Job Description:
Minimum QualificationsMust have and maintain a valid license and a current registration as a registered professional nurse in New York State.Duties DescriptionPRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:The Employee Health Services Nurse (EHS) will provide a full range of occupational health services to current OPWDD employees, candidates seeking OPWDD employment, volunteers, contract employees and students/interns. This position will report to the local Infection Control Nurse and will be responsible for the development and implementation of employee health services. This would be inclusive of working with the Central Office Bureau of State Operations Planning & Quality Improvement and the Bureau of State Operations Clinical Services, to write and implement policies and procedures that are related to the required job functions and ensuring that each new candidate for employment has the appropriate health information required as per OPWDD policies, procedures, and regulations. Duties included with this include: Review of health information submitted by all candidates. Setting up employees for any required lab work (i.e., titers for proof of immunization against certain diseases), setting up or administering vaccinations (i.e., Influenza, pneumococcal, Hepatitis B, etc.) Collaborating with their local Human Resource staff to ensure any outstanding required information is followed up on, obtained and reviewed. The Employee Health Nurse will also provide notification to the employee of employment medical clearance. The Employee Health Nurse will also promote employee health and wellness by educating and advising employees on health-related topics. Duties within this area includes: Plans, coordinates, and conducts health information education and screening programs as needed. Assists the employee as needed with identification of health needs and supports. Encourages employees in managing health problems and refers employees to appropriate community resources for care. Additionally, the Employee Health Nurse will respond to employee and management concerns on health-related issues and will assist with the following: Assessing and identifying occupational health problems and risk factors. Will address employee’s occupational health needs. Assist in triaging employee illness/injuries. Will be responsible for blood borne pathogen post exposure investigative follow-up and any other exposure incidents among employees. This position will also assist the Infection Control Nurse and FIT test employee with the Respiratory Protection Program in their assigned region. This employee will work closely with State Operations in meeting the expectations within this program. This employee will be regionally based and provide support for their designated residential or day program settings. Duties include: The Employee Health Nurse will maintain a listing of who is assigned to different tasks/titles in relation to the Respiratory Protection Program. Providing, facilitating, or assuring fit testing for employees in conjunction with the FIT test employee. Provide training of staff to ensure there are an adequate number of staff trained to conduct fit testing. Assist employees with compliance related tasks, including usage, adequate maintenance, inspection and storage of utilized N95 respirators, as needed or warranted. Will ensure compliance with information within any existing OPWDD guidance related to infection control procedures as they relate to current airborne transmissible respiratory disease and providing compliance documentation detailing routine inspections, as defined by each program. SELECTION PROCESS:Selection will be based on interview, and candidates past work history.LinkedIn: CommentsADDITIONAL COMMENTS: This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS). HELPS Program titles may be filled via a non-competitive appointment. This means that you do not need to take an exam to qualify, but you do need to meet the minimum qualifications of the title. At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), employees hired under NY HELPS are expected to have their permanent non-competitive employment status converted to permanent competitive status. You will not have to take an exam to gain permanent competitive status. Please note that starting salary for this title reflects the increased hiring salary and geographic pay differential. Posted Hiring Salary includes the sum of the statutory hiring rate for PS&T Grade 18 ($65,001), Increased Hiring Salary ($8,928), and Geographic Differential ($20,000). Geographic Differential added to the job rate ($82,656) for PS&T Grade 18. If you are currently a New York State employee serving in a permanent competitive qualifying title and eligible for a transfer via Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law, you may be appointed to this title as a permanent competitive employee. Preference will be given to OPWDD employees impacted by closures. If you are being impacted by closure, please indicate this on your resume. All OPWDD employees must be eligible and maintain eligibility for full and unconditional participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Continued employment will depend on maintaining eligibility. Family and household member relationships: OPWDD policy may impact eligibility for this position. Employees are responsible for recognizing the relationship and not posting for positions where it would be a concern. Before you apply read Section 120.27 of the Region 3 Policy Manual. Please e-mail if you have you need help determining if this policy applies to you. CAPA: Must be cleared by the NYS Central Register for Child Abuse and Maltreatment, if position requires working with minors and not previously cleared. If you are employed by state government, you may be able to receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on Direct Loans after 120 qualifying monthly payments have been made under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. For more information on PSLF, please visit Employees on long term leave can bid on positions but must be able to report to work within fourteen (14) days and be able to perform the essential functions of their positions with or without reasonable accommodation (RA). If an employee believes that they need a reasonable accommodation, they should contact the NYS OPWDD Reasonable Accommodation Unit at (518) 486-7222 or e-mail at to obtain information and RA forms. For CSEA positions: Local Bidding Agreements, and previously approved vacation/holiday time will be honored in the new assignment. Preference will be given to OPWDD employees impacted by closures. If you are being impacted by closure, please indicate this on your resume/cover letter. In order to be eligible for appointment and to maintain employment, you cannot be listed as an excluded individual or entity on any of the Federal and/or State Medicaid and Medicare exclusion lists (or excluded from any other Federal or Federally assisted program). If you are appointed and subsequently listed as an excluded individual or entity on any of these lists (or excluded from any other Federal or Federally assisted program), you may be terminated from your employment. OPWDD is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer dedicated to creating and sustaining a culture of inclusion. We believe that we are most effective in managing and improving our service system with a diverse team of employees. With such a large workforce, we rely on the collective individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, self-expression, ideas and talent that our employees bring to their work. This speaks to our culture and is a key part of our successes. As we continuously recruit people for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that applicants bring in terms of their education, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, color, religion, disability, sexual orientation and beliefs.