Rn - Family Connects Program

As a community-based program, FCFC supports new parents in caring for their newborn(s), offers physical assessments of the mother and the baby, addresses questions about caring for the newborn(s), identifies parents’ needs, and helps to identify community services or resources that can meet those needs. In addition, through this connection to resources, Family Connects helps to identify gaps in critical community-wide resources with the goal of working toward increasing needed services locally.

Job Summary

A Family Connects Home Visiting Nurse Case Manager provides home visiting to all families with newborns in the determined catchment area. The goal is to support and assess family needs in 12 domains of physical and psychosocial well-being and facilitate referrals and connections to community agencies to support families in these areas. The home visiting nurse will work in a team environment of clinical and non- clinical staff in order to schedule, visit, and support families in the community using the evidence-based Family Connects home visiting protocol. Ability to communicate effectively with others is essential.

Experience needed in maternal/child health, home visiting, and lactation education. Fluency in Spanish required.

Essential Functions:

• Follow the Family Connects home-visiting protocol. Keep records of client observations and activities as required. Document information for family assessments and program evaluation. Record information in real time via in home use of computerized record system.
• Assess family needs in 12 domains of physical and psychosocial well-being, including depression, substance abuse, and domestic violence. Exercise clinical skills in appraising situations and making decisions.
• Establish a trusting relationship with families during in-home visits and engage the family to establish a family support plan with goals, objectives, and activities that address family strengths and needs.
• Work with team to ensure appropriate referrals and connections to community resources as needed. Work in a team to assist parents in making and attending appointments for doctors, social service agencies, etc. Act as a liaison between families and other community agencies, serving as family advocate as required.
• Apply working knowledge of parent-child interaction, child-maternal health, child development, and child abuse/neglect to help families improve parenting skills, increase parenting supports, reduce stress, and address needs of parents; assist in creating a health plan for entire family.
• Respond to client needs through flexible scheduling of home visits, including occasional home visits during evening or weekend hours.
• Apply effective time-management skills, organization, and multitasking skills. Documentation should be completed in compliance with state guidelines, ideally within 24 hours of the encounter.
• Work cooperatively as an active member of the Family Connects team by attending weekly team meetings, clinical supervision, staff meetings, and other meetings as required. Support and encourage development of other staff and of the Family Connects program.

  Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• B.S. degree in nursing with current RN license, or B.A. degree in another field with current RN license, or A.S. degree in nursing with state-level RN, and at least one year of relevant child/maternal health nursing experience.
• Current BLS/CPR certification
• Maintain a valid driver’s license and an automobile for use in making home visits.
• Ability to work with culturally diverse populations.
• Well-spoken, friendly, compassionate, professional, courteous, and patient and family centered service focused.
• Ability to move or lift at least fifty pounds.
• Ability to work with nurse manager to implement a practice improvement and clinical development plans.
• Ability to manage a flexible yet demanding schedule. Provide a high level of customer service with attention to customer satisfaction.
• Proficient and comfortable using laptops and/or tablets as part of in-home assessment and intervention.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Understanding and commitment to a universal home visiting program as a public-health intervention for newborns and their mothers.
• Preferred skills include (a) clinical experience related to domestic violence, substance abuse and/or depression, (b) one or more years of experience in child/maternal health, social work, or other related field, and (c) Certified Lactation Educator or Consultant.