Title: Public Health Nurse Senior

State Role Title: RN II/Nurse Prct I/Phy Asst

Hiring Range: $62,100 - $87,006

Pay Band: 5

Agency: Virginia Department of Health

Location: CRATER HQ

Agency Website: www.vdh.virginia.gov

Recruitment Type: State Employee Only - E

Job Duties

VDH is looking for a mission‑driven Public Health Nurse Senior (PHN Senior) who is passionate about improving community health and delivering high‑quality public health services.

Why Work for VDH?
The Virginia Department of Health is dedicated to protecting and promoting the health of all Virginians. As part of our team, you will contribute to meaningful public health work while enjoying a comprehensive benefits package, including:
12 paid holidays
Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
Retirement options including the 401a Cash Match and 457 Deferred Compensation Plan
Sick, family/personal, and annual leave


About the Crater Health District
Located in a region known for small‑town charm, natural beauty, and affordable living, the Crater Health District offers a welcoming environment with a relaxed pace of life. We proudly serve the communities of Petersburg, Prince George, Dinwiddie, Hopewell, Emporia, Greensville, Sussex, and Surry. Our mission‑driven team is committed to high‑quality public health service and making a meaningful impact in the communities we serve.

Position Overview
This is more than a nursing position, it’s an opportunity to safeguard the health of entire communities. As part of our dedicated Communicable Disease Team, you’ll play a critical role in preventing, investigating, and controlling infectious diseases.

Your work will include:
· Investigating communicable disease cases and outbreaks
· Monitoring surveillance systems for trends and emerging threats
· Administering vaccines and collecting specimens for disease identification
· Managing tuberculosis cases and rabies follow-up
· Providing expert guidance on infection prevention to healthcare facilities and community partners
· Delivering health education presentations to the public and stakeholders
· Rotating on-call responsibilities to respond to urgent public health events
· Supporting districtwide nursing programs and emergency response
Your expertise will help protect the health of our communities and strengthen resilience across the district."

The Public Health Nurse Senior provides leadership and serves as a district‑wide nursing program expert. This role develops program goals, objectives, policies, and procedures; monitors program performance; ensures compliance with state and agency standards; and acts as the primary point of contact for program‑related inquiries from staff and external partners.
This position plays a key role in increasing public awareness and utilization of services while ensuring exceptional quality of care. Licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the Commonwealth of Virginia is required.

Key Responsibilities

Lead district nursing programs, including planning, policy development, and performance monitoring.
Serve as the primary resource for staff, stakeholders, and community partners regarding assigned programs.
Promote program visibility and encourage increased utilization through outreach and communication.
Conduct nursing assessments and implement comprehensive care plans.
Perform lab tests, take measurements, and administer medications and immunizations.
Provide case management and clinical support services.
Conduct communicable disease investigations and support disease prevention efforts.
Collaborate with community partners to address social determinants of health and connect individuals and families with resources.
Participate in public health emergency response and community health assessments.
May supervise support staff.

Minimum Qualifications

• Licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the Commonwealth of Virginia (required).
• Must be certified in Basic Life Support (BLS)/CPR, able to be fit tested and perform fit testing for other staff in accordance with OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134) [Ref.2] regulations
• Experience functioning in a leadership role; experience and ability to function independently in the home/clinic/community/school settings and prioritize workload
• Exercises sound nursing judgment; effective verbal, written, interpersonal/physical assessment skills
• Experience and ability to enter, review, analyze data and statistics and produce reports and/or recommendations from such information; ability to work in a fast paced, data driven environment
• Experience and knowledge of nursing process, health maintenance, disease processes, physical and behavioral sciences, case management process and basic principles of epidemiology
• Work effectively as a member of the multidisciplinary health care team
• Knowledge and experience in use of computers and computer applications; including Internet, Microsoft Office, and Google Mail applications
• Experience and ability to work with diverse cultural backgrounds
• May travel and some weekend and/or evening hours may be required
• Excellent communication, data interpretation and computer skills
• Must be able to demonstrate decision making skills, teaching, interviewing, counseling skills and the ability to analyze problems/situations and problem solve

Additional Considerations

• Knowledge of communicable disease prevention
• Public health experience
• Certification in Infection Control (CIC)
• Bilingualism and experience with diverse cultures preferred
• Experience with database management systems, especially those used to manage population-based disease data.

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

VDH accepts only on-line applications. Faxed, mailed, or e-mailed applications will not be considered. Applications are accepted until 11:55 p.m. on the job closing date. Applications and/or resumes should include relevant work history which indicates your qualifications for this position. Supplemental questions are encouraged to be answered in a comprehensive manner and reference any pertinent knowledge, skills, and abilities as well as any previous experience that relates to the position.

Employment is contingent upon satisfactory results of a state and federal criminal history background check and the Department of Social Service’s Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry check, U.S. HHSIG Exclusion List check, employment reference check and E-Verify. Other financial, credit, driving, background checks or completion of Statement of Economic Interests may be required for certain positions.

It is the policy of the Commonwealth and VDH that all aspects of human resource management be conducted without regard to race (or traits historically associated with race including hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists); sex; color; national origin; religion; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; age; veteran status; political affiliation; disability; genetic information; and pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. VDH employees have a shared Code of Ethics, which can be found in the bottom banner of our website: www.vdh.virginia.gov.

If you have been affected by DHRM Policy 1.30 layoff and possess a valid Interagency Placement Screening Form (Yellow Card) or a Preferential Hiring Form (Blue Card), you must submit the card before the closing date for this position. The Card may be submitted with the state application as an attachment.

As a V3 (Virginia Values Veterans) employer VDH Welcomes Veterans to apply!

Contact Information

Name: Ayswarya Renjith

Phone: 804-335-8182

Email: ayswarya.renjith1@vdh.virginia.gov

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.