Public Health Nurse - Remote

Job Summary: 

This position is responsible for providing public health services to individuals, families, and communities. Services are provided to all age groups with a focus on disease intervention. Nursing activities include, but are not limited to, systematic analysis of health data, care plan development, health education and advocacy, and collaborating with community partners to promote the health of a community.  The health program is carried out in the home, office, schools and community, where conditions and treatment are normally of a non-critical nature. 

Essential Functions 

• Uses nursing process in order to assess, plan, implement and evaluate health needs in providing nursing care to individuals and families including interventions designed to prevent complications and minimize disabilities.
• Records and documents according to established standards and procedures.
• Educates and supervisors patients and families in techniques of positive self-care management, and assists them in understanding, accepting and adjusting to the implications and responsibilities of medical or other needed care, diagnosis and treatment.
• Assists in planning and evaluating the community health nursing program. Helps to maintain proper lines of communication so that responsible parties are adequately informed.
• Provides continuity of patient care by planning and exchanging information with IHS, Tribal and community resources.
• Conducts routine review of Community Health Assessments to prioritize Health Promotion Disease Prevention activities.
• Develops programs to meet unique health needs found in schools, Head Start centers, Senior Citizen centers, and other agencies and indicated.
• Reviews and evaluated records and reports for the purpose of Health Promotions/Disease Prevention and Continuous Quality Improvement.
• Participates with interdisciplinary teams in defining policy and developing the total care plan for patients. Collaborates and coordinates programs with other health agencies.
• Assumes personal responsibility to keep informed of current changes and trends affecting nursing care and professional nurse functions. Assesses and communicates individual needs regarding personal development plan.
• Participates in quality improvement activities.
• Must comply with federal laws and regulations as required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
• Performs a variety of investigative work, including counseling, related to the prevention and control of communicable diseases.
• Interview cases, contacts, and others in the community concerning personal behaviors and activities which contribute to disease transmission.
• Perform related duties.

Professional Behavior   

• Effectively plan, organize workload and schedule time to meet the demands of the position.
• Work in a cooperative and professional manner with OHC and GPTLHB staff.
• Treat Great Plains tribes and collaborators with dignity and respect.
• Utilize effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Advance personal educational development by attending training sessions and seminars as appropriate.
• Exemplify excellent customer service with tribal stakeholders, health board colleagues, program partners, service recipients, visitors and guests.
• Foster a work environment of wellness, courtesy, friendliness, helpfulness and respect.
• Relate well and work collaboratively with coworkers and all levels of staff in a professional manner.
• Consistently demonstrate respect for and acceptance of differing capabilities, cultures, gender, age, sexual orientation and/or personalities.
• Maintain and ensure organizational privacy and confidentiality.
• Handle crisis and tolerate stress professionally.
• Be self-directed and take proactive initiative to assist others.
• Resolve issues with other departments and coworkers without direct supervision if needed.
• Exercise flexibility to alter plans/routines when situations require and continue to perform without projecting stress/frustration that would adversely affect the work environment.
• Promote an alcohol, tobacco and drug-free lifestyle.
• Embrace modes of appearance and attire that reflect a professional presence.
• Adhere to GPTLHB policies and procedures.
• Other duties as assigned by the Supervisor.

Requirements

• Participates in Core Connections training and applies GPTLHB Core Connections concepts and practices in their work.
• Exemplify excellent customer service with tribal stakeholders, health board colleagues, program partners, service recipients, visitors, and guests.
• Foster a work environment of wellness, courtesy, friendliness, helpfulness, and respect.
• Relate well and work collaboratively with coworkers and all levels of staff in a professional manner.
• Familiarity and/or experience working with American Indian populations and respect for and knowledge of traditional, cultural, and spiritual practices of diverse American Indian communities, as well as an ability to work with other culturally and ethnically diverse populations.
• Consistently demonstrate respect for and acceptance of differing capabilities, cultures, gender, age, sexual orientation and/or personalities.
• Maintain and ensure organizational privacy and confidentiality.
• Must be able to handle crisis and tolerate stress professionally.
• Must be self-directed and take proactive initiative to assist others.
• Possess the ability to resolve issues with other departments and coworkers without direct supervision.
• Able to exercise flexibility to alter plans/routines when situations require and continue to perform without projecting stress/frustration that would adversely affect the work environment.
• Ability to maintain a flexible work schedule, including evenings, weekends and overnight or extended travel as necessary.
• Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to community members, consumers, and other employees of the organization.
• Proficiency with computer programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and other Internet technologies.
• Valid driver’s license must be kept current, and certificates, credentials or licenses must be kept current and consistent with regulations required by applicable federal, state and/or grant regulations.
• Ability to promote an alcohol-, tobacco- and drug-free lifestyle.
• Embrace modes of appearance and attire that reflect a professional presence.
• Adhere to GPTLHB policies and procedures.

Supervisory Controls

The supervisor sets the overall objectives and resources available. The employee and supervisor, in consultation, develop deadlines, projects, and work to be done.

The employee is considered an expert and is responsible for planning and carrying out the assignment, resolving most of the conflicts that arise, coordinating the work with others as necessary, and interpreting policy on their own initiative in terms of established objectives. In some assignments, the employee also determines the approach and methodology to be used. The employee keeps the supervisor informed of progress and potentially controversial matters.

Completed work is reviewed only from an overall standpoint in terms of feasibility, compatibility with other work, or effectiveness in meeting requirements or expected results. 

Guidelines

Guidelines for performing the work are scarce or of limited use.  Administrative policies, precedents, laws and regulations are applicable but are stated in general terms. 

The employee uses initiative and resourcefulness in deviating from traditional methods or researching trends and patterns to develop new methods, criteria, or proposed new policies.

Complexity 

The work typically includes varied duties that require many different and unrelated processes and methods, such as those relating to well established aspects of an administrative or professional field.  Decisions regarding what needs to be done include the assessment of unusual circumstances, variations in approach, and incomplete or conflicting data.

The work requires making many decisions concerning such things as interpretation of considerable data, planning of the work, or refinement of the methods and techniques to be used. 

Scope and Effect

The work involves establishing criteria; formulating projects; assessing program effectiveness; or investigating or analyzing a variety of unusual conditions, problems, or questions.

The work product or service affects a wide range of organizational activities, major financial activities, or the operation of other programs divisions of the organization. 

Contacts/ Purpose of Contacts

The personal contacts are with individuals or groups from outside the organization in a moderately unstructured setting. For example, the contacts are not established on a routine basis and the purpose and extent of each contact is different. 

The purpose is to obtain, clarify, or give facts or information regardless of the nature of those facts, i.e., the facts or information may range from easily understood to highly technical. 

Work Environment/Physical Demands

The work involves moderate risks or discomforts that require special safety precautions, e.g., working around moving parts, carts, or machines; exposure to contagious diseases or irritant chemicals. Employees may be required to use protective clothing or gear, such as masks, gowns, coats, boots, goggles, gloves, or shields. 

The work is sedentary. Typically, the employee sits comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items, such as papers, books, or small parts; or driving an automobile. The employee must be able to read, write, speak and hear.

Supervisory and Management Responsibility

This is a non-supervisory position that may provide functional direction, guidance and instruction to other employees when necessary. This position possess authority to assign, coordinate, and review quality and quantity of work of other employees. Instructs employees in specific techniques or technical methods for accomplishing work assignments. The employee may perform the same type of work as other employees but may be responsible for performance of the more technically difficult, controversial, or sensitive work assigned to the unit or group.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and three (3) years of progressively responsible experience, or an associate’s degree and give (5) years of progressively responsible experience, or a high school diploma or GED and seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience. The experience required for supervisory positions will be inclusive of at least one (1) year of supervisory/management experience.

This is a professional and/or supervisory position that requires post-secondary education and/or considerable experience. Individuals must have applicable education and/or experience applying basic principles, concepts, and methodology of a professional or administrative occupation, and skill in applying this knowledge in carrying out elementary assignments, operations, or procedures, or experience perform assignments such as carrying out limited projects that involve use of specialized complicated techniques.