Employee Health Nurse

PLEASE NOTE - This position may require temporarily relocation to other TONHC Facilities: Sells Hospital, Santa Rosa Health Center, San Simon Health Center, and San Xavier Health Center.

Position Summary:

The position is responsible for planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating a comprehensive employee health program for the Tohono O'odham Nation Sells Hospital to meet regulatory accrediting requirements.

Scope of Work: This position is located in the Tohono O'odham Nation Health Care, Sells Hospital, Division of Quality Management, in Sells, Arizona. The incumbent works under the supervision of the Quality Assurance Officer, who sets the program's overall objectives.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: (Depending on the area of assignment, an incumbent may not be required to perform some of the duties listed below):

• Implement, in coordination with the Service Hospital Infection Control Program. This surveillance plan focuses on prevention and appropriate measures for infection control related to employee health for the hospital.
• Responsible for setting policy and procedure guidelines for the maintenance, release, and retention of employee health records.
• Knowledge and compliance with Privacy Act and HIPAA requirements are essential.
• Assist with conducting studies and recommending corrective action where there is an identified risk and danger to patients, visitors, or personnel within the SSU.
• Responsible for establishing and implementing long and short-term policies for the employee health program; monitor the program, and prepare routine reports.
• Develop a database for the employees, tracking all mandatory infection control/employee health requirements and ensure compliance with annual requirements and standards outlined by regulatory agencies.
• Identify and correct high-risk employee practices and make recommendations for improved practice settings and equipment needs.
• Work with the infection control nurse to develop contact lists of personnel exposed to suspect/known patients with communicable diseases, with a referral for follow-up as needed.
• Ensure staff participation and compliance with the Employee Health Program; this includes following policies set for new employees entering on duty.
• Keep abreast of changing developments, health care policies, directions, practices, and the changing health care needs of the population served.
• Attend the Infection Control meetings, quality first and safety meetings, and all other meetings deemed appropriate by the supervisor.
• Serve as a consultant for the employee health components.
• Provide and conduct training, in-services, or other employee health topics and review or implement new changes as required by regulatory agencies.
• Facilitate and assure infection control standards and policy adherence. May occasionally be delegated to act on behalf of the Infection Control Nurse.
• Represent and report on infection control issues at TON Hospital committee meetings on behalf of the Infection Control Nurse in their absence.
• Occasionally delegated to teach mandatory infection control classes to new employees during the absence of the Infection Control Nurse.
• Responsible for assisting employees referred to the Employee Health program due to injuries related to contaminated needles or exposure of mucous membranes/break in the skin to blood or body fluids from a patient.
• Assist with collaboration in program development, implementation, and evaluation projects addressing HP/DP priorities between TON Sells Hospital., Tribal communities, schools, and private entities.
• Work on special projects as assigned in the quality management component, including analyzing and review policies, procedures and perform equivalent management information studies.
• Provide recommendations relative to performance improvement, safety control, and infection control inspections.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of Tohono O'odham traditions, language, history, geography, and culture.
• Knowledge of applicable federal, state, tribal laws, regulations, and requirements.
• Knowledge of health-related issues, medical terminology, and health education.
• Knowledge of diversified professional nursing concepts and practices gained through completing a professional nursing education program and experience.
• Knowledge of regulatory agencies' documentation requirements and ability to accurately complete document clinical data.
• Knowledge of risk management and safety principles related to health care institutions and regulations enforced by the Joint Commission, OSHA, HCFA, and other specific hospital departmental rules and regulations that protect patients and staff working within those departments.
• Knowledge of hospital policy and procedures relating to Infection Control and Quality Management.
• Knowledge and ability to evaluate and counsel employees on health problems and prevention.
• Knowledge of physical assessment, disease processes, and interventions; knowledge of age-specific aspects of care.
• Knowledge of human behavior to provide counseling, guidance, and health care instructions to create a positive healing experience for patients and employees.
• Knowledge of statistical and research methods and applying them as needed to identify and solve problems not susceptible to other approaches.
• Knowledge of community resources and programs available.
• Knowledge of pharmacology of various medications and their therapeutic and adverse reactions.
• Knowledge of available resources for primary care and referral services.
• Knowledge of health records and ability to accurately and document entirely related clinical data.
• Ability to interpret data from medical charts such as history and physical information, notations from nurses, physicians, laboratory, and radiology reports.
• Ability to understand and effectively convey to others the ethical value systems and customs of Native Americans.
• Knowledge and ability to perform such functions as planning, organizing, and implementing policy and procedures outlined by programmatic needs.
• Ability to manage an employee health and wellness function.
• Strong leadership skills and abilities, including the ability to motivate people toward accomplishing organizational goals and objectives.
• Ability to operate medical equipment: blood pressure machine, Accu-check and glucose machines, sphygmomanometer, and other related equipment.
• Ability to establish and maintain positive and effective working relationships with other employees and the general public.
• Ability to maintain privileged, confidential information.
• Ability to work extended hours and various work schedules.
• Contributes to team effort and carries out other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Degree from a professional nursing program approved by the legally designated State-accrediting agency when the applicant completed the program.
• Three (3) years of experience in health care is required.

Licenses, Certifications, Special Requirements:

• Must have an active, current, and unrestricted license as a professional nurse in a State, District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States.
• Must have current certification in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Automated External Defibrillator (AED) upon hire and obtain First Aid within six months of employment.
• Require membership in Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).
• Upon recommendation for hire, a criminal background and a National FBI fingerprint check are required to determine suitability for employment, including a 39-month driving record.
• May require possessing and maintaining a valid driver's license (no DUIs or major traffic citations within the last three years).
• If required, must meet the Tohono O'odham Nation tribal employer's insurance requirements to receive a driver's permit to operate program vehicles.
• Based on the department's needs, incumbents may be required to demonstrate fluency in both the Tohono O'odham language and English as a condition of employment.