Public Health Nurse - Communicable Disease

King County   Seattle, WA   Full-time
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Summary

Public Health Seattle & King County is seeking to fill three Public Health Nurse (PHN) positions to support the Communicable Disease Epidemiology and Immunization Section (CD-IMMS). Two of the positions are Career Service and one of the positions is Term-Limited Temporary/Special Duty (TLT/SD) through July 31, 2024.

PHNs work in close collaboration with other members of the CD-IMMS Section including Program Lead/Subject Matter Experts (SME), Program Managers, Medical Epidemiologists, PHNs, Disease Research and Intervention Specialists (DRIS) and Epidemiologists, on disease investigations, disease control activities, and immunization-related activities (COVID-19 and other vaccines).
 
All positions report to the Communicable Disease Investigations Program Lead/SMEs in the CD-IMMS Section of the Prevention Division.
 
Current positions available (3):
 

  • Public Health Nurse - General Communicable Diseases (1 position, Career Service): This position will be responsible for conducting case and outbreak investigation and response activities, including implementation of disease control measures for individuals and facilities (e.g., homeless service sites, restaurants, childcares, schools), providing guidance, education, clinical consultation, and infection prevention support to healthcare providers, healthcare facilities, and the public for communicable diseases (including vaccine preventable diseases, enteric diseases, viral hepatitis, zoonotics, emerging infections, healthcare associated infections, highly antimicrobial resistant organisms), and supporting immunization activities (including vaccination clinics) and immunity assessments (e.g. drawing blood for titers).
 
  • Public Health Nurse - Healthcare Associated Infections/Highly Antimicrobial Resistant Organisms (HAI/HARO) (2 positions, 1 Career Service and 1 Term-Limited Temporary/Special Duty through July 31, 2024): These positions will be responsible for conducting case and outbreak investigation and response activities, including implementation of disease control measures, providing guidance, education, clinical consultation, and infection prevention support to healthcare providers, healthcare facilities, and the public, providing collaborative, non-regulatory onsite assessments and virtual consultations with infection preventionists in healthcare facilities, supporting point prevalence screening in high risk facilities, coordinating specimen collection and submission, collaborating on other grant deliverables and stakeholder engagement. Primary focus will be on supporting HAI/HARO investigations and infection prevention and response activities in healthcare facilities, but these PHNs will also provide some support for other conditions (including vaccine preventable diseases, enteric diseases, viral hepatitis, zoonotics, emerging infections, and COVID-19), immunization activities (including vaccination clinics) and immunity assessments (e.g. drawing blood for titers).

 In accordance with the King County Equity and Social Justice Ordinance and the King County Strategic Plan, the positions support and advance Public Health values for fair and culturally competent service delivery, innovative, effective and efficient application of resources, building a culture of performance and expanding opportunities to seek input, listen and respond to community members. 

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.
 
Applicants should be committed to working with diverse populations throughout King County to provide excellent customer service to a broad range of cultures, in accordance with the King County Equity and Social Justice Ordinance and the King County Strategic Plan.

Job Duties

  • Conduct notifiable disease surveillance and investigations, including implementation of disease control measures
  • Provide clinical and technical consultation and infection prevention support to healthcare providers and facilities
  • Provide information and technical assistance to other Section staff and Departmental programs, and the public
  • Provide clinical and technical consultation and support for immunization team including supporting immunization activities and clinics 
  • Assist in developing disease investigation educational materials, toolkits, trainings, and protocols
  • Assist with documentation and communication on case and outbreak investigations in oral and written formats for internal and external partners, including summaries of case and outbreak investigations, drafting postings for the website, and other communications and materials as needed
  • Participate in Section's response during outbreaks and emergencies; assist with after-hours disease investigation and response activities, as assigned and approved by the supervisor
  • This position is also in the rotation for on-call coverage after hours and on weekends, approximately 6-8 weeks per year

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Active and unencumbered license to practice as an Registered Nurse in Washington State.
  • Baccalaureate (BSN) degree from an accredited School of Nursing
  • Washington State Drivers' License or the ability to provide transportation to work
  • Current BLS-CPR for Healthcare Providers
  • Willing to provide options counseling

Desired Qualifications:
  • Thorough knowledge of disease surveillance and investigation methods, immunization recommendations, public health nursing principles and processes, infectious disease prevention and control
  • Experience with communicable disease case investigation and disease control measures 
  • Interviewing skills (phone and in person)
  • Demonstrated ability to work under pressure and carry out assignments and responsibilities reliably in a thorough, accurate, and timely manner
  • Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality of protected health information
  • Demonstrated ability to clearly and effectively communicate orally and in writing with supervisor, co-workers, healthcare providers, and the general public for the purposes of relaying time-sensitive information and making presentations, proposals, and recommendations
  • Demonstrated ability to provide consultation and clinical support to health care providers and the community
  • Demonstrated ability to work in community settings without on-site supervision with culturally and socio-economically diverse populations
  • Fluency in Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word and Excel)
  • Two years clinical experience (inpatient or outpatient)
  • Master's degree in public health or related field (or equivalent)
  • Proficiency in administering immunizations and phlebotomy (and/or willingness to obtain proficiency training)
  • Bilingual and/or bicultural
  • Certification in Infection Prevention and Control (CIC) ®
  • Willing to obtain Certification in Infection Prevention and Control (CIC) ® within one year of hire
  • Experience working in Infection Prevention and conducting onsite infection prevention assessments in health care settings

Supplemental Information

WHO MAY APPLY: These positions are open to all minimally qualified applicants. This posting will be used to fill all needs.
 
WORK SCHEDULE: Monday through Friday 8am - 5pm Monday through Friday. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required. Public Health - Seattle & King County strives to be accessible to those we serve. This position may require flexibility to accommodate different work schedules and work locations. These positions participate in the Section's response during outbreaks and emergencies as approved by supervisor. These positions also participate in after-hours (evening, night, weekend, and holiday) on-call coverage (approximately 6 to 8 weeks per year).
 
TELECOMMUTING: The work associated with this position will be performed predominantly through teleworking with reporting to 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.
 
WORK LOCATION: Home site is King County Chinook Building, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104; will require remote work.
 

Pre-Screen written examinations will be conducted on May 20th 

Panel Interviews will be held June 6th, 7th and 9th
 
CONTACT: For more information, contact Amy M. Curtis, BSN, RN, or David Baure MN, RN with Nursing and Healthcare Recruitment at healthcarerecrtuiment@kingcounty.gov

UNION AFFILIATION: Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA).


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.

APPLICATION PROCESS: The following completed items are required to be considered for this vacancy:
  • NEOGOV/Government Jobs on-line
  • Completed supplemental questions that are supported in your application. These answers will be reviewed to determine competitiveness. Please do not use "see resume" in your answers as these will be considered incomplete.
Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the required information in the application. If you reference "see resume" on your application it will be considered incomplete. You must completely fill out the application with your relevant education and work experience. 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                           

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
  • The selected candidate will be required to submit a background check. Records are not automatically disqualifying.
  • 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/WIS HA guidelines including but not limited to completing required trainings on time.
  • Employees will be redeployed in the event of a Public Health emergency.
(New) Covid-19 Vaccination Requirement
As 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.   

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.

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
For additional information about employee benefits please visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page.

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.

01
Please verify then provide your full RN credential number and issuing state.
02
Have 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
03
Have you ever been involved, as a health service provider, in a malpractice claim or suit?
  • Yes
  • No
04
Have you ever had your license to practice nursing in any jurisdiction revoked, denied, suspended, reduced, or relinquished?
  • Yes
  • No
05
Do 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.
  • Yes
  • No
06
Are you bilingual? If so, what language(s) are you proficient in reading, writing and speaking?]
07
Are you willing to provide options counseling to pregnant people?
  • Yes
  • No
08
Are you applying to this position as an eligible current or previous King County Employee Priority Placement Program Participant? 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? 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. Additionally, the position I was laid off from was the same or a higher percentage of FT status when compared to this one.
  • No.
09
If 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 layoff
10
Are you willing to accept a term-limited temporary (TLT) position?
  • Yes
  • No
11
If selected to move forward in the interview process, you acknowledge that you are available for interview on June 6th, 7th and 9th?
  • Yes
  • No

Required Question

This job is no longer available.

King County

Seattle, WA