Office of Nursing

Accomplishments and Challenges
2003-2008

Accomplishments: Personal/Preventive Health

  • Coordinated development, approval, publication and distribution of the Protocol Manual for Registered Professional Nurses in Public Health for 2008.
  • Developed and distributed Policy on Use of Standard Abbreviations, Acronyms, Symbols and Dose Designations and Statewide Standard List of Abbreviations, Acronyms and Symbols.
  • Coordinating revision of Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement for Public Health Nursing Practice manual (underway).
  • Coordinated revision and approval of new Records Retention Schedules (and affiliated Frequently Asked Questions). These have been approved by the Division of Public Health and the Department of Archives and distributed statewide for use by all Public Health Districts and County Boards of Health.
  • Created Policy on Payment of Tuition for Health Assessment Course for DPH approval.
  • Coordinating revision of PHN Policies and Practice Guidelines manual (underway).
  • Coordinating efforts to remove barriers that prevent implementation of prescriptive authority for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) in Public Health (underway).
  • Developed and conducted an orientation program for State Office Nurses on nurse protocol development and practice.
  • Based on needs assessment, designed and conducted Documentation Training for PHNs. Distributed DVDs of this training to PHNs and public health colleagues statewide.
  • Collaborated with Georgia Southern University in conducting a statewide online survey to assess pharmacology training needs for public health nurses.
  • Collaborated with Family Health Branch on development and implementation of Promoting Social and Emotional Development in Adolescence conference.
  • Collaborated with Family Health Branch on development of the Division’s Integrated Family Support initiative; enlisted PHN Council’s assistance in identification of competencies needed for nurse home visitors and supervisors.
  • Collaborated with Family Health Branch to plan symposium on improving birth outcomes.
  • Participated in Preconception Health workgroup to develop and promote preconceptional health efforts within public health.
  • Collaborating with public health, DHR and community partners to develop plans and training program for implementation of new child abuse reporting legislation (SB 442). This includes the development of guidelines for mandatory reporting of child abuse.
  • Collaborated with a school of nursing to offer advanced-level health assessment course to public health nurses in a 10-week format that incorporates portions of required Women’s Health, BCCP and STD training.
  • Participating in Grandparents Raising Grandchildren initiative.

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