Public Health Nurse

Overview

Definition and Distinguishing Characteristics

This is an Extra-Help non-benefited position limited to 999 hours per fiscal year

Under general supervision, learns to plan and conduct a variety of public health clinics and services; provides basic nursing, educational and health counseling services in connection with the control and prevention of disease and adverse health conditions; and performs related work as required.

Distinguishing Characteristics

This is the entry level classification in Public Health Nurse series, responsible for performing the more routine tasks and duties assigned to positions within the series. Assignments are generally limited in scope and are performed within a procedural framework. This is the first working level classification for persons with requisite public health nursing certification, but limited public health nursing work experience.

This classification is distinguished from the Public Health Nurse II in that the latter is the journey level of the series, with responsibility for independently performing the full range of assigned duties.

Reports To

Higher level management or supervisory staff.

Classifications Supervised

This classification does not exercise supervision over staff.

• Learns the performance of Public Health Nurse assignments and services.
• Conducts physical examinations.
• Assists with diagnosis and treatment (by protocol) of certain diseases.
• Learns to investigate and interview patients to determine health needs.
• Acts to obtain treatment for ill patients.
• Learns to search for unreported or missed cases of communicable diseases and give instructions in their prevention and care.
• Assists with the operations of clinics and satellite immunization sites assessing and providing immunizations and family planning services.
• Serves as a patient advocate to assist patients with attaining optimal health care.
• Learns to coordinate health care between patients and care providers.
• Learns to assess, screen, and provide intervention strategies to high-risk individuals and families in clinics and home visits.
• Learns to instruct parents on child safety, growth, and development and screen for signs of abuse, poor nutrition and failure to thrive.
• Reports abuse of children, elderly or the disabled.
• When requisite experience is obtained, acts as "on-call" nurse to receive referrals and provide information.
• Performs case management as assigned.
• Screens for tuberculosis by giving and reading skin tests, providing medications and education.
• Participates in patient meetings for "special needs" children.
• Learns to make public presentations on health issues and needs.
• Documents treatment given and medications in patients' charts.
• Keeps statistics on a variety of communicable diseases.
• Teaches prenatal care to expectant mothers.
• Learns to work cooperatively with County departments, state and federal agencies and with community groups on local health issues.
• Provides education counseling and screening for AIDS.
• Draws blood samples to determine deficiencies or assist with disease diagnosis.
• May make home visits as needed.
• Meets with health care providers to recruit their participation in health programs.
• Participates in family planning and other department programs.
• Participates in Targeted Case Management (TCM) and Medi-Cal Administration Activity (MAA) services.

• Operations, services and activities of a comprehensive health system.
• Principles, methods, and procedures of general nursing and public health nursing.
• Public health issues and problems.
• Federal, State and local laws governing the provision of public health services.
• Causes, means of transmission, and methods of control of communicable diseases, including venereal disease, AIDS, and tuberculosis.
• Means of promoting child and maternal health and public health programs.
• Sociological and cultural problems involved in public health nursing.
• Community resources and demographics.
• Principles of public health education.
• State laws relating to reporting child/adult abuse.
• Reproductive physiology and child development.
• Human Anatomy
• Operations, services and activities of a clinic setting.
• Applicable state and federal guidelines and regulations.

• Learn to provide professional nursing support in an assigned program area.
• Learn to educate and work with patients and their families.
• Read and understand medical information.
• Assess the physical conditions of patients.
• Learn to make oral presentations to local community groups and health care providers.
• Maintain confidentiality of material.
• Learn to coordinate assigned activities with community organizations and other government agencies.
• Interview patients and families to gather medical history.
• Draw blood samples.
• Learn appropriate resources for clients and make referral to those agencies.
• Work responsibly with physicians and other members of the medical team.
• Effectively represent the Health Department in contacts with the public, community organizations, and other government agencies.
• Understand…