Public Health Nurse - HEART (Health Engagement Action Resource Team)
- Summary
Public Health Seattle-King County’s HEART (Health Engagement Action Resource Team) is looking for self-motivated, flexible, and compassionate Public Health Nurses (PHNs) to work within our COVID-19 Homelessness Response. PHNs in this role will work with the COVID -19 Advanced Practice Nurses and Community Health Workers and Environmental Health Services staff and other PHNs to provide proactive and responsive outreach to community agencies that serve people living homeless as well as to individuals living in such settings. This PHN will also provide outreach, vaccine, testing and health education to people living unsheltered.
The HEART team is integrated into Public Health Seattle-King County's existing structure for the COVID-19 Homelessness response within the Community Health Services Division, and in close collaboration with the Environmental Health Division, Communicable Disease/Epidemiology section, the Department of Community and Human Services and with partners in the homeless services community.
COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE:As the only jurisdiction in the world named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.We have a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from vulnerable communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.To learn more, please visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity- Job Duties
Plan, organize, and provide training and technical assistance to health care, housing, shelter, and social services providers serving the homeless on prevention and mitigation of communicable diseases, strategies include administering Covid vaccination and tests.
Participate in vaccination efforts: safely handle, transport, and administer vaccines, as well as lab and Point of Care tests and document appropriately.
Work as a team member with Community Health outreach Workers (CHWs) and Environmental Health Services partners.
Work with the Advance Practice Nurse Specialist (APNS) to adapt a variety emergency preparedness and response efforts to the needs of the homeless population, applying practices of Trauma-Informed Care, harm reduction, and patient-centered care, all with a lens of racial equity.
Participate in assessments of mitigation efforts at sites that provide services to people currently or formerly living homeless. Collaborate with site management and staff to identify barriers and challenges. identify and leverage site and individual strengths. Provide guidance, materials, health education products.? Provide health education focused on disease mitigation for service site managers, staff and clients as needed.
Site visits may occur in a variety of settings: shelters, day centers, encampments and in supportive housing and in other locations where homeless people congregate.
Write “after visit summary” reports in collaboration with other team members.
Report to APNS observations of best and promising practices for adapting care for people living homeless at risk for COVID-19 and other communicable diseases so that these developing practices can be shared with the broader community.
PHNs on this team will accompany and assist nurses and other staff of the HEART COVID-19 mobile test team and will assist our Mobile Test and Vaccine Team partners with delivery of vaccinations to people living at or using the services of sites that serve people living homeless
PHNs on HEART also work with teams of PHNs and CHWs who provide similar engagement, mitigation/ health education, testing and vaccination to people living in encampments.
All work is rendered using a trauma-informed, strength-focused and harm reduction approach.
Requirements:Washington State Registered Nurse License in good standing.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited school of nursing or equivalent.
Proof of Current BLS CPR Certification for Healthcare Providers (Please attach if current.)
Washington State Driver's License or ability to travel within the designated territory.
Willingness and ability to stand and walk on outdoor terrain in a variety of weather conditions.
Desired:Master's degree in nursing or public health and/or BSN with experience in a relevant specialty area of nursing.
Knowledge of care delivery to individuals experiencing homelessness.
Knowledge of public health nursing process and principles, including needs assessment process at the community and systems level.
Experience and skill in multicultural and interdisciplinary coalition building.
Knowledge of and skill in communication using concepts of adult learning motivational interviewing techniques, harm reduction and trauma informed care.
Knowledge of or experience in community organization and coalition building strategies and techniques.
- Knowledge of health promotion and disease prevention principles.
- Demonstrated skill and experience in developing and delivering training presentations to audiences at a variety of levels of familiarity with disease prevention.
- Comfortable working with people who may be enduring mental/emotional/behavioral adversity.
- Flexibility: able to adapt to an ever-evolving pandemic response.
- Knowledge of Washington State law relating to nursing care (WAC 18.79) and federal health care regulations and professional ethics related to delivery of nursing and allied health services
Contact: Amy M. Curtis, BSN, RN, Healthcare Recruitment Manager at amy.curtis@kingcounty.gov or call 206.263.8358- Supplemental Information
Forbes recently named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.
Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.
Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles--we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.
King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.
(New) Covid-19 Vaccination RequirementAs of October 18, 2021, most* King County employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If hired, you will be required to submit proof of vaccination by October 18th. People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine. Employees may make requests for a reasonable accommodation based on a medical disability or for sincerely held religious beliefs. Philosophical, political, scientific, or sociological objections to vaccination will not be considered for an exemption or accommodation. This directive applies to employees in the Executive branch*, the Assessor’s Office, Elections, the King County Sheriff’s Office, and the Executive Office.
To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact your recruiter listed on this job announcement.
Who May Apply
This position is open to all qualified candidates. This posting will be used to fill all need.Application Process:
The following items are required to be considered for this vacancy:
An electronic application through www.kingcounty.gov/jobs or www.governmentjobs.com (use the "Apply" link) including work history and position duties.
Candidates must submit a cover letter speaking to why you have interest in working with vulnerable and marginalized populations related to this body of work.
Responses to supplemental questions.
Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application. Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.
The selection process may include but is not limited to: evaluation of application materials and supplemental questions, interviewing, and testing. For more information on our selection process, please refer to www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/jobs/hiring.
Regular and reliable attendance, effective communication skills, and development of effective working relationships are requirements of all Public Health positions.
Staff may be required to play an active role in the event of a public health emergency, which may include changes in responsibilities, work location, and working hours.
Necessary Special Requirements
The selected candidate will be required to submit to a thorough background investigation.
Employees are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
Employees are required to adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines including but not limited to completing required training on time.
Work Schedule: The individual selected for this position will have a flexible work schedule typically between the hours 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. This position is overtime eligible and may work outside of the typical schedule to meet operational needs.
Work Location: The home base for this position is Chinook Building located in Downtown Seattle, Chinook Building, 401 5th Ave., Suite 1300, Seattle. This position will be working in variable weather conditions and terrain.
Telecommuting
The work associated with this position may be performed through teleworking with reporting to an office location and to meetings as needed. Employees will have access to shared workspaces at various King County facilities. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.Employees will be provided with a County issued laptop and must maintain a workspace with an internet connection (access may be supplemented in some situations) where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours. Please note that when an employee conducts work that is likely to bring them in contact with another individual, safety precautions are required, including the wearing of masks in some situations. King County is doing its part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and remains committed to reducing our carbon footprint.
King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will be joining an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment.
Union Affiliation: This position is represented by Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) and the current collective bargaining agreement can be found at: Sea-King-Staff-Contract-2021-2023.pdf (wsna.org) (Download PDF reader)
King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage: King County pays 100% of the premiums for eligible employees and family members
- Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
- Retirement: King County employees are eligible to participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
- Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
- 10 paid holidays each year (plus 2 personal holidays)
- Generous vacation and paid sick leave
- Paid parental leave, family and medical leaves, and volunteer leave
- Flexible Spending Account
- Wellness programs
- Onsite gyms and activity centers
- Employee giving program
- Employee assistance programs
- Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
- Training and career development programs
This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails. Also, in the event of any incorrect information in this document, applicable laws, policies, rules, CBAs, or official plan documents will prevail.
NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position. Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.
For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.
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01Have you used an electronic health records system? If so, what systems are you proficient in using?02Have you ever been subject to review, challenges, and/or disciplinary action, formal or informal, by an ethics committee, licensing board, medical disciplinary board or related professional association?
- Yes
- No
03Have you ever been involved, as a health service provider, in a malpractice claim or suit?- Yes
- No
04Have you ever had your license to practice nursing in any jurisdiction revoked, denied, suspended, reduced, or relinquished?- Yes
- No
05Do you have knowledge of any action pending before any licensing board(s) which could affect your license or ability to practice?- Yes
- No
06Are you willing to provide pregnancy options counseling?- Yes
- No
07Are you willing to accept a term-limited temporary (TLT) position?- Yes
- No
08Seattle & King County Public Health has a strong commitment to equity and social justice. All staff are given training in Equity and Social Justice (ESJ) as well as Trauma Informed Care (TIC). Please describe why working for an agency that values ESJ and TIC is important to you.09Do you possess BLS CPR for Healthcare Providers? If so, please attach documentation of your current BLS/CPR certification. If you do not, please describe how you would obtain certification by time of job offer. Failure to obtain this BLS/CPR certification will result in job offer being delayed or rescinded.10Are you bilingual? If so, what language(s) are you proficient in reading, writing and speaking?11Are you applying to this position as an eligible Current or Previous King County Employee Priority Placement Program Participant AND Is this position the same or lower percentage of full-time when compared to the position held at the point of the notification of layoff AND Do you possess the skills and abilities to qualify for this position?- Yes, I was given a layoff notice from my role at King County AND I am within two years of the effective date of my layoff. AND The position I was laid off from was the same or a higher percentage of FT status when compared to this one.
- No.
12If you answered yes to the question above and you are applying for this position as a Priority Placement Participant, to be considered, you must provide the following three pieces of information in the space provided: 1. The title you held when you received your layoff notice 2. The department you worked in 3. The effective date of your layoff13If you are a current career service nurse, do you have permission from your current Supervisor to apply to a Special Duty Assignment?- Yes
- No
- Not Applicable
14You attest to the understanding that this position will require you to work in variable weather conditions as well as terrain?- Yes
- No
Required Question