The Immunization Public Health Nurse provides direct client care at Adams County Health Department immunization clinics in compliance with Adams County policies, procedures, standing orders, professional standards, and program protocols. This immunization nursing position maintains working knowledge and expertise about immunization best practices and program deliverables. This role serves as an integral part of the immunization clinic team to provide quality services in our clinic setting, and at community outreach events.

The Immunization Public Health Nurse focuses on improving individuals, families, and population health by emphasizing vaccinations and preventive health services. This position is the public face and community expert for immunization best practices and knowledge around decreasing and preventing vaccine preventable diseases for Adams County Public Health.

This position requires evening, weekend, and occasional on-call duties.

The Department has elected to consider a range of experience for this vacancy. A candidates' qualifications will determine the level at which they are hired.

• Immunization Public Health Nurse I: $64,941.36 - $74,682.56

• Immunization Public Health Nurse II: $72,968.11 - $83,913.32

Direct Patient Care

• Works as part of a team to deliver care in a culturally appropriate and client-centered manner to diverse populations.
• Provides safe, effective, evidence-based client care, including clear, accurate documentation, and referrals. Uses critical thinking skills and nursing expertise to effectively assess clients and care for their health.
• Performs direct client care by screening immunization records, educating clients and parents or guardians about vaccine effectiveness, safety, and potential reactions, makes strong vaccine recommendations for all eligible vaccines and administers immunizations to infants, children, teens, and adults during clinic visits, or at outdoor community clinics, fairs, and outreach events.
• Maintains up to date knowledge on vaccine recommendations, safety, administration along with storage, and handling best practices, procedures, and protocols.
• Maintains specialty practice within nursing and public health, promoting and protecting the health of populations using knowledge from nursing, social, and public health sciences.
• Collaborates with team members to provide resources and care options within the client care setting. Identifies the need for consultation and referral as necessary.
• Maintains working knowledge of agency-wide services and provides appropriate agency-wide referrals as necessary. Links people to needed personal health services and assures the provision to health care when otherwise unavailable.
• May serve as a liaison or lead within clinic or at an off-site community event.
• Applies agency policy and procedures to resolve a variety of issues. Works on problems of moderate scope where analysis or data requires a review of various factors. Exercises judgement within defined procedures and practices to determine appropriate action.

Program Operations

• The Immunization Public Health Nurse attains knowledge and stays up to date and competence that reflects current immunization nursing practice.
• Proficiently documents client visits within the Electronic Health Record and complies with timely documentation standards.
• Maintains custody and quality of cold chain management according to CDC and manufacturer guidelines.
• Regularly attends and actively participates in team meetings and professional development opportunities.
• Supports a team culture of ongoing learning, growth, and collaboration, assures mentorship and professional support, and identifies learning opportunities for the team.
• Assess community needs and collaborate to develop program objectives.
• Develops and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• The Immunization Public Health Nurse communicates effectively in various formats in all areas of practice.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Community Outreach

• Develop community-specific solutions to address prevention priorities.
• Collaborates with community members, such as school personnel, childcare, and providers to form partnerships and relationships that improve community health outcomes within the community.
• Works directly with schools and childcare facilities to ensure compliance with state reporting requirements and provides education and consultation on immunization-related inquiries. Provides technical assistance when data is missing or delayed.
• Through data analysis, develop community-specific solutions to address prevention priorities.
• Collaborates with related community agencies and service providers through client referrals and written/verbal communications.
• Participates in the development of community planning, organization, education, and promotion of public health services through community outreach efforts, including serving on community boards and committees and presenting public health education to individuals and community groups.
• Participates in evening and weekend clinic outside of regular business hours.

Include needed knowledge of, Skills to, Ability to:

• Provide cultural humility and experience working in multicultural environments, including the ability to work with diverse staff and partners from community-based organizations, government staff, and elected officials.

• Demonstrate ability to exercise tact, discretion, and sound judgement.

• Outstanding skills and abilities in verbal and written communications to lead change and direction for programs and division.
• Ability to adapt a style to fit audiences of varying technical levels, and at various levels within an organization, in groups and individual settings.
• Have working knowledge of the principles of health equity and how it is applied, including an understanding of oppression, privilege, and social justice.

• Knowledge of current conditions influencing the health of Adams County residence.

• Use professional concepts and agency objectives to resolve issues creatively and effectively.
• Routinely demonstrates a collaborative leadership style that embraces a diversity of opinion that will lead to clear outcomes.

• Ability to problem solve and provide exceptional customer service.

• Determination to achieve outcomes, complete tasks, and deliver on professional commitments.

• Commitment to Adams County communities experiencing health equity challenges.

• Regularly assesses work and supports changes to remove systemic barriers and build systems that address inequities.
• Integrates Health Equity into all areas of work.
• Creates and maintains partnerships and processes that support and integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion into all aspects of Adams County Health Department work.
• Prioritizes transparency and supports an open-door culture.
• Integrates diversity, equity, and inclusion into internal and external goal setting.

Emergency Preparedness and Response Duties

• Completes trainings identified as appropriate for this level employee.
• Employee participates in all exercises and drills on emergency preparedness and response, as required.
• Employee responds, as required, to support emergencies, incidents and events with a public health and medical impact.
• Assists in conducting epidemiological investigations related to disease control and infectious diseases as needed.

HIPAA Statement

Equipment Used

• Must demonstrate proficiency in using PPE.
• Computer use including internet, email, Microsoft Office Suite.
• Audio-visual and other teaching equipment.
• Anthropometric equipment.
• Must be able to learn and become proficient with equipment and software programs as required to perform assigned duties effectively and efficiently.

The Department has elected to consider a range of experience for this vacancy. A candidates' qualifications will determine the level at which they are hired.

Immunization Public Health Nurse I: $64,941.36 - $90,917.90
Immunization Public Health Nurse II: $72,968.11 - $102,155.35

Immunization Public Health Nurse I (IZ PHN I) is an entry?level position performing professional nursing process activities related to assessment, planning, and evaluating care. Must provide immunization screening, counseling, and vaccinations in a safe, efficient, and effective manner. Must adhere to all Adams County policies, procedures, standing orders, professional standards, and program protocols. Maintains working knowledge and expertise about immunization best practices and program deliverables. Provides professional, competence and safe services to clients. Participates in continuous quality insurance activities, and practice improvement activities such as Practice Council. Recognizes the Public Health tenants including the public health nurse role and functions with responsibility as required by the Public Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice. Must have completed an accredited Bachelor of Nursing degree program.

Immunization Public Health Nurse II(IZ PHN II) is a mid?level position that demonstrates advanced nursing process skills through nursing experience or competency. Must have three or more years of public health nursing experience. In addition to the responsibilities noted above, this position requires the IZ PHN II to have additional professional skills and experience in:

• active engagement in continuous quality improvement,
• active participant on agency and community committees,
• competency assessment,
• creative problem solving,
• critical thinking,
• outcomes measurement,
• practice improvement leadership such as Practice Council Chair/Co-Chair,
• public health and program model of care champion,
• teaching, precepting and mentoring, and
• training and on-boarding new PHNs.

• Immunization Public Health Nurse PHN I: One-year nursing experience is preferred.
• Immunization Public Health Nurse II: A minimum of 3 years professional nursing experience, preferably in a public health and immunizations nursing setting.

• Licensed to practice as a registered nurse (RN) in the State of Colorado or a Compact State.
• Current BLS and CPR certification.
• Experience in immunizations, public health nursing or related community health related setting is preferred.
• Spanish speaking ability if preferred. ACHD has a policy to additional compensate employees who can demonstrates bilingual language skills.

• Occasional physical activities such as ascending/descending stairs.
• Moving oneself into different positions to provide client care.
• Standing, walking, squatting, and sitting for extended periods of time.
• Moving about to accomplish tasks from one worksite to another.
• Moving people or objects as heavy as 100 pounds.
• Communicating with others to exchange information verbally and in writing, operating medical equipment and keyboards/data entry devices.
• Requires constant physical mobility to prepare, and clean clinic areas, assist clients in the reception and clinic areas, and to negotiate around equipment and chairs in the examination room.
• This position requires travel to clinics and outreach events throughout the Metro Denver area on an as-needed basis with reliable transportation.
• Requires setting up offsite clinics and outreach events that including transporting and moving tables, chairs, tents, vaccine coolers and clinic supplies.
• This position may expect environmental conditions as work can be performed in patient's homes, outdoors at outreach events and health fairs, as well as in an office building.