Job Description

Duties:

• Responsible for receiving, recording, and reporting communicable diseases as required by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) including the utilization of the MAVEN surveillance database. 
• Responsible for communicable disease control, surveillance, case investigation and implementing risk-reduction measures to prevent the spread of disease. Works closely with the Division of Tuberculosis Control and regional offices/staff to investigate and follow-up on all reported cases of tuberculosis, including testing all contacts, performing Direct Observed Therapy (DOT) via home visits when needed and monitoring patients for compliance with treatment regime. 
• Provides direct service and support with communicable disease investigation, outbreak control, and direct observation therapy. Collaborates with Director of Public Health Nursing and Epidemiologist team to assist with outbreak investigations.
• In coordination with other Public Health Nurse division staff, provide support in the planning and managing of public vaccination program, including but not limited to, ordering, and managing vaccine and clinical supply inventory, coordinating vaccine clinic logistics, staffing, and provision of resources.
• Maintain appropriate infection control measures and safe storage and handling of vaccines per MDPH requirements to safely and efficiently administer immunizations. 
• Participates in Massachusetts Immunization Information System (MIIS) and reports immunization data in a timely manner while following HIPAA standards and confidentiality laws as set by local and state government entities. 
• Support efforts for planning, coordinating, implementing and evaluating the provision of comprehensive health services, including participating with co-workers in establishing priorities for service and in evaluating the effectiveness of service programs in terms of improved health status of individuals, families and the community as a whole. 
• Coordinate and implement public health prevention programs with collaboration from community social service agencies and schools, perform or evaluate community needs assessments to identify gaps in services that may be beneficial to residents and establishments, as well as implement and oversee those clinical or prevention services identified to be effective and evidence based. 
• Performs annual Recreational Camps for Children inspections, corresponds with camp directors including reviewing medical information for camp permit applications and verifying medical documentation follows applicable regulations. 
• Ensures health equity and cultural competence and humility are at the forefront of all public health programming and policies within the department. 
• Demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through continuous development, modeling inclusive behaviors, and proactively managing bias. 
• Coordinates Public Health educational events, activities, and messaging campaigns including but not limited health fairs, outreach events, or offering services at community-based organizations. 
• Communicate to key stakeholders and community members changes or updates to public health alerts or advisories in a variety of media mediums and in a culturally competent and linguistic manner. 
• Assist in the development and review of emergency response plans and help manage operations of emergency dispensing sites. 
• Function as part of the emergency response Incident Command structure and participate in local and regional Public Health emergency response activities. 
• Maintains detailed, accurate and confidential records regarding nursing activities and related client records, public health screening, and common health data in accordance of Local and State Law. 
• Perform continuous research of trends and best practices in public health data to guide current and future operational policies, as well as monitoring updates from Public Health authorities on emergency notices, advisories, alerts, and updates to clinical policies and protocols. 
• Required to attend training programs and/or seminars to further education and to stay abreast of changes in laws and regulations pertaining to the provision of public nursing services such as NIMS, ICS 100 through 300 as well as changes in standard operating practices and techniques. 
• Attend meetings with the Board of Health and upon request represent the Division at various City and community meetings, coalitions and events. 
• Provides back-up support for Director of Public Health Nursing.
• Other duties as assigned. 

Qualifications: 

• Must possess a valid, current license to practice as a Registered Nurse in Massachusetts. 
• B.S.N in Nursing required.
• A minimum of three to five (3-5) years related work experience in community health nursing, school nursing or public health nursing; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job. 
• Must have access to own transportation and ability to travel throughout community and to State Lab Institute in Jamaica Plain. 
• Must be physically able to bend, lift 20 pounds, and move up and down stairs. 
• Must have current CPR BLS and First Aid certification. 
• Bilingual/Bicultural experience preferred. 

Knowledge, Abilities and Skill 

Knowledge:  Knowledge of pertinent public health/community health nursing local, State and Federal laws, policies, practices, and procedures; knowledge of the department and office operations; laws and regulations pertinent to communicable diseases; HIPAA Act, American Nurses Association Public Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice MRC requirements, ICS; MAVEN/ISIS; EDS Shelter Operations and Emergency Preparedness planning, exercises and drills; working knowledge of office software (word processing, power point, and spread sheet applications) the Internet in support of department operations. Knowledge of pertinent science, medicine, law and medical ethics.

Abilities:  Ability to interact effectively and appropriately with the public in a culturally competent manner; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers; ability to manage multiple tasks in a detailed and timely manner. Ability to collect multi-sources data related to the health of the public and to review pertinent public health care literature.

Skills: Proficient personal computer skills, recordkeeping and clerical skills, proficient written oral and public presentation communication skills; effective customer service skills; effective organizational skills. 

Work Environment: 

The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant.

Physical and Mental Requirements: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position’s essential functions. 

Physical Skills 

Some physical demands are required to perform the essential functions of this position. Work effort principally involves sitting and walking to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, and standing. The employee may be required to occasionally lift, push or pull objects such as books, office equipment, clinic supplies, pandemic trailer supplies. 

Ability to respond to emergency situations.

Motor Skills 

Duties may involve close hand and eye coordination and physical dexterity.

Manipulation and motor control under conditions that may require extreme accuracy may be critical. The manual skills required are comparable to those which might be needed to conduct laboratory tests, perform microscopic experiments, or administer injections. 

The job requires fine motor skills for activities such as picking up objects with hands, grasping small objects with hands, writing with pen or pencil, key/typing on a computer, pinch/pick, twist, squeeze or otherwise work with fingers to manipulate standard nursing supplies and office equipment.

Visual Skills 

Visual demands require constantly reading documents for general understanding and analytical purposes, and ability to see objects up to 20 inches away and more than 20 feet away. Job requires depth perception, peripheral vision, and ability to distinguish color and color intensity. The employee is required to constantly read documents, personal computer screens and written reports for general understanding and routinely for analytical purposes. The employee must have the auditory ability to listen and comprehend. The employee is routinely required to read non-written materials (i.e., maps, blue prints etc.) and to conduct physical assessments. 

Hours: Full-Time
Salary: (BSN) $1,504.66 weekly or (MSN) $1550.54, plus benefits
Union:  SMEA A
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Pre-employment Requirements: Successfully pass a pre-employment DOT physical & drug screen and driving history review.
Date Posted: December 23rd, 2025

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The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request. Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact Adrienne Pomeroy at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or apomeroy@somervillema.gov.

Pre-Employment Requirements for All Employees:

• MA Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) clearance
• Completion of Conflict-of-Interest Law Education training for municipal employees

Overview of Total Rewards:

• 4 weeks annual vacation for non-union positions. Union positions vary by contract. Please note, police officers are members of the SPEA union. Public Health Nurses are part of Union A (SMEA).
• Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) - 80% of premium costs paid by City
• Dental coverage low and high plans through Cigna
• Vision care through Vision Service Plan (VSP)
• Long term disability through Sun Life
• Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual
• Health Care and Dependent Care flexible spending through Benefit Strategies
• Deferred compensation plans through a choice of three vendors
• Free, confidential services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health
• Annual cancer screening & wellness release
• Somerville Retirement Pension System
• Tuition reimbursement
• MBTA pass program
• FREE Blue Bikes membership
• Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

Benefits listed are for benefits-eligible positions and the above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the City of Somerville and not a binding contract.

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