Summary

The Childhood Lead Public Health Nurse promotes and protects the health of populations using knowledge from nursing, social, and public health sciences. The Childhood Public Health Nurse is responsible for providing professional nursing services in clinics, homes and communities to ensure effective health promotion and disease prevention services. The public health nurse combines the use of clinical and educational skills and will work in several capacities such as health education, vaccination, and childhood lead case management, and communicable disease control.

Essential Duties

• Provide clinical support and health education for Delaware County community members in need of Delaware County Health Department (DCHD) personal health services. This may include prenatal women, mothers of infants and children, school-aged children, Tuberculosis (TB) patients, people in need of HIV/STI services, and families with environmental lead exposures. 
• Provide childhood lead-case management services for children with elevated blood lead levels in accordance with DCHD, Pennsylvania Department of Health, and applicable program protocols and guidelines. 
• Conduct timely outreach and follow-up with parents, guardians, and caregivers to provide education regarding elevated blood lead levels, exposure prevention, nutrition, testing recommendations, and the importance of follow-up care. 
• Complete nursing assessments and coordinate home visits, telephone follow-up, and other case management activities based on the child's blood lead level and identified needs. 
• Coordinate and track confirmatory and follow-up blood lead testing, laboratory results, medical evaluation, and other recommended services to support continuity of care and case closure. 
• Collaborate with Environmental Health staff and other agencies regarding environmental lead investigations and communicate relevant findings and next steps to families. 
• Assess family needs and barriers to care and connect families with appropriate medical providers, early intervention, nutritional, housing, social service, and other community resources as indicated. 
• Maintain complete, timely, and accurate childhood lead case management records, including outreach attempts, assessments, education, referrals, laboratory results, follow-up activities, and case disposition in required documentation systems. 
• Participate in childhood lead prevention activities, including community education, outreach, screening events, and coordination with healthcare providers and community partners. 
• Provide health education and materials at the request of county residents or clients and provide on-site education to health and health-related groups. 
• Provide accurate documentation of each interaction/visit with clients or of the inability to complete a home, clinic, or phone visit. 
• Provide referrals to other county departments and/or agencies for services.
• Support emergency preparedness and response functions of the department as needed, including the epidemiology team during outbreaks.
• Attend continuing education programs, staff meetings, program meetings, and internal and external meetings with other partners and organizations. 
• Participate in special educational outreach projects such as health fairs and lead screenings.
• Participate in DCHD committees, workgroups, quality improvement initiatives, accreditation activities, emergency preparedness activities, and special projects as assigned to support departmental goals and organizational priorities. 
• Perform other duties as assigned to support the mission and operations of the Personal Health Division.

Qualifications

• Current, active license as a Registered Nurse (RN) issued by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing; Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) may be considered based on experience and program needs.
• Current CPR/First Aid certification or ability to obtain within a specified period following hire.
• Valid driver's license and ability to travel throughout Delaware County as required.
• Ability to successfully complete all required criminal history, child abuse, and other employment clearances.
• Experience providing nursing care, health education, care coordination, case management, or other services to individuals, families, or communities.
• Ability to maintain confidential health information in accordance with HIPAA, applicable laws, and departmental policies.
• Community or public health nursing experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Pediatric, maternal-child health, or childhood lead poisoning prevention/case management experience.
• Experience conducting home visits and working with children and families.
• Experience working with diverse, underserved, or high-risk populations.
• Knowledge or experience related to communicable diseases.
• Bilingual or multilingual skills a plus.

Physical Demands

• Ability to perform duties in clinical, office, community, and residential/home environments. 
• Ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, reach, and move throughout the workday.
• Ability to travel to homes, schools, community sites, clinics, and other locations throughout Delaware County. 
• Ability to carry and transport nursing, screening, educational, and outreach supplies and equipment, generally up to 25 pounds. 
• Ability to perform clinical activities requiring sufficient manual dexterity, including specimen collection, point-of-care testing, vaccinations, blood pressure measurements, and other nursing procedures within the individual's scope of practice. 
• Ability to use computers, electronic health records, telephones, and other standard office and clinical equipment for extended periods. 
• Ability to communicate effectively in person, electronically, and by telephone. 
• May occasionally be exposed to communicable diseases, blood or other bodily fluids, environmental hazards, and adverse weather conditions while performing field-based duties. 
• Must be able to use required personal protective equipment and follow infection prevention, occupational health, and safety protocols.

*The selected candidate will be required to obtain, at their own expense, 3 forms of clearance, including PA State Police Criminal History Record Check; PA Child Abuse History; and FBI Criminal History Background Check including finger printing prior to employment.

**Delaware County Health Department requires all employees be up to date for their COVID-19 vaccination per CDC guidelines. Proof of vaccination must be submitted before a candidate’s start date, if hired.

Delaware County provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, membership in an employee organization, political affiliation, or status as a veteran in the recruitment, selection, or hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during the application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. EEO/AA

Contact

To apply, please go to Neo.gov.