Public Health Nurse

Salary: $65,304.00 - $78,894.00
Work Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. (EST)
*Hours may vary due to work assignments or projects.*
Work Location: 6098 Debra Road, Chattanooga, TN
FLSA Status: This is an Exempt position.
Department: CD Community Health

CLASSIFICATION SUMMARY:
The Public Health Nurse delivers community health initiatives, health education, care coordination, and disease prevention programs to eliminate barriers to care, improve health literacy, and address health disparities across assigned neighborhoods. Clinical responsibilities include administering immunizations, conducting routine biometric screenings, and providing minor acute care (e.g., wound care and first aid), but will not diagnose conditions. The position serves as a central point of contact for community members, coordinates outreach events, designs educational materials, collects health data, and measures health outcomes.

SERIES LEVEL:
The Public Health Nurse is a stand-alone position.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: (The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.)

Performs nursing assessments and triage of patient care needs for new and ongoing patients.

Oversees the planning, scheduling, and implementation of day-to-day clinical activities and procedures for navigated patients.

Works with physicians and other primary care providers to facilitate, coordinate, and ensure patient access.

Central point of contact for all navigated patients, including interaction with medical, nursing, and ancillary services.

Educate patients, families, and the public on health, disease prevention, and related health factors; serve as a key information resource for community members, healthcare professionals, and students.

Collect and report data from patients on barriers, health care, medications, and prior treatments. Track order completion and follow-up.

Monitor patient compliance with patient treatment plans.

Assist patients with referrals to outside resources and care coordination as needed.

Follow established policies, procedures, and objectives, continuous quality improvement objectives, and safety, environmental, and/or infection control standards.

Collaborate with medical providers, patient care staff, and clinic/facility management in the planning and implementation of patient and staff education.

Design, develop, and implement culturally competent health education materials for children and adults based on developmental level and literacy needs.

Address the high prevalence of chronic diseases. Improve health literacy and reduce inequalities among the populations in assigned neighborhoods.

Support health-related events hosted by other departments, centers, and other non-profits.

Develop health curriculum for health courses in the community, being mindful of cultural competence and health literacy levels.

Must meet regular attendance requirements.

Must be able to maintain good interpersonal relationships with staff, co-workers, managers, and citizens.

Must accomplish the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodations, in a timely manner.

Performs other duties as assigned.

May be required to work non-standard hours, including evenings and weekends, as operational needs dictate.

DEPARTMENT SPECIFIC DUTIES (if any):
None

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Associate degree in Nursing with five (5) years of directly related experience, or a Bachelor’s degree with three (3) years of relevant experience, covering the specified duties and responsibilities. Completed degree(s) from an accredited institution that are above the minimum education requirement may be substituted for experience on a year-for-year basis.

Will be required to submit immunization records for review for required vaccines and TB testing. Must pass a pre-employment criminal background check.

A post-offer, pre-employment physical examination/medical history check may be a requirement for some positions.

Must provide proof of varicella immunity or obtain varicella vaccination within 90 days of employment.

Fingerprinting and subsequent clearance are required for this position.

May be required to complete department-specific professional development activities.

Employees who provide services or work in patient care or clinical areas are required to comply with the facility/organization’s influenza and COVID-19 vaccination requirement.

LICENSING AND CERTIFICATIONS:
Valid Driver’s License
Must have active Registered Nurse licensure for the state of Tennessee or a multistate license.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certified

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
Knowledge of supportive care principles and techniques for patients; Critical thinking skills; related accreditation and certification requirements; ethical principles and federal and state regulations governing the participation of human subjects in biomedical research; principles and procedures of clinical research; Ability to perform nursing assessments and patient triage; educate patients and/or families as to the nature of disease and to provide instruction on proper care and treatment; Ability to plan, implement and evaluate individual patient care programs; Ability to maintain quality, safety, and/or infection control standards; Ability to gather data, compile information, and prepare reports; Basic knowledge of managed care; Ability to read, understand, follow and enforce safety procedures; Ability to work autonomously; Ability to maintain emotional stability to cope with human suffering, emergencies, and other stressors; Strong organizational and coordination skills; Strong interpersonal skills; Ability to prioritize and reprioritize quickly; Ability to recruit, evaluate, and instruct clinical research subjects and volunteers; Strong written and verbal communication skills; and Ability to work effectively at all levels in a collaborative, customer service oriented, team environment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Positions in this class typically require fingering, grasping, talking, hearing, seeing, and repetitive motions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Light Work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for Sedentary Work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated for Light Work.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
Safety Sensitive: Y
Department of Transportation - CDL: N
Child Sensitive: Y

The City of Chattanooga, Tennessee is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

KNV 10/20/2026

260882 KS/KM