Public Health Nurse

Yakima Health District Full time Regular Exempt Status:
Non-Exempt (eligible for overtime) Salary: $48.08 - $62.73 per hour (10 Salary Step) Hiring Range:
Steps 1-4 The Yakima Heath District offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and life insurance (Public Employee Benefits Board); participation in Washington State retirement system (DRS); and generous annual, holiday, and sick leave. This position is a member of the PROTEC
17 Union.

• Provide nursing assessment and intervention related to health issues and communicable diseases for individuals, families and high-risk populations using professional nursing principles and practices.
• Provide education, referral and linkage to health care and community resources.
• Respond to calls during work hours and provide follow-up information to medical providers, various community organizations, and the general public.
• Conduct communicable disease investigations including interviewing clients, speaking with medical providers, gathering medical information, collecting lab specimens, entering case notes data into records, provide education to clients and providers for all Notifiable Conditions.
• Work duties may include investigation, data gathering, and assessment of sources in an outbreak situation and working with clients/medical providers on site.
• Provide consultation to patients, medical providers, and the general public about communicable disease testing, treatment, and prevention of the spread of the disease.
• Provide education and information about diseases and resources within the community.
• Oversee the administration of medications to patients including injections as ordered by the Public Health Officer.
• Conduct epidemiological investigations to include determination of case findings regarding communicable diseases including tuberculosis as assigned by the Division Director.
• Work collaboratively with co-workers, professional colleagues, and community agencies/providers, in gathering and analyzing information and data regarding public health concerns.
• Conduct clinical nursing assessments including patient screening, immunizations, specimen collection and provide chemotherapy/prophylaxis during public health outbreaks as assigned by the Division Director.
• Maintain professional client records, documentation, data entry, and patient notes in accordance with WA Department of Health and Yakima Health District requirements and procedures.
• Provide staff coverage for all forms of communicable diseases including TB, HIV and STIs, Counsel and provide medical expertise to other District staff specific to nursing principles and practices, communicable disease management and containment, and other public health related risk.
• Provide information to the general public about community resources that may help with public health concerns.
• Occasionally conduct educational and informational seminars, workshops, and lectures regarding communicable diseases and other public health concerns.
• Attend a wide range of meetings, training, including continuing education, and professional training opportunities as directed by the Division Director.
• Work collaboratively with a wide range of public health and medical professionals committed to ensuring the well-being of the community.
• Performs other job duties as required by management team.
• The itemized list of job tasks and essential functions as identified above may not be all inclusive.
• Job duties may change during peak work periods such as major outbreaks of diseases, major illness, or staff shortages.

• Application of the principles, practices, and techniques of professional nursing in a public health environment
• Public health nursing specific to the diagnoses, treatment, management, and prevention of communicable diseases
• How trending social, economic, and political conditions may impact local public health issues
• How a client’s home environment may impact the health of those that have contact with the space.
• Child growth and development
• How to collaborate with team members in a stressful environment, respond to and manage complex issues that are at times very sensitive, work in a patient centric environment, and maintain a professional relationship with a wide range of community partners, colleagues, and health care providers
• How to respond to and manage very complex, confidential, difficult, and at times emotional patient and professional partners HIPAA regulations and the best practices of…