Human Resource Services
Alameda Skyline

Registered Nurse II (PHN Option)

Recruitment #19-5305-01

Introduction

READ THIS ENTIRE BULLETIN FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO REAPPLY FOR THIS RECRUITMENT

THIS IS A REOPENING OF A CONTINOUS EXAMINATION. If you have previously applied or started an application for the Registered Nurse II (PHN Option), Examination #19-5305-01, and choose to reapply, please contact the examination analyst, Angelica Cuevas at Angelica.Cuevas@acgov.org  to have your previous application released back to you.

The scores and dispositions of candidates for this examination will be merged with previous exam participants. If you have previously submitted an application and choose to reapply, your new score/disposition will replace your current disposition.

Application and Supplemental Questionnaire: A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted with each application. Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing. Failure to submit the supplemental questionnaire will result in disqualification.

Applications will only be accepted on-line.

DESCRIPTION

 

ALAMEDA COUNTY HEALTH

Alameda County Health is the local government agency that promotes and protects the health and well-being of all who live, work, learn, and play in Alameda County. We coordinate services and cultivate partnerships with community organizations and providers to help ensure access, organize, and deliver health care and services to people with Medi-Cal and without insurance, support resilient communities, and improve health for all. We focus on health equity by developing programs and systemic solutions that reduce disparities for the people and communities we serve.

Alameda County Health’s departments and programs focus on services and support that provide care for the whole person.

· The Behavioral Health Department provides mental health and substance use services for people with Medi-Cal and without insurance and supports people along their path to wellness, recovery, and resilience.

· The Environmental Health Department works to keep our air, water, and food safe; it regulates, protects, and promotes the health of everyone in Alameda County by enforcing environmental health codes to reduce exposure to toxins and diseases.

· The Public Health Department focuses on community and population-level health, preventing and addressing root causes of health inequity across a range of communicable and chronic diseases.

· Alameda County Health also provides services through Housing and Homelessness Services, Emergency Medical Services Agency, HealthPAC, and Healthy Schools and Communities.

PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT

As part of Alameda County Health, the Public Health Department works in partnership with our local communities to ensure the optimal health and well-being of all people. We monitor health status and service delivery, prevent disease, mobilize communities, conduct outreach, and promote health policy and education. We actively seek partnerships and engage with the community to improve community health through a dynamic and responsive process that respects diversity, addresses health equity, and challenges us to provide for present and future generations.

We are nurses, doctors, community psychologists, epidemiologists, dentists, medical social workers, physical and occupational therapists, dietitians, outreach workers, health educators, program managers, and pre-hospital care coordinators.

 

THE POSITION
Registered Nurse II positions are located in Alameda County Health, Social Services Agency and Community Development Agency. Registered Nurse IIs provide a variety of nursing care services, case management, treatment plan, teaching, counseling and referral to clients and families in a home and/or community setting, provide nursing assessment, planning, intervention and evaluation; coordinate care with other health care providers, professionals and other agencies and community representatives; assist in the prevention of communicable diseases; and perform related duties as required.


THE VACANCIES
The current Registered Nurse II (PHN) vacancies are in all County locations. These positions are situated in the Social Services Agency and in the following programs/units within the Public Health Department: Acute Communicable Disease, California Children's Services, Tuberculosis (TB) Control Section, the Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP), and the Foster Care Assessment Center. However the eligible list resulting from this recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies in other program areas.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT: In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications below, these positions require possession of a current and valid Public Health Nursing (PHN) Certificate issued by the California Board of Registered Nursing.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Acute Communicable Disease Unit
Alameda County Public Health Nurses, in the Acute Communicable Disease Unit, are responsible for the surveillance, investigation, and control of cases, contacts, and outbreaks of over 75 reportable communicable diseases; all reportable communicable diseases except for HIV, sexually transmitted infections and tuberculosis. Program activities include interviewing clients with reportable diseases, as well as their family members and health care providers, to collect clinical and risk factor information and to identify potentially exposed contacts. ACD staff educate clients about disease symptoms, transmission, treatment and prevention; identify and locate exposed contacts to provide education about potential symptoms and if appropriate, post-exposure preventive treatment; recommend interventions to prevent disease transmission in households, schools, day care facilities, health care facilities, and other congregate settings; maintain accurate surveillance of reportable conditions and review trends to identify areas for enhanced prevention and control efforts; initiate and lead key functions in the public health response to infectious disease emergencies; and serve as on-call duty officers to conduct mandated public health response to urgent communicable cases and outbreaks in the evening, on weekends, and holidays.

California Children's Services (CCS)
California Children’s Services (CCS) is a statewide program that provides case management and care coordination for clients' birth to 21 who have chronic, disabling and/or life threatening conditions. There are medical, financial and residential eligibility requirements. Under the direction of the CCS Nurse Manager, the Registered Nurse IV (RN IV), the Registered Nurse II (RN II) performs medical utilization review and comprehensive case management for a case load of children who have CCS medically eligible conditions. The RN II works in multi-disciplinary teams to determine medical eligibility and provides medical care coordination from the point of intake and initiation of the treatment care plan as part of the CCS interdisciplinary case management team. Nurses also ensure that clients are receiving necessary services with the most appropriate provider.

The RN II is expected to have knowledge of: principles, methods and procedures for utilization review and relating to acute hospitalizations, home care, medical and nursing services and other levels of institutional care, CCS and Medi-Cal regulations; health care delivery system with respect to medical services available to the child and family; and family adaptation to handicapping conditions involving physical and psycho-social needs.

Tuberculosis (TB) Control Section
Registered Nurse IIs in the TB Control Section work under the supervision of the TB Nurse Manager (RN IV) and under the guidance of an RN III to provide case management to a caseload of clients with active and suspected active TB disease; to conduct monthly visits to the family, investigate contacts and assure access to care; oversee direct observation therapy (DOT) as needed, and to perform other duties as assigned. The work of the Registered Nurse IIs in the TB Control Section is specific to TB cases and their contacts, and requires knowledge of public health nursing standards, access to health care in the local community, knowledge of tuberculosis disease and transmission, diagnosis and treatment of active TB disease and latent TB infection, knowledge of co-morbidities and complex socio-economic problems that adversely affect TB treatment outcomes, and responsibility for assuring completion of TB treatment; contact tracing, early identification of secondary cases and contacts at risk for rapid progression to TB disease if infected; surveillance (including case reporting); understanding of epidemiology of tuberculosis in Alameda County and how it guides public health nursing practice, and performing outreach (when resources permit) to persons at high risk for TB infection and disease.

Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP)
Nurse-Family Partnership is a home visiting program that partners nurses with low income first-time moms in Alameda County, in order to give babies the best start in life. Case management services begin in pregnancy and continue until the child reaches two years old. During that time, parents are provided with health education, support, and child development information so that families can create better lives for their child and themselves.

This position will be situated within Public Health and includes nursing care management with prenatal and postpartum clients and their children up to the age of two. Nurses in this program receive intensive training to administer this evidence based home visiting program whose goal is to improve birth outcomes, increase child development and increase families' self-sufficiency. Nurse-Family Partnership nurses establish relationships with young, at-risk mothers during home visits and provide guidance for the emotional, social, and physical challenges first-time moms face as they prepare to become parents. NFP nurses work with culturally diverse families in communities with broad-based socio-inequity. We serve a high population of Oakland clients.

Foster Care Assessment Center
The Assessment Center (the AC) is a non-residential, short-term shelter child-friendly environment that operates 24 hours per day. The AC is staffed and managed by West Coast Children's Clinic, Inc., a community-based organization under contract to the Alameda County Social Services Agency.  The AC has the capacity to receive and care for all ages of children and youth newborn to 21 years of age (Non-Minor Dependents NMDs).The purpose of the AC is to provide a supportive, child-friendly place where children can be looked after safely while more thoughtful placements are researched, including assessment of relative placement options, allow qualified staff to provide timely crisis intervention services to lessen the trauma of removal and initiate basic physical and mental health screenings, appropriate linkages and referrals.

Under the supervision of the RN IV, the PHN II at the AC serves as an interdisciplinary team member of the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and is responsible for implementing the daily nursing operations at the AC, which includes conducting nursing assessments on children received at the AC; communicating the need for timely follow-up of abnormal health assessment findings and/or acute health findings to placement providers, medical providers, child welfare staff, childcare staff, and PHNs in the Health Care Program for Children in Foster Care; facilitating the coordination of care between the AC, DCFS, Public Health Department, emergency foster homes, health care providers, schools, and any other relevant agencies invested in the total care of vulnerable children; providing onsite skilled, professional nursing consultation to the child welfare staff, including the Child Welfare Workers and other relevant personnel, child care staff, and biological and/or foster family; collaborating with child welfare staff to develop and maintain a systematic process for obtaining the basic medical history of the child at the time of removal from the caregiver’s home; gathering and interpreting information obtained from birth records, medical/dental records, immunization records, lab and radiological reports; documenting relevant information in the CWS/CMS database; researching medical insurance coverage for children to assist with urgent medical needs; training childcare providers on method of administering a brief health checklist for children brought to the AC; taking the lead to address the identified health care needs of each child/youth/non-minor dependent (NMD) admitted to the AC, including coordination of needed medical appointments, follow-up, and medication refills; administering, supervising and monitoring all medications prescribed; performing prescribed treatments.  The PHN at the AC is expected to have knowledge of the health care delivery system available to children in foster care, family dynamics of the child removed from an abusive and/or neglectful home and the emotional adaptation to out of home placement and the effects of family separation.

IHSS Program

The IHSS Program is a home visiting program across all 58 counties in California. The Alameda County Public Health Nurse primary role is to conduct an assessment/reassessment of clients that are at risk for out of home placement and to prevent premature institutionalization and/or nursing home placement. The program serves eligible individual across the lifespan who are aged, blind, and disabled to remain safely in their own homes. The public health nurse carries a caseload focused exclusively on IHSS recipients identified as having paramedical service needs for example GT feedings/Tracheostomy/diabetes management/home dialysis. The PHN conducts comprehensive in-home assessment and reassessment to address the medical, nursing, and psychosocial aspects of the client’s health. In addition, the PHN provides health education and management of chronic medical conditions.  The PHN is expected to have knowledge of the health delivery system, applying the nursing process, comfortable conducting a thorough assessment, and communicate effectively with clients.  

Under the supervision of the Supervising Public Health Nurse (RN IV); the RN II/PHN serves as part of a multidisciplinary team who are responsible for assessing clients’ ability to live safely in their home by evaluating the risk for institutionalization, monitoring client’s progress through any prescribed rehabilitative, and providing case management in coordination with other departments, agencies, and health providers.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

License/Certificate:

- Possession of a current and valid license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of California.
- Possession of a current and valid Public Health Nurse (PHN) Certificate issued by the State of California
- Some positions may require a valid California Motor Vehicle Operator's license.

Special Requirements:

1. In compliance with the Administrative Simplification provision of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), employees in this classification are required to possess a National Provider Identifier (NPI) number prior to their first day on the job.

2. In Compliance with Medicare regulations, employees in this classification are required to complete the "Medicare Enrollment Process for Physicians and non-Physician Practitioners" through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, prior to their first day on the job. Active enrollment in Medicare is a condition of employment. Failure to attain or maintain active enrollment will result in termination.

Either I

Experience:

The equivalent of six months of full-time experience as a Registered Nurse I in the Alameda County classified service. (Non-classified includes District Attorney's Office, Hospital Authority, and the Consolidated Courts.)

Or II

The equivalent of one year of full-time recent experience with the last five years at a comparable level as a Registered Nurse in a clinical and/or public health setting.
Some positions may require one (1) year of experience in a specialty area.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT: In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications below, these positions require possession of a current and valid Public Health Nursing (PHN) Certificate issued by the California Board of Registered Nursing.

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of:

• Theories, principles, procedures, techniques, standards and practices of public health nursing.
• Anatomy, physiology, chemistry, pharmacology, growth and development, medical surgical nursing, nutrition, community health, and population based communities.
• Principles and practices of the nursing process.
• Wellness to illness continuum.
• Nursing procedures, techniques, equipment and supplies.
• Contact investigation and infection control principles.
• Health systems, agencies, and patterns of referral.
• Major disease conditions, current prevention techniques, therapies, and treatments.
• Community resources and health systems.
• Collaborative health planning with multi-disciplinary teams.
• Principles and practices of effective organization.
• Computer applications related to the work.

Ability to:

• Maintain confidentiality.
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Teach and counsel patients, families, and staff.
• Exercise independent judgment.
• Interpret data.
• Analyze, evaluate and draw logical conclusions.
• Respond effectively to emergency situations.
• Exercise interpersonal sensitivity to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, clients, other agencies and the public.
• Practice effective nursing in diverse/multicultural environments.
• Plan, organize and prioritize.
• Make effective use of available materials and human resources.
• Provide safe, effective and efficient nursing care.

EXAMINATION COMPONENTS

The examination will consist of the following steps: 
  1. A review of applicants' application to verify possession of minimum requirements.  Those applicants who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process. 
  2. Those candidates who possess the minimum qualifications for the class will be placed on the eligible list based on an evaluation of education, training, and experience.

CANDIDATES MUST ATTAIN A QUALIFYING RATING ON EACH PORTION OF THIS EXAMINATION. 
We reserve the right to make changes to the announced examination components.

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit.  Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position.  Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position.  Other recruitments may be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work.

To learn more about our recruitment and selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website, www.acgov.org/hrs.

Selection Plan

Applicants will be informed via email with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance. The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency:

TENTATIVE SELECTION PLAN

Deadline for Filing:                                         Continuous

Review of Minimum Qualification & SQ:      Ongoing 

Department Hiring Interview:                        Ongoing


Alameda County and the Human Resource Services Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination and/or selection process to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities and/or medical conditions in accordance/compliance with the State Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Alameda County’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable statutes. To request an accommodation due to a disability/medical condition during this or other phases of the examination/selection process, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement before the last date of filing. Alameda County requires applicants to provide supporting documentation to substantiate a request for reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must have a disability/medical condition pursuant to the ADA, FEHA and applicable statutes.

For more information regarding our Reasonable Accommodation procedures, please visit our website, www.acgov.org/hrs.

BENEFITS

Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well being.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Well-Being

  • Medical – HMO & PPO Plans
  • Dental – HMO & PPO Plans
  • Vision or Vision Reimbursement
  • Share the Savings
  • Basic Life Insurance 
  • Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage for eligible employees) 
  • County Allowance Credit
  • Flexible Spending Accounts - Health FSA, Dependent Care and Adoption Assistance
  • Short-Term Disability Insurance
  • Long-Term Disability Insurance
  • Voluntary Benefits - Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity and Legal Services
  • Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

  • Retirement Plan - (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
  • Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan or Roth Plan)

For your Work/Life Balance

  • 12 paid holidays
  • Floating Holidays
  • Vacation and sick leave accrual
  • Vacation purchase program
  • Catastrophic Sick Leave
  • Group Auto/Home Insurance
  • Pet Insurance
  • Commuter Benefits Program
  • Guaranteed Ride Home
  • Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
  • Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
  • Child Care Resources
  • 1st United Services Credit Union 

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

 

Conclusion

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @jobaps.com, @acgov.org, Noreplyalamedacountyhr@acgov.org and Noreply@jobaps.com as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the "My applications" button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to ensure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email boxes Noreply@jobaps.com and noreplyalamedacountyhr@acgov.org are routed to unmonitored mailboxes. If you have questions, please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the job announcement for the recruitment for which you have applied.

Angelica Cuevas, HR Analyst

Human Resource Services, County of Alameda

(510) 271-5154 or email Angelica.Cuevas@acgov.org

www.acgov.org/hrs 

 

DISASTER SERVICE WORKER

All Alameda County employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law.  Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect.  Employees are required to report to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Alameda County has a diverse workforce, that is representative of the communities we serve, and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  All aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance and business need. Alameda County does not discriminate in employment on the basis of, race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors protected under federal, state and local law. Alameda County celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive, and welcoming workplace environment.



Click on a link below to apply for this position:

Fill out the Supplemental Questionnaire and Application NOW using the Internet. Apply Online
View and print the Supplemental Questionnaire. This recruitment requires completion of a supplemental questionnaire. You may view and print the supplemental questionnaire here.