Public Health Nurse
Sexually Transmitted Infections & Hepatitis C

Our Role: Want to do meaningful work that has a real impact in our community? Come join our team-oriented, family-friendly organization of over 120 talented public health professionals. We work hard every day to keep Kitsap County healthy and safe.

The Position: Under the direction of the Sexually Transmitted Infections and Hepatitis C Program Manager and Program Coordinator, the incumbent, in the role of Public Health Nurse, performs communicable disease investigation and surveillance activities using current disease investigation protocols with a focus on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and hepatitis C. These investigations are authorized by Washington Administrative Code (WAC 246-101). The purposes of the investigations are to determine the source(s) of illnesses and to eliminate or reduce the spread and effect of these illnesses.

The incumbent will provide community outreach to improve communicable disease response strategies with a focus on STIs and hepatitis C. The incumbent will also provide targeted health education, resources, referrals, and linkages to appropriate health care providers for persons who may be homeless, have mental health problems, and substance use problems in a variety of community settings.

The successful candidate is a licensed, registered nurse in the State of Washington and is expected to have working knowledge of communicable disease control, public health practices, care coordination, and outreach strategies. The position requires excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, and the ability to comfortably and effectively interact with diverse populations.

Hours: 40 hours per week – 100% FTE, requires occasional evening and weekend hours.

Status: Permanent full-time position.

Benefits: The District offers a comprehensive health benefit plan which includes medical, dental, vision, and life coverages, including several voluntary plan selections through The Standard, MetLife, and Aflac. The District provides medical and dental coverage contributing percentages of the average medical and dental insurance premium cost for full-time employees as follows: Employee @ 100%, Employee & Spouse @ 90%, Employee & Child(ren) @ 90%, and Full Family @ 85%. Benefits include generous paid time off and twelve paid holidays per year. Employees participate in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), a defined benefit retirement plan managed by the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and Social Security. Several deferred compensation retirement savings plans are also offered.

Other: This position requires in-person interactions with staff and members of the public. After a successful trial service period of at least three months, the successful candidate may establish a hybrid telework arrangement as mutually beneficial.

The ideal candidate aspires a Public Health career path.

• Interviews persons diagnosed with communicable disease, including those with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and/or hepatitis C, to ensure the understanding of their condition, the need to complete treatment as prescribed; the need to return for necessary follow-up exam(s) and the need to notify and/or assist in the notification of appropriate contacts.
• Provides counseling to persons concerning their risks for exposure to communicable disease.
• Participates in special project and educational presentations related to communicable disease, including STIs, hepatitis C, HIV, public health emergency preparedness and immunizations. Provides public health support to community-based programs.
• Conducts field or telephone investigations to identify index cases, contacts and persons named as partners of individuals with known communicable diseases. Arranges for the medical examination for infected person: conducts follow-up contact of untreated persons. Documents findings and completes reports which may include the Expedited Partner Therapy Program in partnership with the Washington State Department of Health (DOH).
• Provides disease surveillance by monitoring the reporting of laboratories, private providers and military providers through the public health electronic data reporting system.
• Performs blood draws via fingerstick and venous phlebotomy per standing orders of Health Officer. Documents actions as required per policy and procedures.
• Distributes and/or administers medications per standing orders of Health Officers. Documents actions as required per policy and procedures.
• Assists doctors and clinics in public, private and military communities in obtaining necessary information and materials for communicable disease testing, screening, reporting, and treatment plans.
• Conducts community outreach to enhance disease prevention, detection, and treatment efforts. Locations may include encampments, shelters, community-based agencies, and may be provided in collaboration with contracted mobile syringe services and harm reduction providers.
• Drives, as needed, to conduct field investigations, outreach, or other essential job functions.
• Provides and makes recommendations to the public, educators, healthcare professionals, and other community leaders regarding policy and systems changes that will improve disease prevention, transmission prevention, and disease management efforts.
• Educates clients and populations about health risks and promotes behavioral changes to reduce risks.
• Keeps current with changes and updates from DOH, the CDC, and local health officials in regard to communicable disease and best practices.
• Accurately drafts and sends effective written communication in a timely manner.
• Attends appropriate continuing educational courses and program-specific training opportunities sponsored by DOH.
• Stays current on HIPAA and ensures confidentiality of personal health information, maintaining compliance as required by statute.
• Utilizes various HIPAA compliant resources to locate and/or engage with cases and contacts who may be difficult to reach or reluctant to engage in conversation.
• Uses computer applications to produce written documents with clearly organized thoughts, using proper sentence construction, punctuation, and grammar.
• Completes timely and accurate random moments to comply with contractual requirements of Medicaid Administrative Match.

• Accurately completes and submits electronic timecard on a weekly bases.
• Responds to public health emergencies as required by the District.
• Participates in quality improvement efforts.
• Serves as resource person for staff in the area of communicable disease response.
• Models cultural humility and embeds health equity into all aspects of assigned work and associated interactions.
• Works both independently and within a collaborative team-oriented environment; contributes openly, respectfully disagrees, understands the ideas of others, listens well, and works for consensus.
• Models an organizational culture that promotes the practice of respect for people, openness, trust, safety, transparency, collaborative problem solving, managing with date, the pursuit of incremental continuous quality improvement and assurance.
• Establishes and maintains cooperative, effective working relationships with coworkers, other District employees, and the general public using principles of good customer services.
• Reports for scheduled work with regular, reliable, and punctual attendance.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• Work is performed both indoors in a clinic environment and in the field, providing outreach to providers, the public and community leaders.
• Requires the ability to communicate with others orally, face to face and by telephone. Requires manual and finger dexterity and hand-eye-arm coordination to write and to operate computers and a variety of general office equipment. Requires mobility to accomplish other desktop work, retrieve files, and to move to various District. locations. Requires visual acuity to read computer screens, printed materials, and detailed information. Essential duties may involve occasional kneeling, squatting, crouching, stooping, crawling, standing, bending, climbing (to stack, store or retrieve supplies or various office equipment).
• May occasionally be required to work a varying schedule which may include evenings and weekends.
• Duties require carrying a cell phone or other electronic device as well as being available to work as needed to meet District needs, which may include evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Off-site visits for presentations may require the incumbent to carry supplies and/or equipment up and down stairs as well as into and out of a vehicle on an occasional basis.
• Exposure to individuals from the public who are upset, angry, agitated and sometimes hostile, requiring the use of conflict management and coping skills.
• Frequently required to perform work in confidence and under pressure for deadlines, and to maintain professional composure and tact, patience, and courtesy at all times.
• The environment is dynamic and constantly changing, resulting in continually re-evaluating and shifting priorities.

• Bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) with coursework that includes a community health component; or
• The combination of a bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as public health or health education, and at least four years of public health nursing experience, may be substituted for the BSN requirement.
• Degrees must be from appropriately accredited institutions.

• Communicable disease etiology, manifestations, progression, diagnosis and treatment.
• Medical and drug terminology.
• Laboratory testing procedures.
• Field investigation, interviewing and counseling techniques and principles.
• Techniques for facilitating client motivation to change behavior problems.
• Health and social issues impacting client and community.
• Confidentiality guidelines

• Operating a personal computer and applicable software.
• Effective verbal and written communications.
• Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Making presentations.
• Analyses and investigating.
• Working with diverse populations.
• Working independently and handling multiple projects simultaneously.
• Responding in a calm and diplomatic manner to unprovoked or erratic behavior patterns.
• Working as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Working around blood-borne pathogens and infectious diseases.

• Possession of valid Washington State Registered Nurse licensure through the Washington Department of Health is required.
• The incumbent must obtain the digital certificate required for access into the WDRS secure reporting system.
• Performance of job duties requires driving on a regular basis, a valid Washington State driver’s license, the use of a District fleet vehicle, and proof of appropriate auto insurance.
• All required licenses must be maintained in an active status without suspension or revocation throughout employment.