Nurse Home Visitor

PRIMARY FUNCTION/ PURPOSE:

The function of the Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) Nurse Home Visitor is to provide comprehensive community health nursing services to women and their families eligible for the NFP Program within the client's home. The NFP Program is an In-home Visitation Program. It is responsible for maintaining the highest standards in clinical nursing practice and adherence to the NFP model and to policies, procedures, guidelines, and standards of NFP and The Children’s Shelter. The Nurse Home Visitor reports to the NFP Nurse Supervisor and, in his/her absence, reports to the VP of Programs of The Children’s Shelter.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provides home visits to women and their families eligible for the NFP Program.
• Adhere to Nurse-Family Partnership activities and procedures in accordance with the national model requirements and guidelines set forth by The Children’s Shelter.
• Responsible for carrying a caseload of 25-30 active clients.
• Responsible for completing all required NFP and agency education and training.
• Attends and participates in dyadic assessment training and assessments.
• Develops therapeutic relationships utilizing concepts of reflection and motivational interviewing with women and their families in a home visiting environment.
• Performs home visiting in accordance with the NFP model, visit-to-visit guidelines and agency procedures.
• Follows nursing process in implementing NFP into nursing practice. Formulates nursing diagnosis based on nursing assessment and client goals. Evaluates client progress and plans home visits in accordance with stated goals and NFP outcomes.
• Assesses physical, emotional, social, and environmental needs of women and their families as they relate to the NFP domains.
• Assists clients and their families in establishing goals and outcomes.
• Provides education, support and referral resources in assisting clients and their families in attaining their targeted goals. Consults and collaborates with other professionals involved in providing services to client and their family.
• Actively engages in professional development and skill building to meet all NFP Nurse Home Visitor competency requirements.
• Meets with NFP Nurse Supervisor weekly for clinical supervision.
• Schedule joint home visits with NFP Nurse Supervisor every 4 months.
• Attends and participates in bi-weekly case conferences and team meetings.
• Inputs and provides information to support staff for timely and accurate data input to the NFP database system.
• Documents appropriately and in the required time frame set by the NFP Model and the agency.
• Maintains confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA, agency guidelines, and contract requirements.
• Participates in review and analysis of the database reports for achievements and quality improvement efforts.
• Executes responsibilities with cultural sensitivity to groups and individuals.
• Responsible for personal safety, and generally the safety of the office work area.
• Participates in agency events, Family Strengthening events, and after-hour events such as Family Fun Nights and NFP Graduation.
• Attends mandatory agency town hall meetings and others as required.
• Participates in agency strategic initiatives.
• Maintains clear, effective, open, and honest communication with both internal and external customers and colleagues.
• Communicates and cooperates with agency programs/depts., agency partners, co-workers, and staff in a respectful and effective manner.
• As requested/required, participates in community coalition in support of NFP.
• As requested/required, promote public awareness of NFP and agency programs through community outreach events.
• Understands, supports, and coaches others in the NFP vision, mission, and model.
• Represents the NFP vision, mission and model in actions and verbally to both internal and external customers and colleagues.
• Assists in creating a positive work environment that promotes productivity, mentoring, teamwork and cooperation.
• Recognizes accomplishments of team members.
• Creates, maintains and supports a safe environment for open discussion.
• Accurately assesses own learning needs and develops strategies to meet them. Motivated to utilize computer for distance learning.
• Stays informed of current health care developments to provide safe, quality Nurse Home visiting services.
• Establishes and records progress toward annual goals.
• Seeks and responds appropriately to feedback
• Elicits and considers differing viewpoints when analyzing issues.
• Supports and role-models the strengthening and management of the culture and practices that reflects the organization’s mission, core values, employee promise, and fosters high engagement in staff.
• Builds and maintains strong, collaborative relationships with internal staff, clients, and community stakeholders.
• Establishes and clearly communicates performance expectations and responsibilities to staff and team.
• Consistently provides ongoing reflective supervision, coaching, training, and support to staff to create and maintain an environment of safety, well-being, and a highly engaged team.
• Responsible for interviewing, hiring, planning, assigning, and directing work; evaluating performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems within your team.
• Demonstrates strong commitment to meeting the needs of our customers (children, community members, co-workers, donors, managers, and volunteers), in a friendly, outgoing, and professional manner.

GENERAL EXPECTATIONS

• Contributes to building a child welfare system that is safe, secure, and stable; family-centered; connected to the community; which relies on evidence-based practice necessary to support contract services.
• Adheres to all policies and procedures of the agency and its accrediting and standard-setting bodies, such as the Council on Accreditation (COA) and state licensing.
• Ensures all processes and tasks completed meet local, state, and/or federal compliance requirements.
• Maintains client confidentiality per The Children’s Shelter policies and all applicable codes of ethics.
• Meets assigned deadlines and follows through on assignments.
• Learns, understands, supports, and demonstrates The Children’s Shelter's mission, vision, and values.
• Demonstrates the Trauma Informed Care principles and utilizes them with peers, clients, and external stakeholders.
• Understands and demonstrates the Praesidium best practices to ensure the safety of clients.
• Promotes teamwork within team, program, and agency.
• Promotes and demonstrates appropriate respect for cultural diversity among coworkers and clients.
• Attends and completes mandatory training as defined in the positions training matrix by the assigned deadline. Submits certifications of trainings to Training Department.
• Uses outside professional collaboration and intra-agency teamwork appropriate to the agency.
• Skilled in organizing work in an environment with multiple challenges and priorities.
• Avoid all conflicts of interest, real or perceived.
• Attends work in accordance with agency leave policy.
• Performs other duties as assigned to ensure continuity of operations.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing required.
• A current nursing license in good standing with the Texas Board of Nursing (TBON) is required.
• Adhere to the Texas Board of Nursing rules and regulations.
• Current CPR is required.
• Experience in maternal/child health, public health, home visiting, or mental/behavioral nursing preferred.
• Proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking Spanish is required.
• Basic computer skills.
• Must be able to work 8 am-5 pm M- F; occasional evenings and weekends may be required.
• Ability to seek supervision and use it constructively.
• Ability to have a joyful approach to children, adolescents, and families of diverse cultures.
• Successful clearance of a criminal background check, including fingerprinting and drug testing.
• Maintain current driver’s license/access to reliable and safe transportation for self.

DESCRIPTION OF WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

This is a full-time position, scheduled for 40 hours a week with the need for a flexible schedule. The work environments of the NFP Nurse Home Visitor consist primarily of office and community activities, including home visitation and community outreach. Traveling to designated locations will be required regularly.