Overview

Here is why working at Sheboygan County is for you:
It is our imperative to remain an inclusive workplace. Sheboygan County is committed to attracting, supporting, and retaining a culturally diverse workforce that represents our community. Sheboygan County Health and Human Services also strives to be a trauma informed organization which fully realizes the prevalence of trauma, recognizes the effects of trauma, and responds with trauma informed policies and practices, and we are looking for staff who will help us champion this journey.

Becoming a member of our growing team also means that YOU become our top priority. You will not only enjoy a dynamic work environment but a variety of perks including but not limited to the following:

  • Generous benefits package and access to our free InHealth Clinic
  • Time off: 15 vacation days, sick time and 10 paid holidays
  • Other perks: Referral program, Wisconsin Retirement System, education discount and more!

What to Expect:
The Public Health Nurse provides nursing services to individuals, families, and population groups. Nursing actions are directed toward the goals of prevention, assessment, risk reduction, and health status improvement for individuals, families and communities. Nursing activities include, but are not limited to, systematic analysis of health data, care plan development, health education and advocacy, coalition building, and collaborating with community partners to promote the health of a population. Public Health Nurses often collaborate and consult within multidisciplinary and multi-agency teams in order to achieve desirable outcomes.

Essential Duties
Under general supervision and/or as part of various workgroups and teams, the Public Health Nurse works independently to perform the following essential services within the Public Health Core Competency Domains:

Data Analytics and Assessment Analysis and Assessment 

  1. Participate in the analysis of data to identify trends, health problems, environmental health hazards, and social and economic conditions that adversely affect the public’s health. Use data to determine the root causes of health disparities and inequities.
  2. Analyze the quality of existing data and use methods and tools for collecting data for appropriate analysis and to inform program performance management plans and operations.

Policy Development and Program Planning 

  1. Collaborate in the development of evidence-based public health nursing practices and programs with institutes of higher learning universities, other healthcare systems, nursing agencies, businesses, trade associations, other staff and the public.
  2. Ensure adherence and compliance to the policies and procedures of the Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Maintain familiarity with and assure the effective and efficient delivery of services within the framework of consumer needs, applicable laws, policies, procedures, evidence based practices, and available resources.
  3. Perform comprehensive individual and family assessments which include health history, physical assessment, growth monitoring, developmental assessment, psycho-social assessment, assessment of family functioning, assessment for substance abuse or domestic violence issues, and assessment of basic needs including food, housing, income, resources and supports, and access to health care.
  4. Collaborate in development and delivery of programs and activities for individuals, families and population groups that promote health and prevent disease, in settings including, but not limited to all designated homes, community organizations and businesses, schools, and the community in general.
  5. Contribute to development and monitoring of goals, measurable objectives, targets, and timeframes for policies, programs, and services for internal efforts and community level interventions.
  6. Contribute to and assist in the implementation of the organizational strategic plan and workforce development planning.

Communication 

  1. Deliver targeted, culturally-appropriate, and health literate information to ensure individuals and groups understand local and environmental public health policies, regulations and codes.
  2. Communicate with linguistic and cultural proficiency (e.g., tailoring messages for different audiences, using age-appropriate materials, incorporating images, using plain language, implementing CLAS Standards, ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities, engaging interpreters and translators).
  3. Utilize appropriate methods for interacting effectively and professionally with persons of all ages and from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial, and ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, lifestyles and physical abilities. Suggest approaches for responding to information, misinformation, and disinformation.
  4. Foster communication (e.g., building trust, engaging in active listening, conducting in-person and virtual meetings, considering language and accessibility needs, being clear and transparent). Expresses ideas clearly in oral and written form.
  5. Develop presentations, reports, correspondence, and other communications that are well organized, easily understood, and effective. Communicate well with people of varied backgrounds. Elicit feedback and listen carefully to what others have to say.

Health Equity and Trauma Informed Care 

  1. Ability to describe the diversity of individuals and populations in the community (e.g., language, culture, values, socioeconomic status, geography, education, race, gender identity, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, profession, religious affiliation, mental and physical abilities, historical experiences) and how this may impact health outcomes.
  2. Collaborate with the community to identify systemic and structural barriers that perpetuate health inequities (e.g., discriminatory policies and practices, lack of affordable housing or public transportation, food deserts).
  3. Contribute to assessment of the impact of organizational policies, programs, and services on health equity and trauma informed practices.
  4. Ability to talk with individuals seeking services about the prevalence and impact of trauma, and how it can affect engagement and involvement.
  5. Address the diversity of individuals and populations when developing, implementing, evaluating, and improving policies, programs, and services.

Community Partnership 

  1. Collaborate in Sheboygan County Division of Public Health’s community health assessment and health improvement planning and intervention activities, acting as a liaison with other community agencies and professionals in efforts to address community health priorities and advance health equity.
  2. Contribute to development of strategies for maintaining relationships that improve community health and resilience.
  3. Collaborate with community members and organizations to identify assets and resources for improving community health and resilience (e.g., community coalitions, community-based organizations, public libraries, hospitals, businesses, faith-based organizations, community organizers, community development financial institutions, civic groups, advocacy groups, academic institutions, federal grants, fellowship programs, environmental agencies and organizations).

Public Health Sciences 

  1. Provide case management, care coordination, referral and follow-up to individuals and families who are members of a vulnerable population and/or high-risk groups. Evaluate outcomes, effectiveness of plans, and make changes as necessary.
  2. Participate in response teams to prevent, minimize, and contain adverse health events and conditions resulting from communicable diseases; food, water, and vector-borne outbreaks; chronic diseases, environmental hazards, injuries, and health disparities including, but not limited to planning and implementing vaccination clinics, collecting sputum samples, nasal swabs, blood draws and other medical interventions as ordered.
  3. Apply evidence in developing, implementing, evaluating, and improving policies, programs, and services (e.g., translating research for practice, considering public perspectives and opinions, navigating power dynamics).
  4. Implement quality improvement methods and tools to improve policies, programs, services, and organizational performance (e.g., identifying opportunities to apply quality improvement, building a culture of quality, integrating quality improvement into daily work, sustaining improvement).

Management and Finance 

  1. Contribute to the development and preparation of proposals for funding from external resources for health promotion and disease prevention initiatives and programs.   Assist with grant reporting and tracking.
  2. Contribute to development and implementation of strategies to improve workforce satisfaction and maintenance of professional development plans.
  3. Contribute to the development, implementation and monitoring of work plans within assigned programs, organizational teams, and community health improvement initiatives.

Leadership and Systems Thinking 

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of applicable state professional practice guidelines for registered professional nurses, the American Nurses AssociationScope and Standards of Practice for Public Health Nursing and any other Federal and State laws and regulations applicable to practice as a public health nursing professional.
  2. Participate in and apply quality improvement (QI) and performance management (PM) processes and/or techniques to improve the effectiveness of the respective public health program. This includes, but is not limited to: creating, implementing, and evaluating performance standards and identifying, implementing, and assessing program quality improvement processes.

 

Emergency Preparedness

  1. Perform emergency response duties in alignment with the 15 CDC Public Health Emergency Preparedness Capabilities as assigned and consistent with job classification and training provided, in response to threats to the public’s health.

Other 

  1. Perform other duties as assigned consistent with job classification.

BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS: 

  • Demonstrate support for individuals’ and families’ needs, goals, preferences, cultural traditions, family situation, and values.
  • Demonstrate compassion, courtesy and respect within all encounters.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to relationships that are honest, reliable and transparent.
  • Foster a work environment that is inviting, approachable, and helpful to others.
  • Act with integrity.

Qualifications
Education, Licensure, Certifications, Experience 

  • According to Wisconsin State Statute, Chapter 139.8, a public health nurse, in addition to being licensed as a registered nurse under Wisconsin State Statute Chapter 441, shall have one of the following:
    • A bachelor’s degree from a nursing program approved by the board of nursing under s. 441.01 (3), Stats., and ch. N 1, or accredited by the national professional nursing education accrediting organization. The program shall include preparation in public health nursing or community health nursing.
    • A master’s degree from a nursing program accredited by the national professional nursing education accrediting organization. The program shall include preparation in public health nursing or community health nursing.
  • Two (2) years of public health nursing experience preferred.
  • National Incident Management System (NIMS)/Incident Command System (ICS) 100, 200 certification within four (6) months of employment.
  • CPR certification within 1 year of employment.
  • Valid Wisconsin driver’s license, current certificate of vehicle insurance, and access to reliable transportation to all assigned work locations.
  • Ability to navigate computer software systems including Microsoft and Google Suite and state required documentation servers.
  • Knowledge of or experience with trauma-informed principles and practices is preferred.

Due to the need for all Division of Public Health personnel to respond to public health needs, the employee must be assessed for their ability to meet the physical demands of performing the following activities:

  • Must be able to be fitted and wear appropriate respiratory protection.
  • Engage in the following movements: climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, standing, walking, lifting, grasping, feeling, writing and repetitive motions.
  • Exert up to 30 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.
  • Hearing ability sufficient enough to communicate with others effectively in person and over the phone.
  • Visual ability must be sufficient enough to read typewritten documents, a computer screen, and drive a car.

If unable to demonstrate these abilities based upon a standardized, objective assessment performed by external occupational health professionals, all reasonable accommodations will be made, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and any other applicable Federal and Wisconsin law.
Work Environment & Physical Requirements

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Reports to Human Services Manager. Works with various disciplines within Public Health including Nutritionists, Sanitarians, Public Health Educator, Public Health Nurses, Community Healthy Workers and others.   Frequent contact with co-workers, consumers, members of the public, and representatives of other agencies.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL STANDARDS 

General office setting in public health facilities, as well as community sites including clients’ homes and workplaces. Work performed in the community is sometimes subject to conditions that range from inclement weather to dangerous conditions such as snow/ice, cold, heat, noise, wetness/humidity, and poor illumination at the job site or due to travel on the job. Community locations may subject worker to blood-borne pathogens, tuberculosis, other communicable diseases, insects and other disease vectors, toxins, hazardous materials, chemicals and animals.

In all settings, employees in this classification may occasionally need to relate to members of the public who exhibit challenging, atypical or hostile behaviors and/or communication.

Risk of blood-borne pathogen exposure is considered high.

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