Nurse Consultant (Public Health) (35 Hour)

The State of Connecticut, Department of Public Health (DPH) is recruiting to fill multiple Nurse Consultant positions within the Healthcare-Associated Infections & Antimicrobial Resistance (HAI-AR) Program. We are seeking experienced registered nurses with experience in healthcare infection control who will, under the direction of the supervising nurse consultant, provide on-site and remote infection control assessment and response for healthcare facilities. The Nurse Consultants will report to the Prevention & Outreach Unit’s Supervising Nurse Consultant.  

The Connecticut Department of Public Health’s Healthcare-Associated Infections & Antimicrobial Resistance (HAI-AR) Program is responsible for surveillance, prevention, and response to healthcare-associated infections (HAI) and antimicrobial resistance (AR) in Connecticut. The HAI-AR Program is composed of HAI and AR Epidemiologists and staff with expertise in healthcare infection prevention and control (IPC) who collaborate with healthcare organizations, governmental agencies, non-governmental healthcare quality organizations and clinicians to detect, prevent and contain HAI and AR. The HAI-AR Program works closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Yale School of Public Health, Connecticut Hospital Association, long-term care industry partners, clinical laboratories, and others to conduct surveillance for, to prevent and to reduce the burden of HAI-AR.  

The HAI-AR Program, largely funded by cooperative agreements with CDC, is building a Prevention and Outreach Unit led by a Supervising Nurse Consultant. The Prevention and Outreach Unit has the responsibility of providing technical assistance in infection control and prevention to Connecticut healthcare facilities (hospitals, nursing homes, hemodialysis units and outpatient offices).  

The Mission of the Department of Public Health (DPH) is to protect and improve the health and safety of the people of Connecticut by assuring the conditions in which people can be healthy, preventing disease, injury, and disability, and promoting the equal enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, which is a human right and a priority of the state.

DPH accomplishes this through the implementation of its Strategic Plan which outlines the actions that DPH is taking to accomplish its Mission. 

Are you interested in joining our team as Nurse Consultant? We encourage you to apply today! These positions are conveniently located in Hartford, CT. Nurse Consultants will be expected to conduct work on-site at healthcare facilities, at local health departments and at other locations throughout the state as needed. Individuals in these positions will need to have availability to adjust schedules based on the Unit’s prevention or outbreak responses in healthcare facilities. These positions are full-time, 35 hours per week. Flex-schedule/alternate work schedule and telework may be allowed in accordance with state policies and based on agency need.  

Please Note: These positions are grant funded with an anticipated end date of July 31, 2024.  Additional funding is expected beyond this date but is not guaranteed.

We offer a competitive benefits package, excellent health care, generous leave policies, retirement plan, and more!  We also encourage a healthy work-life balance to all employees!

The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.

This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.  

Due to the volume of applications anticipated, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be provided through your JobAps portal account. 

Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience most closely meet the preferred requirements of the position. At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include:  a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency. Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position.

In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.  

Please Note: You will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application for this posting to the JobAps system.

This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam. 

Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process. 

The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.

All State employees shall follow the guidelines as listed in Executive Orders  13F (3a) and 13G (3a) .

Should you have questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Chelsea Moore at Chelsea.Moore@ct.gov

In the Departments of Public Health, Children and Families, Correction, Developmental Services, Mental Health and Addiction Services, Social Services and the Office of Early Childhood, this class is accountable for applying professional nursing knowledge in the enforcement, inspection, licensure, consultation and implementation or assessment of the nursing service component of health care programs and facilities.

Implements, coordinates, and evaluates activities of assigned programs or health care services; maintains active liaison with and serves as nursing consultant to other sections, divisions, health care providers and public; may inspect and evaluate health care and psychiatric facilities for compliance with state and federal regulations including licensure and certification laws; assesses safety and quality of client care provided; assesses compliance of health insurance companies with various state statutes, regulations and guidelines; performs related duties as required.

Provides consultation to state licensed health care facilities and institutions and to unlicensed facilities to bring them into compliance with statutes, community institutions and individuals regarding planning, implementation and evaluation of nursing services, home health services and specialized problems in public health; performs on-site inspection surveys of health care or psychiatric facilities and provides consultation regarding licensure and certification laws, regulations and policies; evaluates quality of services rendered by facility; monitors facilities during strikes; prepares relevant federal and state forms and reports; may testify in court relative to findings of inspections and/or investigations; performs related duties as required.

Considerable knowledge of standards of care and service delivery in community based nursing agencies, licensed home health agencies, health care facilities and institutions; considerable knowledge of relevant State and Federal laws, statutes and regulations; considerable knowledge of principles and practices of nursing care administration and education for a variety of specialties with varied settings; considerable knowledge of principles and practices pertinent to community processes; knowledge of State, Federal and local health agencies and programs; knowledge of nursing education and skill in techniques of teaching; considerable interpersonal skills; oral and written communication skills; ability to plan, implement and evaluate programs; ability to collect and analyze data.

Four (4) years of experience as a professional nurse in a position involving supervision, consultation, education or administration.

Two (2) years of the General Experience must have been in a public health nursing program, home health care agency, community health care setting, or in a hospital.

1. A Bachelor's degree in nursing may be substituted for one (1) year of the General Experience.
2. A Master's degree in health services administration, nursing or public health may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.

• Experience working in long-term care facilities
• Experience conducting infection control auditing in healthcare facilities and providing both feedback and follow up on infection control concerns
• Experience providing staff development and training
• Experience working with both clinical and public health organizations
• Experience working in a position that required the flexibility to adjust ones schedule based on the prevention or outbreak responses in a healthcare facility

1. Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a current license as a registered professional nurse in Connecticut.
2. Incumbents in this class may be required to possess certification as an Insurance Rehabilitation Specialist or be eligible for certification as an Insurance Rehabilitation Specialist.
3. Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.
4. Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator’s license.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.