Public Health Nurse - Communicable Disease

This Public Health Nurse (PHN) position focuses on the following primary responsibilities including performing case and outbreak investigations conducting field visits and providing training and technical assistance to internal staff and partners. This position reports to one of the Program Managers/Subject Matter Expert (SME) Leads in the CDImms (Communicable DiseaseImmunizations) Investigations Outreach Response and Education (IORE) Branch and works collaboratively with staff from the Sections four branches IORE Immunization Administration and Analytics and Informatics (A&I).

This position participates in the Sections response during outbreaks and emergencies as approved by supervisor and participates in afterhours (evenings nights weekends and holidays) oncall coverage for communicable disease reports from healthcare providers approximately 68 weeks a year. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements. The work associated with this position will be performed in a hybrid work environment including telework from home and reporting to office or field locations as needed to meet operational needs. As of February 2025 the Section will be returning back to site and will be expected to work at the Chinook Building routinely.

• Conduct notifiable condition investigations and surveillance across all conditions reportable to CDImms including implementation of disease control measures for single cases outbreaks and facilities.
• May have a primary focus in one area such as vaccine preventable diseases/viral hepatitis enteric diseases healthcare associated infections or zoonotic/emerging diseases.
• Conduct reactive and proactive field visits as needed which may include performing interviews providing education and guidance collecting specimens or performing nonregulatory infection control assessments for a variety of settings such as healthcare facilities childcare programs restaurants and homeless service sites.
• Participate in and provide peertopeer training orientation education and support to new and existing staff students healthcare professionals and other community partners (inperson and virtual).
• Provide epidemiologic data information clinical consultation and technical assistance about communicable diseases infection prevention and disease control measures to healthcare providers and facilities the public other community partners (e.g. homeless service sites restaurants childcares schools) and to Section and Departmental staff.
• Participate in continuous quality improvement activities including ensuring completeness and quality of data and implementing process improvement strategies.
• Assist with documentation and communication on case and outbreak investigations in oral and written formats for internal and external partners including summaries of investigations and drafting communications for the website.
• Collaborate with conduct outreach to and provide training for community partners as needed.
• Conduct work interviews and all investigations in a culturally appropriate respectful nonjudgmental and trauma informed manner including asking about sensitive topics.
• Participate in developing reviewing and revising investigation protocols toolkits educational materials and trainings.
• Participate in Sections response during outbreaks and emergencies including clinical activities like specimen collection and administering immunizations; assist with afterhours disease investigation and response activities as assigned and approved by the supervisor.
• Participate in the rotation for oncall coverage afterhours holidays and weekends approximately 68 weeks per year.
• Other duties as assigned.
  

Requirements:

• Bachelors degree in nursing science or a graduate level nursingdegree of MSN DNP or PhD from an accredited school of nursing.

• Current Washington State license as a Registered Nurse or MultiState Licensure.

• Documentation of current BLSCPR for Health Care Providers. CPR/AED HeartSaver courses do not meet this requirement.

• Provide 68 weeks of oncall coverage on an annual basis that includes afterhours holidays and weekends.

• Washington state drivers license.

Work Schedule:This career service position is a fully benefitted 1.0 fte that will typically work within MondayFriday 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and is overtime eligible. Currently onsite work will be 2 days per month. Some of the work associated with this position will be performed through teleworking and will report to an office location and to meetings as needed. Travel to other work locations may be necessary. Employees will have access to shared workspaces at various King County facilities. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements. Employees will be provided with a County issued laptop and must maintain a workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours. Will work outside of the typical schedule to meet operational needs.

Work Location:The primary work location for this position will be at 401 4th Avenue Seattle WA 98104

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Guided by ourTrue North we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting support and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply including Native American and people of color immigrants refugees women LGBTQ people living with disabilities and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race color religion national origin sex (including gender identity sexual orientation and pregnancy) age genetic information disability veteran status or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions including but not limited to recruitment hiring selection for training promotion transfer demotion layoff termination rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

• The selection process may include evaluation of application materials and supplemental questions interviewing and testing. You must completely fill out the application with your relevant education and work experience.
• The selected candidate must be able to pass credentialing and a thorough background investigation but findings may not necessarily disqualify an applicant for employment.
• For more information on our selection process please refer to For tips on interviewing please visit are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
• Public Health relies on office automation (Microsoft Office) and webbased enabled tools; therefore candidates must be proficient and comfortable with computer use to perform functions associated with ongoing work.
• Employees are required to adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines including but not limited to completing their mandatory trainings on time and obtaining required immunizations.
• Regular and reliable attendance effective communication skills and development of effective working relationships are requirements of all Public Health positions.
• When Public Health responds to an emergency and in accordance with relevant CBA language and/or KC policy and procedures we may assign duties outside your regular job description. This may involve responding at any time including nights and weekends with possible deployment to locations other than the department.
• If you need a disability accommodation in the application or testing process please call the contact number listed on the job announcement.