PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE II
PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE I
(Series Specification)

Job Specifications

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

DEFINITION

Under general supervision; to provide a wide variety of nursing services in homes, clinics and other community sites; to serve as a case manager for high risk clients; to coordinate specialized clinic activities; to provide preventative nursing services including health assessment, teaching, counseling and referral; and to do other work as required.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

Public Health Nurse I is the working entry level class in the Public Health Nursing series. Incumbents initially work under close supervision in a variety of Public Health Nursing programs and clinics which are highly structured and supervised. After incumbents have been fully trained in public health nursing practices, policies and procedures and have demonstrated expertise in a wide variety of nursing services and programs, incumbents would be eligible for promotion to Public Health Nurse II. This class differs from the class of Public Health Nurse II in that the latter is the fully qualified generalist working independently in a wide variety of public health nursing programs, clinics and projects.

Public Health Nurse II is the fully qualified professional level generalist class in the Public Health Nursing Series. Incumbents are assigned to work independently in a wide variety of public health nursing programs, clinics and projects. Assignments include providing counseling and guidance to Public Health Nurse I's, paraprofessional and other staff and to plan and organize clinic activities. This class is distinguished from the higher class of Public Health Nurse III, which serves as a lead and assists a Public Health Program Manager or directs, evaluates and supervises specialized programs such as the Communicable Disease Program.

TYPICAL TASKS

• Coordinates and/or provides public health nursing services in specialized clinics such as VD, Immunization, Family Planning, Perinatal and Tuberculosis by assessing health care requirements, counseling, teaching and providing follow-up health and social services to clients and their families; may organize, coordinate and supervise specialized clinics; makes appropriate referrals to other County programs, community agencies and physicians; works within established agency protocols to provide therapeutic nursing care, administer medications and treatments, and to teach self care;
• participate in epidemiological studies by conducting community investigations to control diseases;
• makes home visits to a variety of high risk clients and their families to provide public health nursing services;
• makes physical, psycho-social and health care needs assessments, arranges for required medical and social services, consults with clients physicians on matters pertaining to the clients health status and care, and counsels clients and families concerning AIDS, chronic illness, death, dying and bereavement, child abuse, and other sensitive issues;
• participates in defining community health needs;
• assess physical, psycho-social and health care needs for high risk clients including frail elderly, disabled individuals, infants, children placed in foster care and others;
• develops a care plan and monitors health care plans and ensures that fol low-up services are provided and documented;
• plans, directs and evaluates health related training and in-service education to foster care parents, senior care providers, social work staff, community groups, health care providers and related pro viders;
• acts as a client advocate to health care providers; coordinates, develops and implements various community and specialized health education programs to teach and inform in the following public health program areas - immunization, sexually transmitted diseases, maternal and child health, preventative measures, family plan ning, infant health, senior health, and foster care children's health;
• may serve as a consultant for public health nursing issues to social workers and other staff;
• may be assigned to coordinate a specialized program or provide specialized nursing services to target populations;
• may assist in grant or demonstration project prepa ration, implementation and evaluation;
• may participate in preparation of procedure manuals, forms, instructional materials, surveys and questionnaires;
• may authorize purchase of medical and other services and balance expenditures to meet program cost requirements;
• attends staff meetings, in-service training, team meetings, case con ferences and others;
• makes presentations to community groups; assists in developing and maintaining automated and manual recordkeeping systems;
• inputs, accesses and analyzes data using a computer terminal;
• prepares statistical and other reports, charts, records and other required documentation.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

Knowledge:

Public Health Nurse I

• Working knowledge of public health nursing principles, methods and practices;
• Working knowledge of community agencies and resources as related to public health nursing;
• Working knowledge of epidemiologic investigation, control and care of chronic and communicable diseases and illnesses, and handicapping conditions;
• Working knowledge of technical nursing procedures, and medical terminology;
• Working knowledge of normal and abnormal physiological development and behavior;
• Some knowledge of cultural, environmental, sociological and psychological differences and problems encountered in public health nursing;
• Some knowledge of prevention, detection, reporting and treatment of child abuse and neglect;
• Some knowledge of Federal and State laws and regulations governing public health programs;
• Some knowledge of interviewing, counseling and teaching techniques;
• Some knowledge of the literature and trends in public health.

Public Health Nurse II

The above, plus:

• Working knowledge of the community aspects of public health nursing;
• Working knowledge of cultural, environmental, sociological and psychological differences and problems encountered in public health nursing;
• Working knowledge of prevention, detection, reporting and treatment of child abuse and neglect;
• Working knowledge of Federal and State laws and regulations governing public health programs;
• Working knowledge of interviewing, counseling and teaching techniques;
• Working knowledge of the literature and trends in public health.

Ability to:

Public Health Nurse I

• Assess health care needs and develop and implement health care plans;
• Learn to provide public health nursing services independently in homes, clinics and community sites;
• Learn to serve as a case manager for high risk clients;
• Communicate effectively in written and oral form;
• Coach, counsel, teach and inform clients concerning public health issues;
• Administer treatments and medications;
• Learn to teach and supervise other health professionals and volunteers;
• Deal with sensitivity to the needs of people with different cultural, environmental and social backgrounds;
• Speak effectively before groups;
• Analyze data, problem solve, and make logical decisions;
• Write and prepare reports;
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with others;
• Learn to input, access and analyze data using a computer terminal.

Public Health Nurse II

The above, plus:

• Assess health care, physical and psycho-social needs and develop and implement care plans;
• Provide public health nursing services to high risk groups in homes, clinics and community sites;
• Serve as a case manager for high risk clients;
• Assess community health needs;
• Teach and supervise other health care professionals and volunteers;
• Assume a leadership role in community health programs;
• Write and prepare a variety of statistical and other reports, records, and charts;
• Input, access and analyze data using a computer terminal.

Training and Experience:

Any combination of training or experience which would provide the required knowledges and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to ob tain these knowledges and abilities is:

Public Health Nurse I

• No experience is required.

Public Health Nurse II

• Two years of experience performing duties equivalent to a Public Health Nurse I in Santa Cruz County.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Possess and maintain a valid California Class C Driver's license.
• Possession of a valid California Registered Nurse license and a Public Health Nurse certificate issued by the State of California.
• State and Federally funded programs may contain additional specialized requirements.