Hourly Public Health Nurse

The Hourly Public Health Nurse provides comprehensive care through education, outreach, assessment, coordination, and evidence-based nursing practices to individuals and families. The successful candidate demonstrates sound clinical judgement, excellent customer service, initiative, adaptability in a fast-paced environment, and a commitment to continuous learning and process improvement within a diverse team.

DUTIES:

 Clinical Care & Public Health Nursing

· Knowledge of nursing principles, public health practices, health promotion, disease prevention, and community resources.

· Provides comprehensive professional nursing care to individuals and families in accordance with nurse protocols, policies and/or procedures, including assessment, screenings, health education, treatment, referrals ad care coordination.

· Obtains appropriate medical, reproductive, social, vaccination, and health histories; performs physical assessments and orders/collects appropriate laboratory specimens and tests within scope and protocol.

· Administers recommended and required vaccines and maintains vaccine inventory and accountability including temperature monitoring, documentation, and emergency vaccine relocation procedures.

· Provides a variety of services across assigned programs, including Adult Health/STI, BCCP, Child Health, Immunizations, Family Planning, Travel Clinic, and other public health programs as assigned.

· Focuses on the prevention of illness, injury, or disability, the promotion of health and maintenance of the health of populations.

· Maintains accurate, timely, clear, concise and confidential documentation in EHR and other required systems within organizational and regulatory requirements.

Community Outreach & Emergency Response

· Actively participates in community outreach, health education, screening events, and public health initiatives, including occasional evening/weekend activities based on community and clinic needs.

· Collaborates with emergency responders and public health partners during emergencies, outbreaks, disasters, shelter operations, and other public health events, including activities with limited notice.

· Cares for population with special needs during disasters/emergencies and biological and chemical protocols.

Collaboration & Communication

· Collaborates with laboratory staff, epidemiologists, communicable disease specialists, providers, social services, and other interdisciplinary partners to support the continuum of care.

· Precepts and supports new nurses and RN students, providing coaching, clinical guidance, and feedback.

· Cross-trains and maintains competency in assigned clinic services and programs; participates in required training and maintains professional competency.

· Uses current clinical resources, evidence, data, and professional standards to support safe, effective patient care.

· Identifies opportunities for process improvement, participates in quality improvement activities, and contributes to evaluation and planning of services.

· Provides excellent, respectful, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive customer service establishing trust and rapport with clients while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.

· Generates reports and attends meetings regularly.

· Other duties as assigned.

BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCIES

· Provides excellent customer service, taking initiative to resolve issues and providing quality effective care.

· Communicates clearly and professionally with diverse populations, demonstrating empathy, respect, cultural awareness, active listening, and appropriate use of language-access services.

· Works autonomously, prioritizes competing responsibilities, takes initiative, accepts accountability, and recognizes when consultation or additional resources are needed.

· Demonstrates integrity, reliability, confidentiality, sound professional judgment, and compliance with applicable public health regulations, policies, and standards.

· Strong organizational and critical-thinking skills.

· Ability to maintain confidentiality and comply with applicable public health regulations, policies, and standards.

· Uses sound clinical judgment and evidence-based practice to assess situations, prioritize needs, and make decisions.

· Actively seeks and welcomes feedback; is coachable and committed to continuous learning.

· Adapts quickly and effectively when priorities, processes, or community needs change.

· Effectively manages difficult interactions, recognizes escalating situations, and uses appropriate de-escalation techniques.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

· Regularly works in a clinical and community environment or other public health settings with varying noise levels, temperatures, lighting, terrain, or other conditions.

· Requires the ability to communicate effectively with clients, families, coworkers, healthcare providers, and community partners through in-person, telephone, electronic, and other appropriate communication methods.

· Requires the ability to observe, assess, document, and respond to client conditions and clinical situations in accordance with applicable nursing protocols and professional standards.

· Frequently performs activities that requires traversing through spaces, independently operating medical equipment, conducting clinical procedures, documentation, computer work, and handling routine clinic equipment and supplies.

· Needs to move, position, or assist clients and handle or transport routine clinical supplies and equipment consistent with the essential functions of the position and applicable safety procedures.

· Works in environments where exposure to communicable diseases, bodily fluids, medical specimens, disinfectants, sharps, and other clinical or public health hazards may occur. Appropriate infection-control practices and personal protective equipment are required.

· May be required to participate in emergency response, outbreak response, disaster operations, shelter operations, or other public health activities, including occasional evening or weekend assignments and work with limited advance notice.

· Encounters individuals experiencing illness, distress, behavioral escalation, or other challenging circumstances and must follow established safety, infection-control, and de-escalation procedures.

· Required to travel between assigned County facilities, community locations, outreach events, or other work sites as necessary to perform essential job functions.

· Work involves periods of sustained concentration, prioritization of competing responsibilities, and use of computers and other electronic systems for clinical documentation, communication, reporting, and coordination of care.

Bachelor's degree in nursing from an accredited college or university AND current Georgia license to practice as a Registered Professional Nurse AND CPR certification

OR

Associate's degree in nursing from an accredited college or university AND One year of nursing experience AND completion of a PHN course within one year of hire AND current Georgia Registered Professional Nurse license AND CPR certification.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Minimum qualifications AND at least 3 years of professional nursing experience providing care and education to diverse populations including experience working with translation or language-access services while providing care.

NOTE:  Thank you for your interest in DKPH. Due to the volume of applications, we are unable to provide application status by phone or email. All qualified candidates will be considered but may not necessarily receive an interview. 

Selected applicants will be contacted for next steps. Applicants who are not selected will not receive notification. We have the right to close any position at any time for any reason. 

Employment with DeKalb Public Health is not complete or official until applicants meet all pre-employment requirements. Requirements for this position may be subject to: Pre-Employment Drug Screening, Criminal Background Check/Fingerprinting, Previous Employment Reference Check, Specific Immunizations, Motor vehicle check, and/or Education and/or Licensure verification.

ALL APPLICANTS MUST APPLY FOR THIS POSITION & COMPLETE APPLICATION IN: ”Career Opportunities” at Job Opportunities | Locations: dekalb county | Sorted by Posting Date descending | JOB OPPORTUNITIES (governmentjobs.com)If you require accommodations under the American Disability Act (ADA), email request by the closing date of this announcement to: jannise.gray1@dph.ga.gov. 

 DEKALB PUBLIC HEALTH IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.