Job Description

Description

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES
The Nurse Specialist provides intermediate level professional nursing work in providing primary, preventive and rehabilitative care to individuals in a public health clinical or community setting. Work is performed under the direction of a Nursing Services Supervisor.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS
The Nurse Specialist independently assesses patient needs for nursing care or medical intervention. Work is performed in a clinical setting, in homes, schools, day care centers and business and industry. Employee assesses needs, develops basic nursing care plans and patient goals, explains physician findings and ascertains that instructions are being followed. Employees must differentiate levels of patient criticality to identify crisis situations requiring physician or agency intervention. Nurse may be assigned as a lead worker from time to time.

TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED

Copy of transcript must be submitted with online application. Official college transcripts required at time of hire. Please send transcripts to: Guilford County Public Health/HR, c/o
Robin Reynolds, 201 South Greene Street, Greensboro, NC 27401 or attach a copy to your online application.

NURSE LICENSURE REQUIRED

Copy of nursing license must be submitted with online application. Please attach a copy to your online application.

Examples of Duties

The Nurse Specialist provides public health nursing services to individuals, families and population groups. Nursing actions are directed toward goals of prevention, assessment, risk reduction, and health status improvement for individuals, families and communities. Nursing activities include, but are not limited to, systematic analysis of health data, care plan development, health education and advocacy, coalition building, and collaborating with community partners to promote the health of a population. PHNs often collaborate and consult with multidisciplinary and multi-agency teams in order to achieve desirable outcomes for families and communities. The Nurse Specialist interventions occur at individual, family, community and system levels depending upon the responsibilities of the position and the issues involved. Examples of Duties
Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Utilize skills of a registered nurse in promoting wellness in a fast-paced clinic setting including Family Planning, STD, Primary Care, Maternal Health, and JustTEENS Clinics.
• Interpret physician findings and provide prescribed treatments and medications.
• Follow-up of communicable diseases in Guilford County
• Immunization administration for children and adults
• Provide ongoing surveillance and monitoring of activities related to communicable diseases following CDC, North Carolina, and Guilford County guidelines/protocols.

Recruitment Standards
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Good knowledge of the methods and techniques of general nursing care and their relation to medical and surgical practice.
• Good knowledge of methods and techniques used in the prevention of communicable diseases.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with recipients of public health care, other public employees and the general public.
• Ability to understand and carry out detailed instructions of a technical or professional nature.
• Ability to interpret and explain public health laws and regulations.
• Ability to keep records and complete reports.
• Ability to make independent assessments and nursing judgments.
• Ability to apply nursing theory principles, and techniques employed in the field of public health and related programs.
• Good individual patient and family teaching skills.
• Working knowledge of social and economic problems relating to public health, including social determinates of health and health equity.
• Adequate computer skills to allow communication, patient record documentation and accessing information.

Typical Qualifications

Necessary Special Qualifications:
Possession of a current license to practice as a Registered Nurse issued by the North Carolina Board of Nursing or another Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact State (eNLC) and such other qualifications which may be prescribed by the State Department of Public Health.

Individuals, employed in a local health department, without a BS Degree which includes a Public Health Nursing rotation will be required to complete a Public Health Nurse training program as a condition of continued employment in accordance with Health Services Commission Rule.

Documentation of immunity to: measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox, per CDC recommendations. Screening/proof of Hepatitis B immunity, as recommended by the CDC. All Public Health staff are required to have annual Flu immunization (shots) each Flu season.

Minimum Qualifications:

Anticipated Hiring Range: $67,684-$81,221
(Full Range: Up to $111,679)

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a BS Degree in Nursing (BSN), which includes a Public Health nursing rotation;
• AND, 6-12 months of professional nursing experience in a public health setting or related environment, preferable with 12 months demonstrated experience in specialty area;
• OR, an Associate\'s Degree (ADN)
• AND, 3 years experience in a public health setting or related environment. Experience may include education in the form of workshops, certification, and/or graduate programs related to the clinical area of specialty.

Anticipated Hiring Range: $63,256-$75,908
(Full Range: Up to $104,373)

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a Bachelor\'s Degree (BSN);
• AND, 0-6 months of professional nursing experience in a public health setting or related environment;
• OR, an Associate\'s Degree (ADN);
• AND, 2 years of experience in a public health setting or related environment;
• Additional training in specialty area may be required.

Supplemental Information

Physical Demands and Work Condition
Sits, walks and stands during a workday. Must be able to physically perform the basic life support functions of walking, fingering, grasping, talking, hearing, and repetitive motions.

Must be able to lift patients (children) and objects up to 30 pounds as required for some positions.

Must have the visual acuity to record observations and physical assessments of clients, to read and interpret test results, administer immunizations/prescription dosages, and record medical findings.

Nurse may occasionally be in contact with difficult patients. Nurses may be exposed to infection from disease-bearing patients, and specimens. Employees will have periodic exposure to hazards in the field (driving, rural or inner-city settings, inclement weather, clients).

Work conditions may be mildly disagreeable, if working in poor home environments or with difficult patients.

May Require Driving
This position may require driving for this position whether driving a County owned or personal vehicle to conduct county business such as but not limited to attending conferences, meetings, or any other county related functions. Motor Vehicle Reports may be verified for valid driver\'s license and that the driving record is compatible with the county\'s driving criteria. If a personal vehicle is operated for county business proper insurance is maintained as per Guilford County\'s vehicle use policy.

Special Note

This generic class description gives an overview of the job class, its essential job functions, and recommended job requirements. However, for each individual position assigned to this class, there is available a completed job description with a physical abilities checklist which can give further details about that one specific position. These documents should be reviewed before initiating a selection process. They can provide additional detailed information on which to base various personnel actions and can assist management in making legal defensible personnel decisions.

Government Jobs