Public Health Nurse, Correctional Facility Series

California State Personnel Board Specification

Series established June 15, 1993

Public Health Nurse, Correctional Facility

Series Specification (Established June 15, 1993)

This series specification describes three Public Health Nurse classes used in the Department of Corrections to perform and/or supervise public health nursing services in State correctional facilities and do other related work. All classes in this series are responsible to maintain order and supervise the conduct of inmates and maintain the safety of persons and property; to prevent escapes of and injury by persons committed to the Department of Corrections to themselves or others or to property; to maintain security of working areas and work materials; to inspect premises and search inmates for contraband, such as weapons or illegal drugs.

Definition of Series

The Public Health Nurse, Correctional Facility, series specification describes three Public Health Nurse classes used in the Department of Corrections to perform and/or supervise public health nursing services in State correctional facilities, including assisting with the prevention and control of communicable diseases by carrying out epidemiological investigations and by giving instruction for the care of inmates and application of procedures designed to prevent the spread of communicable diseases, performing public health nursing services in chronic disease programs, participating in conferences and institutes on community public health problems, correlating the correctional facility public health nursing work with the work of other social and health agencies, addressing interested groups on public health subjects, and keeping records and preparing reports.

Definition of Levels

Public Health Nurse I, Correctional Facility

This is the entry level in this series. Under supervision, to perform public health nursing services including the prevention and control of communicable diseases and sexually transmitted diseases, epidemiological investigations, teaching inmates and staff prevention of the spread of infection; implement infectious disease control procedures; participate in conferences on community/public health problems; act as liaison with State and local county health departments and other appropriate health organizations on infectious disease control issues; assist with development of policies and procedures on infectious disease issues; keep records and prepare reports.

Public Health Nurse II, Correctional Facility

This is the advanced journey level in this series. Under general direction, to plan and provide public health nursing services for a State correctional facility; perform infectious disease skin testing and surveillance in a State correctional facility; provide technical assistance to the institutional staff in the implementation of infectious disease control policies and procedures; carry on health education and interpret public health standards to the institutional staff; confer with public health administrators and others and participate in conferences on community health problems; and may also serve in a lead capacity.

Public Health Nurse III, Correctional Facility

This is the working supervisor level in this series. Under general direction, to plan, develop, conduct, coordinate, and supervise the public health nursing services in the Department; to supervise a public health nursing staff; provide technical assistance to the institutional staff in the implementation of infectious disease control policies and procedures; carry on health education and interpret public health standards to the institutional staff; confer with public health administrators and others and participate in conferences on community health problems.

Minimum Qualifications

All Levels:

Possession of a current license as a Registered Nurse in California and a current certificate as a Public Health Nurse in California. (Applicants who do not meet these requirements will be admitted to the examination, but they must secure the required license and certificate before they will be considered eligible for appointment.)

Public Health Nurse II, Correctional Facility

Either I

One year of experience performing the duties of a Public Health Nurse I, Correctional Facility, in the California state service.

Or II

Experience: Two years of experience as a public health nurse/community health nurse.

Public Health Nurse III, Correctional Facility

Either I

One year of experience performing the duties of a Public Health Nurse II, Correctional Facility, in the California state service.

Or II

Experience: Three years of experience as a public health nurse/community health nurse, at least one year of which must have been in a supervisory capacity or two years of which must have been as a public health nurse/community health nurse instructor in a baccalaureate program.

Knowledge and Abilities

All Levels:

Knowledge of: Principles, methods, and procedures of nursing as applied in public health practice, and of preventive medicine; causes, transmission, and�methods of control of communicable diseases, including tuberculosis and hepatitis, and sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS; essential diagnostic and therapeutic problems involved in the control of communicable diseases and sexually transmitted diseases; principles and purposes of public health programs; socioeconomic problems of inmate population including the disabled; long-term effects of chronic diseases; principles of mental health.

Ability to: Work effectively with staff, inmates and families in satisfactory solution of health problems; to work autonomously and in collaboration with other health professionals; establish and maintain cooperative relations with intra-and interdepartmental agencies and other public and private health agencies; analyze situations accurately and take effective action; communicate effectively.

Public Health Nurse II, Correctional Facility

Knowledge of: In addition to the above, community aspects of nursing programs including provisions of continuity of patient care; current literature and trends in public health nursing; functions of social and health agencies and functions of other professions as related to public health nursing.

Ability to: In addition to the above, exercise independent judgment and plan, organize, and carry out public health nursing activities in an institution or several institutions; provide leadership in public health programs.

Public Health Nurse III, Correctional Facility

Knowledge of: In addition to the above, principles of effective supervision; Department's Affirmative Action Program objectives; a supervisor's role in the Affirmative Action Program and the processes available to meet affirmative action objectives.

Ability to: In addition to the above, develop, conduct and supervise public health nursing activities in the Department; provide leadership in community health programs; plan and supervise the work of others; effectively contribute to the Department's affirmative action objectives.

Special Personal Characteristics

All Levels:

Empathetic understanding of patients of a State correctional facility; willingness to work in a State correctional facility; emotional stability; patience; tact; alertness; and keenness of observation.

Special Physical Characteristics

All Levels:

Persons appointed to this position must be reasonably expected to have and maintain sufficient strength, agility and endurance to perform during stressful (physical, mental and emotional) situations encountered on the job without compromising their health and well-being or that of their fellow employees or that of inmates.

Assignments may include sole responsibility for the supervision of inmates and/or the protection of personal and real property.

Class History