Public Health Nurse Level I / II

The Position

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This is a continuous filing exam. Next filing cut-offs are at 5 : 00 pm on :  1 / 16 / 24, 2 / 20 / 24, 3 / 18 / 24, 4 / 15 / 24, 5 / 20 / 24, 6 / 17 / 24, 7 / 15 / 24, 8 / 19 / 24, 9 / 16 / 24, 10 / 15 / 24

Level I - $8,715.66 - $10,593.08 / month

Level II - $9,131.50 - $11,097.72 / month

Note : Vacancies may be permanent or intermittent on-call(per-diem).

Note : For additional nursing opportunities please see Registered Nurse DCF Level I / II, Psychiatric Nurse

Public Health Nurse class has two levels : (Level II) is the full journey level and (Level I) is designed to recruit nurses who do not meet the experience requirements for the full journey level. Incumbents works under supervision of a Supervising Public Nurse and may receive work direction from a Senior Public Health Nurse, or receive supervision from a higher level nurse, or receive supervision from a higher level health program manager with medical direction as needed from a physician or professional nurse, depending on job assignment.

The focus of duties is on providing standard public health nursing services to individuals and families in homes, in group settings, in specialized clinics and in public health centers; or, assisting in a public health program focusing on one specific client group.

Incumbents may be designated as nurse-in-charge or nurse-of-the-day for specific shifts or special-purpose-clinic assignments and when so designated may give work direction to other employees.

Examples of Knowledge and Abilities

Knowledge of

• Professional public health nursing principles, procedures and techniques
• State of California laws and regulations on nursing practices
• Normal course of illnesses and disabilities, and their treatment
• Family planning methods
• Pre-natal, pregnancy and post-natal nutrition and medical care
• Infant and child care, growth, and development, including common illnesses
• Case management techniques and the care and treatment of high risk, physically impaired and developmentally disabled infants and children
• Substance abuse symptoms and intervention techniques
• Mental illness symptoms and intervention techniques
• Symptoms, prevention, reporting requirements and treatment of child and adult abuse and neglect
• Normal and abnormal family dynamics
• Basic techniques of organizing and conducting classes and training sessions on a variety of health subjects
• Basic individual and group counseling techniques applicable to public health nursing
• Common public and community health care resources
• Social and economic factors influencing individual and community health;
• Differing cultural, religious and social attitudes about hygiene, family planning, child care, and health treatment
• Proper handling and administering of biological
• Proper handling of contaminated items
• Causes, control, detection, prevention and treatment of common communicable diseases, environmentally based illnesses, sexually transmitted diseases, and food and water-borne illnesses;
• Basic procedures for conducting epidemiological investigations
• Standard medical record-keeping

Ability to

Employment Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

(Level I) The registration and licensure requirements below.

(Level II) Six months of experience as a licensed / certified Public Health Nurse performing public health nursing duties.

Notes :

1. Experience requirements are stated as full-time work; to convert part-time to full-time equivalency : 173.6 hours = 21.7 days = 1 work month.

2. Required experience may be paid or unpaid

Note : If the minimum qualifications include an educational or certificate / license requirement, applicants must submit proof of requirements with the application. Failure to submit proof of requirements may result in disqualification from the examination. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. For guidelines on submitting acceptable proof of educational requirements, please click here (Download PDF reader) or speak to someone in our office before the cut-off date listed in this notice.

General Qualifications

License / Certificate / Registration Requirements :

Note : Failure to maintain such license and certification may be cause for disciplinary action in accordance with Civil Service Commission Rules.

Other Requirements : Some positions in the classes of Public Health Nurse and Senior Public Health Nurse may require the ability to communicate fluently in a language other than English, in addition to English.

When required, the special skills may be used in the performance of typical tasks shown in the "Example of Duties" in this class specification. In addition, incumbents translate and interpret using standard English and a language other than standard English; and / or act as a consultant to others regarding the needs and problems presented by individuals of different languages and cultural backgrounds.

The Civil Service Commission approved the use of selective certification for special skills for the classes of Public Health Nurse and Senior Public Health Nurse on May 12, 1989.

Probationary Period

The probationary period for this classification (Level I & II) is  six (6) months.