Job Announcement

The Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) is a progressive public health leader providing services that promote population health, protect public health and the environment, and ensure residents' access to health services and information. The Health Department is currently seeking skilled and passionate Public Health Nurses (PHN) III to deliver outreach, case finding, health promotion, education, care coordination, and disease prevention in the Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and community setting in order to improve health outcomes and maximize individual's health potential. Directly supervises assigned Community Health Workers (CHW) and exercises considerable judgment in applying professional knowledge in solving multifaceted problems within established policies and practices. Public Health Nurses serve as the liaison between the clinic and all Health Department services to include speech and hearing, optometry, environmental health issues, long term care, tuberculosis and maternity services. This position implements public health nursing activities within the primary care and home setting. Evaluates high risk clients, diverse populations, and assists with follow-up and referrals as needed. Informs, educates, and empowers clients and primary care center staff on topics related to communicable disease, health promotion, disease prevention, and chronic disease management. Participates on the Primary Care Partnership Team (PCPT) and provides as a resource to Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), local Health Department, non-profit, and private health care organizations. Fairfax County is the largest health jurisdiction in Virginia and in the National Capital Region including about 1.2 million people; the population is demographically diverse with 30% being foreign born. The Fairfax County Health Department location allows for the development of partnerships with leaders in public health fields at federal agencies, universities, and non-profits across the National Capital Region.

Note: Multiple positions may be filled from this job announcement.

Illustrative Duties

Functions as a liaison between specialty area and field;
Manages a case load, develops case plans, serves as case manager;
Participates in the assessment and identification of the need to expand services to address emerging issues or service gaps in the County's and communities health service delivery system, making recommendations for improvements or changes;
Delivers community health education programs to update public knowledge and promote service utilization;
Responds to complex questions from clients, the public, and other health care providers;
Coordinates County health services with other county and state public health agencies and social services;
Demonstrates procedures to others according to established policies, and protocols and guidelines;
Provides site/subject matter expertise i.e. reliable accurate knowledge policies and procedures as defined in area of specialization (HIV, Epidemiology, etc);
Participates in establishment of priorities for projects and develops protocols within specialty area in conjunction with appropriate staff;
Develops and teaches programs for new and existing staff orientation in collaboration with Nurse Education-Research Coordinator;
Coordinates the review of the quality and efficiency of health care plans for individual clients and/or groups in conjunction with appropriate staff;
Assesses community learning needs for general and specific public health education programs;
Evaluates the success of public health education programs in achieving desired objectives;
Sets priorities at team level in conjunction with PHN IV;
Directly supervises professionals/ paraprofessionals, students & volunteers;
Has responsibility for orientation and training of immediate staff and others upon request;
Develops team based action plans to resolve issues;
Provides consultative feedback within specialty program; (e.g. Communicable Diseases) Participates in specific projects;
Assists staff on patient health care plan and the existence and applicability of County and community resources in meeting health care needs;
Assists in establishing protocols for evaluating the effectiveness and utilization of the County's health care service delivery system, as requested;
Evaluates services, maintains statistics, identifies trends, and provides written recommendations;
Assesses and identifies solutions to address emerging issues or service gaps, making recommendations for improvements or changes for assigned specialty area or team within specialty program;
Evaluates the quality and efficiency of health care plans for individual clients and/or the team;
Identifies professional development needs;
Participates in the development of budget for specialty programs;

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

Considerable knowledge of public health nursing theories, principles, practices, methods, processes, and procedures required to provide quality patient care;
Knowledge of human growth and development, anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, preventive medicine, epidemiology, and nutrition;
Knowledge of current practices; literature, and trends in public health nursing to include environmental, economic, psychological, social (e.g., family and group dynamics), cultural and linguistic issues or barriers impacting assessment, planning, delivery, and evaluation of nursing services to the community;
Knowledge of documentation, nursing diagnosis, and quality assurance;
Ability to perform technical and advanced nursing procedures (e.g., injections, venipuncture, blood pressure screening, STD check, tube feeding, nebulizations), and using medical equipment in delivering specialized services to the clients as appropriate within assigned area or specialty program;
Knowledge of medical and legal policies, guidelines, principles, practices, and standards governing public health nursing as well as nursing specialization;
Extensive knowledge of available community resources for referral and follow-up;
Ability to manage human and/or facility emergencies and perform emergency treatments related to life-threatening conditions;
Ability to interpret and apply the professional standards of nursing practice, County health department policies and procedures and applicable federal, state, and County laws and regulations;
Ability to build, maintain, and promote effective partnerships (e.g., health care providers) that support planning, delivery, monitoring, and evaluation of health care services;
Ability to relate well to clients from varied backgrounds and different situations;
Ability to manage or diffuse situations involving clients or county staff that may appear difficult, hostile, or distressed;
Ability to identify problems and make sound, well-informed, and objective decisions or
judgments relating to client health care;
Ability to assess the quality, appropriateness, implications, and impact of decisions or judgments made by others and identify courses of corrective action, where appropriate;
Ability to provide health training to clients and families with complex, multiple health needs, using knowledge of adult learning concepts;
Ability to use technology to retrieve and analyze data, and communicate or share public health information in the appropriate format with stakeholders, other relevant parties, and the community;
Ability to implement public health nursing programs;
Ability to identify and advocate the need for changes in the County's public health care delivery system;
Ability to assign and supervise the work of professionals, paraprofessionals, volunteers, and/or students;
Ability to develop, plan, and coordinate services with other disciplines and health care providers;
Ability to develop budget for the specialty program (e.g., TB).

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Graduation from a college or university accredited by the National League for Nursing or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education with a bachelor's degree in nursing; plus three years of post-licensure experience as a nurse in an equivalent health care setting whose focus was primarily prevention services and community education, including two years in a public health/community health setting; plus at least one year experience in a public health/community health specialty area or supervisory responsibilities.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
Possession of current license or a multi-state licensure privilege to practice as a Registered Nurse in the Commonwealth of Virginia
Driver's License (Required upon hire)
AED-Required within 60 days
CPR -Required within 60 days

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Preferred candidates will hold a master's degree in public health plus three or more years of work experience in a public or community health setting. Exposure supporting culturally and ethnically diverse clientele is desirable. Must have ability to take initiative in developing intervention strategies designed to promote diverse health populations. Demonstrates excellent verbal and written communication skills; strong interpersonal abilities to establish and maintain collaborate connections with Federally Qualified Health Center and other community health care providers, internal, and external partners to meet the needs of the diverse population served. Position requires candidates to work independently and on interdisciplinary teams. Bilingual English/Spanish a plus. Preferred candidates will have at least one year of direct supervisory experience of professional staff or demonstrated work experience monitoring and directing the work of others.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background investigation, a Child Protective Services (CPS) check, a driving record check, and a sanction screening to the satisfaction of the employer. Ability to drive a vehicle. Position frequently communicates and must be able to exchange accurate information with others verbally and in writing.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Employee is required to walk, stand, sit, bend, kneel, reach, climb stairs and carry equipment or young children up to 25 pounds in weight. Uses hands to grasp, handle or feel. Visual acuity is required to read data on a computer monitor. Ability to operate keyboard driven equipment. Ability to drive a vehicle. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview.

It is the policy of Fairfax County Government to prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, veteran status, political affiliation, genetics, or disability in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact 703-324-4900 for assistance. TTY 703-222-7314 . EEO/AA/TTY.