Public Health nursing jobs provide long term and satisfying careers to nurses who want to combine their desire to make an impact at the community level rather than one patient at a time. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, there were nursing shortages in public health; a field where much of the work is done behind the scenes.
Public health nurses play a critical role instituting policies and strategies to protect the public from infectious diseases. As evidenced during the COVID-19 pandemic, public health nurses were critical in slowing the spread of disease in long-term care facilities and other congregate settings, schools, and the community. They served as educators, testers, vaccinators, and investigators. While the pandemic may be slowing, these roles fill a critical need to ensure the health of our Fairfax community.
Public health nurses:
- Work to promote a healthy environment
- Improve the lives of others
- Learn about diverse cultures
- Collaborate across programs and community partnerships to creatively solve problems
- Enjoy leadership and growth opportunities
- Participate in a culture of teaching and educating clients
- Make a difference in the community
Feature: Childhood Immunization Public Health Nurses
We are creating a team of childhood immunization public health nurses because many families were unable to seek required vaccinations for their school-aged children during the past two years. This team will support increased vaccination opportunities for children and will provide vaccination services for students in schools, community sites, and local health department clinics – helping to close childhood immunization gaps in our community.
The Virginia Department of Health is providing funding for these part-time, grant-supported positions. If you are an experienced nurse who finds joy in working with adolescents and school-aged children, and want to make a difference in the community, this is for you!
Learn more about our Public Health Nurses
- MATERNAL CHILD HEALTH
- SCHOOL HEALTH
Maternal Child Health Public Health Nurses offer home visiting services to pregnant and postpartum individuals and their young families through the Nurse-Family Partnership® and Maternal Child Health Field Nurse programs.
Public Health Nurses provide comprehensive, multifaceted care to clients, targeting a multitude of stressors such as low socioeconomic status, history of trauma or abuse, and mental health conditions in order to promote positive health outcomes. Visits are done prenatally and/or postpartum and continue through infancy and early childhood with a focus on improving maternal and child health, promoting optimal infant and child growth and development, and encouraging self-advocacy and self-sufficiency.
See this feature about the opioid nursing position on the Maternal Child Health team.
Maternal Child Health Public Health Nurses offer home visiting services to pregnant and postpartum individuals and their young families through the Nurse-Family Partnership® and Maternal Child Health Field Nurse programs.
Public Health Nurses provide comprehensive, multifaceted care to clients, targeting a multitude of stressors such as low socioeconomic status, history of trauma or abuse, and mental health conditions in order to promote positive health outcomes. Visits are done prenatally and/or postpartum and continue through infancy and early childhood with a focus on improving maternal and child health, promoting optimal infant and child growth and development, and encouraging self-advocacy and self-sufficiency.
See this feature about the opioid nursing position on the Maternal Child Health team.
Thanks to funding by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and a commitment to provide a public health nurse for every Fairfax County public school, the Fairfax County Health Department is looking to hire additional school public health nurses. School public health nurses serve critical roles within school buildings including:
- Providing care coordination for students with chronic health conditions, health education, communicable disease prevention, and health screenings.
- Ensuring students have mandated and recommended immunizations against preventable diseases.
- Working with schools to help address the root causes of population health disparities so that all students have equitable access to educational and health opportunities.
- Working in collaboration with school health aides to ensure that students have care for minor injuries and illnesses, and chronic health conditions, thus helping to minimize health barriers to learning.
Thanks to funding by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and a commitment to provide a public health nurse for every Fairfax County public school, the Fairfax County Health Department is looking to hire additional school public health nurses. School public health nurses serve critical roles within school buildings including:
- Providing care coordination for students with chronic health conditions, health education, communicable disease prevention, and health screenings.
- Ensuring students have mandated and recommended immunizations against preventable diseases.
- Working with schools to help address the root causes of population health disparities so that all students have equitable access to educational and health opportunities.
- Working in collaboration with school health aides to ensure that students have care for minor injuries and illnesses, and chronic health conditions, thus helping to minimize health barriers to learning.
What are you looking for at work?
Being a Public Health Nurse at the Health Department has its benefits!
- Predictable schedules, Monday – Friday
- Comprehensive benefits, like paid time off and retirement (full time)
- Opportunities to grow and learn
- A supportive team environment
- Making a difference in this community
Meet some of our Public Health Nurses!
Featured Videos:
School Health Nursing in Fairfax, Va
Meet Public Health Clinic Nurse Jasmine
Meet Public Health Nurse Joanna Hemmat
Meet Public Health Nurse Natalia Giscombe Simons
Meet TB Nurse Savita Sood
Meet more nurses!
Ask a Nurse: All about Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
Ask a Nurse (and, Mom) About Black Maternal Health
Watch more Ask a Nurse videos!
Nurses in the News
Public Health Nursing Evolution – An Insider's Perspective
Fairfax County Nurse Named VDH’s Northern Virginia Regional Nurse of the Year
School Health Team Visits the Public Health Youth Ambassadors
Health Department Adds Nursing Position to Help New Mothers with Opioid Dependence
