Public Health Nurse (Infectious Diseases) WEEKEND WORK

The Role

Provides public health nursing services with a focus on health promotion, health protection, and disease and injury prevention specific to assigned program area, per Ontario Public Health Standards and the College of Nurses of Ontario standards and practices as defined by the Regulated Health Professions Act, the Nursing Act, and other professional nursing organizations, and consistent with the mission, vision, values, and strategic direction of the Department, including nursing competencies.

Program areas: Case and Contact Management teams (Infectious Diseases and Tuberculosis and Sexual Health), Clinical Services teams (Routine Fixed Clinics and Outreach Clinics)

Duties/Responsibilities

• Applies nursing science and the nursing care process to client groups. Provides case management, health counselling, consultation, clinical services, education, and resources to targeted individuals, groups, and stakeholders. Completes screening and intake assessments.
• Maintains client and committee records (electronic and manual). Completes documentation, reports, and statistics.
• Develops and implements communication strategies to educate and encourage behaviour change at the individual, community, and policy levels as it relates to improving the health status of assigned priority and universal populations.
• Implements community engagement strategies to build the capacity of community groups and networks; provides support, guidance, and knowledge to help groups identify and influence determinants of health.
• Coordinates consultation and planning teams within the Department and in the community, involving various agencies and staff.
• Advocates for policy changes related to improved access and health status specific to assigned priority and universal populations. 
• Engages in collaborative, interdisciplinary, and intersectoral approaches to address health risks of priority and universal populations. Collaborates and develops effective relationships with colleagues and other community professionals and stakeholders in developing and delivering health promotion and protection activities for assigned priority and universal populations, facilitate continuity of care and to deliver comprehensive client care with optimal outcomes.
• Uses harm reduction principles grounded in the concepts of health equity and social justice to identify and reduce or remove risk factors/barriers in a variety of environments and settings (e.g., homes, neighbourhoods, community sites, workplaces, schools).
• Participates in surveillance activities and analysis, and uses data to identify and address health issues within a population or community. Monitors, analyzes, and interprets information (e.g., health status data, community needs assessment, current research data, and patterns/trends in epidemiological data and service delivery) as it relates to strategic planning, implementation, and evaluation of programs and services for priority and universal populations. 
• Engages in research and monitors health-related publications, trends, and frameworks to guide program development, inform practice, and improve the health of priority and universal populations. Evaluates and modifies health promotion programs as needed. 
• Develops and actively participates in an individual continuous professional development plan to support ongoing quality improvement and maintain professional nursing and public health standards. Furthers professional competence by participating in programs, seminars, and workshops. 
• Provides nursing expertise in departmental initiatives such as mass immunization campaigns and emergency response. 
• Acts as a preceptor to nursing students and volunteers.
• Represents the Department, Division, and/or program on community initiatives, committees, and coalitions.
• Keeps manager informed of pertinent day-to-day issues related to work assignments.

Additional Duties/Responsibilities

• Reviews records and lab results for completeness and takes action to ensure appropriate treatment referrals. Participates in the enforcement of relevant legislation. 
• Investigates, reports, and documents reports of adverse vaccine reactions and, following subsequent approval by MOH or designate, provides recommendations to individuals regarding future vaccination needs and precautions. 
• Provides clinical services specific to sexual health and infectious diseases, including vaccination, testing, and treatment within identified populations. 
• Advises manager/MOH of reported cases and seeks recommendations for follow-up in complex cases as necessary. 
• Provides birth control and pregnancy counselling and access to birth control products as appropriate within identified populations. Participates in community development work with a variety of partners. 
• Maintains, properly handles, and distributes/dispenses clinic supplies, vaccines, and medication per cold chain and standards. 
• Maintains and safely handles a computer/tablet, cell phone, audiovisual equipment, program and educational materials. Informs manager regarding equipment and repair needs. 
• Consults extensively with all levels of staff to carry out Ontario Public Health Standards, through implementation of program operational plans and delivery of multi-disciplinary health services. Consults with and provides in-service training to other program, divisional, and regional staff. 
• Regularly consults with colleagues in other health units, and provincial and federal ministries to discuss programs and services. Works with external research consultants, as required. 
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Must possess a current Certificate of Competence as a Registered Nurse with the College of Nurses of Ontario and a Baccalaureate degree that includes preparation in Public Health.
• Maintains professional competence as a Registered Nurse by the College of Nurses of Ontario as defined by the Regulated Health Professions Act. 
• Current CPR certification, immunization status, and proof of immunity for Hepatitis B are required.
• Knowledge of and ability to comply with policies, procedures, Ministry of Health and Long Term Care Standards, Ontario Public Health Standards, Health Protection and Promotion Act, Health Care Consent Act, Personal Health Information Protection of Privacy Act, Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, Nursing Act, Child and Family Services Act, and other related legislation and professional guidelines and standards. 
• Knowledge, skill, and judgment in the application of nursing science and nursing process; assessment and history taking; child, adolescent, and adult learning principles; life cycle/maturational stress factors; and the etiology of health factors specific to priority and universal populations. 
• Skill in project management, strategy development, and report writing. Critical thinking and innovative problem-solving skills.
• Knowledge and application of health surveillance data as it applies to assigned areas of work.
• Understanding of and ability to apply health promotion and communication strategies in collaboration with others to raise awareness of health issues and place social justice and health equity on the public agenda.
• Knowledge of how social, economic, and environmental factors affect health, health promotion strategies, and current community health developments; use of social justice concepts to improve the health and wellbeing of the public; and capacity building, advocacy, and policy development for priority and universal populations.
• Leadership, facilitation and team-building skills. Ability to model, support, and serve as a preceptor for professional and skills development. 
• Skill in priority setting, organization, and self-directed learning, with minimal supervision.
• Skill in community organization and conducting informal and formal assessments of health needs for priority and universal populations. Creative ability and experience in providing innovative health promotion activities; engaging others and motivating productive participation of community groups, schools, individuals, and staff to meet program objectives; and building effective partnerships with community members.
• Skill in health counselling, consultation, group process and facilitation, with public speaking and interpersonal skills to counsel, advise, and facilitate learning by individuals and groups of children, adults, school staff and other professionals, peer health workers, parents, caregivers, and community members. Ability to provide non-judgmental, inclusive service to all clients. Ability to refer, coordinate, and facilitate access to services in health and other community sectors. 
• Ability to communicate complex technical information verbally and in writing, and to educate and express ideas clearly and concisely to clients of all ages, staff, multicultural groups, and other groups to further program objectives. Ability to alter language to suit priority and universal groups and clients’ comprehension levels.
• Public speaking ability tailored to lay and professional audiences.
• Ability to write clearly using appropriate format and language for reports, memos, business letters, pamphlets, meeting minutes, and other documents. Ability to synthesize data and literature from multiple sources to complete reports, documentation, and proposals.

Additional Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of public health issues and strategies related to the reduction in the incidence of infectious disease, outbreak control, infection control, and immunization, including indications and contraindications to vaccination and management of adverse vaccine reactions, such as anaphylaxis and harm reduction strategies.
• Must be able to perform case and contact management of sporadic infectious diseases and outbreaks. Must be able to perform clinical services, including immunization, TB skin testing, STI counselling, testing, treatment and collection of samples for infectious diseases. Also provides counselling regarding pregnancy and birth control and assists with access to birth control products.
• For nurses working in infectious disease case and contact management assignment (within R01169): Must be able to participate in a regular on-call rotation for designated hours on weekends and holidays per assignment as per collective agreement.
• Computer and technology skills with the ability to use software to create documents, conduct internet-based searches, and networking. Ability to use and maintain electronic documentation programs.
• Ability to participate as an effective team member within an interdisciplinary health setting with community members of various backgrounds and cultures. 
• May work altered hours, including occasional evening and weekend hours.
• Ability to travel within and occasionally outside Waterloo Region.
• Ability to support and demonstrate the Region’s values.