Ottawa Public Health is responsible for providing public health programs and services that contribute to the physical, mental and emotional health and well-being of the residents of Ottawa, in compliance with Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care standards, protocols and guidelines and other related public health legislation. In partnership with the people and communities of Ottawa, Ottawa Public Health improves and advocates for health and well-being through prevention, promotion and protection.

You are responsible for promoting, protecting, preserving health and preventing disease and injury of individuals, families, groups and populations. Responsibilities of the job are mandated under Section 7 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act and Ontario Public Health Standards and protocols, and include the provision of services in: emergency preparedness, chronic disease prevention, injury prevention, reproductive health, children and youth health, infectious disease prevention and control, sexual health; tuberculosis prevention and control; vaccine preventable diseases; and environmental health. Public Health Nurses practice in diverse settings such as client homes, schools, clinics, workplaces, shelters and community facilities, and work with diverse partners to meet the health needs of the population, particularly vulnerable subpopulations. Public Health Nurses collaborate/partner with the community in program development and implementation, professional education and research activities.

Environmental Health Protection and Outbreak Management is responsible for implementing Ontario’s Public Health Standards with a focus on environmental health protection, infectious diseases and outbreak management, as well as relevant regulations under the Health Protection and Promotion Act (HPPA). The Environmental Health unit develops, implements and evaluates inspection services and programs, and is responsible for enforcement of relevant federal, provincial and municipal legislation and Public Health policy.

You act as a lead communicable disease and outbreak management resource professional for health care institutions, particularly acute care hospitals and within the community. You also: collaborate and support acute care hospitals, long-term care homes (LTCHs) and other settings with risk of infection to prevent and control infectious diseases of public health importance; monitor health risks in the community that require a local public health response; and participate in program development, professional education and research activities that increase infection prevention and control capacity within OPH and in external partners.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Completion of 4 year university degree in Nursing (BScN)

No experience is required

CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENCES

KNOWLEDGE

• Epidemiology.
• Developmental ages and stages.
• Group process and group dynamics.
• Contemporary health management principles.
• Current trends in public health nursing.
• Principles of teaching and learning at all ages.
• Principles and practices of general clinical and public health nursing, including community nursing programs.
• Case management and provisions for continuity in patient care.
• Health promotion concepts and techniques.
• Laws and regulations governing public health nursing, including the controlled acts authorized to nursing.
• Causes and means of transmission and methods of control for communicable diseases, including tuberculosis and sexually transmitted diseases.
• Maternal and child health.
• Child abuse and neglect detection practices.
• Healthy independent aging and the sociological aspects of aging.
• Environmental, sociological and psychological problems encountered in disease processes.
• Principles of harm reduction and disease prevention.
• Sociological and emotional problems involved in care of those with special needs and medical conditions and those with special needs.
• Principles of mental health nursing.
• Use and effects of medicines.
• Use of vaccines, side effects and actions required to minimize adverse effects.
• Principles of nutrition and personal hygiene practices.
• Principles of diversity and inclusiveness affecting health care service delivery and factors that influence access.
• Effective counselling and coaching techniques.
• Principles of clinical health screening including documentation of histories and system reviews.
• Public health concepts including: health status of populations; inequities in health; social determinants of health and illness; strategies for health promotion; disease and injury prevention; and health protection.
• Principles of community mobilization/development.
• History, structure and interaction of public health and health care services at local, provincial, national and international levels.
• Use of evidence and research to inform/develop health policies and programs.
• Resources, information sources, and community assets and resources
• Accurate data collection and storage techniques.
• Data analysis techniques to determine appropriate implications, uses, gaps and limitations, and to make recommendations for action.
• Principles of project management.
• Knowledge of the political environment as it relates to health.
• Knowledge of applicable health and safety legislation, including the rights and duties of workers.

COMPETENCIES, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Recognize that a health concern or issue exists by applying principles of epidemiology, conduct a comprehensive health and/or community assessment, recognize patterns and trends in data and service delivery and assess the impact of broad social, cultural, political and economic determinants of health.
• Utilize the nursing process by identifying relevant and appropriate sources of information, including community assets, resources, and values in collaborating with individuals, families, group, communities and stakeholders; determine the meaning of the information collected, recommend specific actions based on the analysis of the information, implement the chosen actions with the individual, family, group or community and evaluate the intervention.
• Communicate effectively with clients in both oral and written forms using a variety of current technologies.
• Assess the health-related needs of individuals, families and groups, describe the implications of appropriate program/ service options based on the assessment and develop a plan to implement the selected option.
• Apply health-counselling techniques.
• Ability to perform the controlled acts authorized to nursing
• Mobilize groups to take action and implement planned changes across multiple levels to address specific public health issues; facilitate planned changes with individuals, groups, families, communities or systems to implement branch and departmental objectives.
• Utilize creative decision-making and problem-solving skills.
• Set priorities and manage time effectively.
• Work both independently and in a team.
• Act as preceptor to nursing students and facilitate learning experiences for other professionals.
• Identify and seek pertinent continuous education opportunities.
• Fulfill functional roles in response to a public health emergency.
• Flexible.
• Understanding of the differing beliefs and value systems of others and respectful of all individuals.
• Self-directed.