PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE SPECIALIST - 40009651

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GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

This employee functions as a Registered Nurse in the Women’s Health Program (WHP) at Durham County Department of Public Health (DCoDPH). The WHP is comprised of the Family Planning (FP) and Maternal Health (MH) Clinics. This position functions as a Public Health Nurse Specialist (PHNS) in the FP Clinic at DCoDPH, with a focus on the Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program (BCCCP) and counseling to patients of the WHP.  

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• The PHNS participates in clinic nurse duties, administrative nurse duties, precepting of new staff and nursing students, and following up on abnormal results related to breast and cervical cancer screening tests.
• The PHNS works with community partners and providers to facilitate breast and cervical cancer screening education and referrals.
• The PHNS assists during physical exams and procedures (as appropriate), provides full scope contraceptive counseling, administers injections, and follows up on abnormal labs and missed appointments.
• This position may be required to work in other clinical areas across the organization.
• Employee may to be called upon at any time to help the agency respond to a public health emergency outside of normal busniess hours, which may include but is not limited to outbreak investiagrtions, staffing mass dispensing or immunization clinics, providing diaster relief for incidents (man-made or natural and interntional or non-intentional) as they arise, or any public health response requested by the Health Director.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• A thorough knowledge of, and skill in, the application of principles and techniques employed in the field of public health, general nursing, and women’s health nursing, specifically contraception and family planning services;
• General knowledge of current health disparities and community resources related to public health;
• Ability to plan, coordinate, and oversee the work of others;
• Ability to deal tactfully with others and to exercise good judgment in appraising situations and make decisions;
• Ability to work in partnership with patients and other service providers to elicit needed information and to maintain effective working relationships;
• Ability to accurately record services rendered and to interpret and explain records, reports, and medical instructions;
• Considerable knowledge of and ability to apply the principles and practices of public health;
• Adequate computer skills to allow communication, patient record documentation, and accessing of information;
• Ability to be flexible and receptive to change in dealing with changing patient populations and changing program requirements.

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

At the minimum, candidates must have graduated from a four-year college or university with a B.S. in Nursing which includes a Public Health Nursing rotation and two years of Public Health nursing experience; or a Master’s in Public Health and graduation from a school of professional nursing and two years of professional nursing experience; or graduation from a school of professional nursing and three years of professional nursing experience including two years of Public Health nursing experience; or an equivalent combination of training and experience. 

SPECIAL CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES:

• Must be licensed to practice as a registered nurse in North Carolina by the North Carolina Board of Nursing. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• CPR certified
• Bilingual

To further the mission of the Durham County Department of Public Health (DCoDPH) to partner with our community to advance health equity, protect the environment, and promote health and wellness for all, DCoDPH is implementing the employee vaccination and tuberculosis screening policies. All DCoDPH employees are considered healthcare personnel (HCP) working in a health care setting with the potential for exposure to patients and/or infectious materials and, therefore, are required to comply and provide documented proof of the following:

• Measles, Mumps & Rubella (MMR) vaccination/immunity 
• Varicella-Zoster Virus (Chicken Pox) vaccination/immunity 
• Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis)
• Tuberculosis (TB) baseline screening within the last twelve (12) months prior to employment
• Hepatitis B vaccination/immunity – only required for DCoDPH employees with potential Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) exposures.

Identified DCoDPH HCP with potential Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) exposure have an additional requirement for the Hepatitis B vaccination. Required vaccination, serological testing to determine immunity, and baseline tuberculosis screening are available for all Public Health employees who elect to become DCoDPH patients upon request and at no cost.

Proof of vaccination and tuberculosis screening must be provided to Human Resources within seven (7) business days prior to the date of employment.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT COMPLIANCE:

Durham County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires Durham County to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are encouraged to discuss ADA accommodations with management.