county Health Department protects and promotes the health of county citizens
and the environment through the efforts of dedicated and skilled employees and application of sound public
health principle. The department’s role is to identify community health problems; diagnose and investigate
health problems and health hazards in the community; and enforce laws and regulations that protect health
and ensure safety. The mission of the department is to prevent disease and illness, promote healthy choices
and deliver quality health care.