ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH
The Environmental Health department is responsible for monitoring conditions within the community that could present a threat to health and safety of the public. This program has a significant role in monitoring the health status of the community and controlling those problems that may affect health. Specialists are assigned responsibilities in a variety of environmental program areas ranging from water quality protection, wastewater treatment and disposal, solid and hazardous waster management, institutional sanitation and safety, to community sanitation programs such as rabies surveillance and sanitary nuisance abatement.
Interns will obtain an overview of the department through a ride along with field staff.
● Who: Government organizations, Environmentalists, Epidemiologists
● Days/Times: Tuesdays
● Hours/day: Min – hours Max – hours
● People: Min – 1 Max - 2
● Notification: One week
● Materials: N/A
● Attire: Casual, comfortable, closed toed shoes, clothes that can get dirty,
hat
●
Meet:
● Contact: Kathy Fuchs, Environmental Administrator
EPIDEMIOLOGY
The Epidemiology department investigates suspected
occurrences of infectious diseases and conditions that are reported from
physicians’ offices, hospitals, and laboratories. Data is examined to determine the
existence of trends. The staff
ensures that action is taken to prevent infectious disease outbreaks from
occurring in
Interns will spend at least one day in Epidemiology to experience nurses of surveillance and follow up of reportable diseases and conditions required to be reported to the health department.
● Who: Public Health students, Medical students, Private physicians
●
Days/Times:
Monday – Friday
● Hours/day: Min – 4 hours Max – 7-8 hours
● People: Min – 1 Max - 2
● Notification: 14 days
● Materials: AMA Diagnosis and Management of Foodborne Illnesses
● Attire: Business casual attire
●
Meet:
● Contact: Bill L. Toth, Epidemiologist
OFFICE OF HEALTH EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY
The mission of the Office of Health Education and Community
is to provide quality health education and promotional programs, services, and
activities to
Interns will have the opportunity to attend public health meetings (boards, coalitions, task force), observe and assist with presentations, and shadow and assist staff with current projects.
● Who: Teachers, Social Service workers, Non-profit organization workers
●
Days/Times:
Monday – Thursday
● Hours/day: Min – 2 hours Max – open
● People: Min – 1 Max - 2
● Notification: 5 days
● Materials: To be provided
● Attire: Professional
●
Meet:
● Contact: Cheri Rufener, Program Administrator
OFFICE OF MINORITY
HEALTH
The mission of the
Office of Minority Health is to reduce or eliminate health disparities among
racial and ethnic populations in
Interns can choose to observe and participate in various programs, including the Champion Club, Making Positive Choices, the Black Women’s Health Project, the Hispanic Health Projects, the Healthy Smiles Program, the Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) Program, and the Research and Evaluation Program. Participants will also attend the staff meeting on Monday, which will provide an overview of the various projects and programs in effect.
● Who: Public Health Professionals, Physicians, Nurses, Dentists,
Teachers, Counselors
●
Days/Times:
Mondays
● Hours/day: Min – open Max – open
● People: Min – 1 Max - 1
● Notification: one day
● Materials: Resource handbook to be provided by the department
● Attire: Business casual attire
●
Meet:
● Contact: Yolanda G. Martinez, Manager
NURSING EDUCATION
PROGRAM / DEPARTMENT OF NURSING
The Nursing Department is responsible for various services, including providing orientation to new nursing employees, providing in-service education to the professional staff and liaison with college and university schools of nursing, and providing learning opportunities in the field of Public Health Nursing.
Interns will experience an overview of health department
services provided, tour the facility and clinical area with introduction to the
staff, and review the history of public health in
● Who: Registered Nurse students in generic, accelerated, or advanced
practice / graduate programs
●
Days/Times:
Monday – Friday
as pre-approved by the program supervisor / preceptor
● Hours/day: Min – 4 hours Max – 8 hours
● People: Min – 1 Max - 2
● Notification: One month
● Materials: Students must sign confidentiality / security agreement before
beginning
School must have signed contract with health department before students are accepted
Students must sign in and sign out on log form for each day of clinical / community practice
Students must wear school ID and visitor badge
Students must present all curriculum paperwork before rotation
●
Attire:
badge, closed toe / heel professional shoes
●
Meet:
● Contact: Paddy Faucher, RN, Assistant Community Health Nurse Director
SCHOOL HEALTH
SERVICES
Objectives of the School Health Services are to appraise, protect, and promote the health status of students, promote student health, reduce teenage pregnancy, decrease drug / alcohol abuse and other forms of self-destructive behavior, improve student health education, and improve student health through counseling on health issues and referrals to health services. Services provided include health appraisals, counseling, and referrals as needed, classroom presentations, nursing assessments, referral and follow up of suspected or confirmed health problems, health record reviews, nutrition assessments, community education, home visits, acute school health room care, vision screenings, scoliosis screenings, dental screenings, height and weight screenings, school staff in-service and medication training, and health consultations to faculty.
Interns will have the opportunity to assist with screening procedures, which include but not limited to, vision, hearing, growth and development, scoliosis, blood pressure, dental, nutrition, communicable diseases, assist the school clinic nurse and staff with documenting pertinent health data on student health records and perform follow-up activities to parents (telephone calls, mailing letters) to assure students receive needed services, and assist with health education lesson plans within the classroom environment utilizing the established OCPS curriculum provided.
● Who: ARNPs, RNs, LPNs, Retired nurses, all other health care
professsionals
●
Days/Times:
Monday – Friday
● Hours/day: Min – open Max – open
● People: Min – open Max - open
● Notification: 1 day
● Materials: Copy of FL license
CPR / First Aid (training will be provided if necessary)
Retired nurse certificate (application will be provided if necessary)
Background screening
● Attire: Comfortable shoes, business casual attire, OCHD dress code, lab
coats optional
● Meet: OCHD Central Offices 3rd floor, across from birth certificate office
● Contact: Kimberly Williams, Coordinator
Ester Sahadeo, Assistant Director of Nursing
TUBERCULOSIS AND
REFUGEE HEALTH
The services the Tuberculosis department provides are
complete diagnosis and treatment of active tuberculosis cases and latent
tuberculosis infection, case management, thorough contact investigation with
testing of everyone exposed, direct observed therapy, education and information
services for clients and families, and surveillance. The ultimate goal is eliminating TB as a
public health problem in
Interns will have the opportunity to observe clinic nurse activities.
● Who: LPNs, RNs
● Days/Times: Fridays
● Hours/day: Min – 4 hours Max – 8 hours
● People: Min – 1 Max - 1
● Notification: One week
● Materials: N/A
● Attire: Scrubs
●
Meet:
● Contact: Christine Uranaka, Nursing Supervisor
WIC AND NUTRITIONAL
SERVICES
WIC is a special supplemental food and nutrition education program for women, infants, and children. WIC provides free food, nutrition, counseling, breastfeeding support, and referrals for health care. These services are provided during critical periods of growth (breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants and children < 5 years old) to improve health, growth, and development.
Interns will have the opportunity to observe the WIC eligibility process, observe the Nutrition Education Group Class (prenatal, breastfeeding, new baby, “nutritious story time” for children), assist clients in completing diet history / nutrition assessment forms,
weigh and measure length / stature for WIC clients, participate and / or lead Nutrition Education Classes, observe individual nutrition assessment and counseling sessions with the nutritionist, provide individual nutrition counseling to WIC clients (must have degree in Dietetics or Food and Nutrition), provide in-service on nutrition / health related topic to staff, review the history of WIC, review WIC program administration / management with WIC director, review WIC program supervision / management with WIC site supervisors, meet with breastfeeding coordinator for BF program management and BF information, and meet with WIC vendor manager to discuss WIC vendor management activities.
● Who: Health professionals, Nurses, Physicians, Dietitians, Nutritionists,
Lactation consultants, Health educators, Preschool and daycare providers, Early childhood educators, Social services and community health agencies serving women and children
●
Days/Times:
Monday – Friday
depending on WIC clinic
● Hours/day: Min – 4 hours Max – 10 hours
● People: Min – 1 Max – 1-2
per site
● Notification: 3 weeks
● Materials: WIC program procedural manual
WIC income eligibility guidelines
WIC outreach packet
Nutrition assessment forms
“How WIC Works” pamphlet
Nutrition and breastfeeding education pamphlets
Para-professional nutrition education modules
OCHD dress code policy
● Attire: OCHD dress code policy
●
Meet:
● Contact: Debbie Amoedo, Nutrition Program Director