Street Medicine Public Health Nurse

The RN position will provide Street Medicine (SM) team services in the field up to 4 days a week.

Clinical services may include :

• Basic medical care, including urgent care to address acute medical concerns, infectious disease control (e.g., HIV screening, wound and foot care), well-person exams, chronic disease management, immunizations, and medication counseling.
• Behavioral health services, including mental health assessments, provision of naloxone and other harm reduction supplies, and initiation of and / or accompaniment to substance use treatment services.
• Care coordination and case management services, such as : Wrap-around health services and referrals, including referrals to appropriate clinical (e.g., primary care providers) and non-clinical services including behavioral health providers and substance use disorder clinics, to establish long-term care; Medical and psychosocial case management.
• Work will also include a minimum of 1 additional day focused on documentation, operations, and administration of the SM team, including : Patient documentation in an electronic medical system for clinical record keeping and billing; Participation in weekly SM team meetings to coordinate services, plan operations, discuss care management plans, etc.; Participation in regular trainings for the SM team to cover key SM protocols such as clinical guidelines, infection and infestation prevention, skills to prevent and de-escalate crises, situational awareness and safety precautions in a range of settings, understanding boundaries between street medicine and law enforcement, street medicine 911 protocols, safety precautions for transporting individuals and staff well-being that includes self-care and burnout prevention.
• Clinical consultation to help determine needed supplies for the SM team.
• Adherence to the SM team safety plan.
• Coordination and collaboration with community partners providing services to people living unhoused in Tacoma.
• Work to maintain high quality standards for medical care; participation in a quality assurance and improvement plan.
• Adherence to licensing requirements.
• Patient education on a range of health topics in independent nurse visits.
• Performing wound care and foot care, both based on clinician orders as well as independent nurse visits within appropriate nursing scope of practice.
• Collecting labs / specimens and performing Point Of Care tests.
• Administering medications.
• Provide nursing care for people living unsheltered by engaging in proactive outreach where people are living or spending time during the day. Services will include urgent care, chronic disease management, mental health care, and substance use care.
• Provide respectful, culturally appropriate outreach and patient care in the field (e.g., at encampments, street side for people living in cars).

Who should apply :

Required Certifications and Licensure :

We will consider any equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the necessary qualifications to successfully perform the duties of the position.