Exam Bulletin

Department of State Hospitals

Exam Code: EX-2569

Examination Plans Included:

  • PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE I, DEPARTMENTS OF MENTAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES - Open

Final Filing Date: Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Classification Details

PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE I, DEPARTMENTS OF MENTAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES: $5,345.00 - $11,827.00 per Month

View the PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE I, DEPARTMENTS OF MENTAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES classification specification.

Application Instructions

Upcoming Filing Cutoff Dates:

  • 8/16/2024
  • 9/6/2024
  • 9/20/2024
  • 10/4/2024
  • 10/18/2024
  • 11/1/2024
  • 11/15/2024
  • 12/6/2024
  • 12/20/2024

Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) must be received or postmarked by the filing date indicated above. Applications postmarked, personally delivered or received via interoffice mail after the filing date will be processed in the next group.

Who Should Apply:

The information below will help you determine which classification(s) is(are) appropriate for you. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as stated on this bulletin to compete in this examination.

Open and Open, Non-Promotional Examination(s):

  • PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE I, DEPARTMENTS OF MENTAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES - Open

For all Classifications, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 6 months:

Exam Code(s):

    2569

For PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE I, DEPARTMENTS OF MENTAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 6 months:

Exam Code(s):

  • EX-02569

How To Apply:

Submit an Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) to apply for this examination.

Electronic applications can be submitted through your account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov.

You may apply by mail to:

  • Department of State Hospitals
    Department of State Hospitals - Sacramento
    Human Resources Office
    1215 O Street, MS 17
    Sacramento, CA 95814

Indicate the Examination Code and Classification(s) on your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678).

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

  • Department of State Hospitals
    Department of State Hospitals - Sacramento
    Human Resources Office
    1215 O Street, MS 17
    Sacramento, CA 95814
    8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Indicate the Examination Code and Classification(s) on your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678). All applicants must provide proof of identification. Accepted forms of identification are: 1) a photo identification card or 2) two forms of signed identification.

Special Testing Arrangements:

If you require assistance or alternative testing arrangements due to a disability, indicate on your application that you need reasonable accommodation. You will be contacted by a representative of the testing department to make the necessary arrangements. If you have not been contacted by the time you receive notification of testing, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

If you are unable to submit your application or complete the test due to a disability, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

Minimum Qualifications

All applicants must meet the education and/or experience requirements as stated on this exam bulletin to be accepted to the examination.

Unless otherwise stated in the Minimum Qualifications, qualifying experience may be combined on a proportionate basis if the requirements stated below include more than one pattern and are distinguished as "Either" 1, "or" 2, "or" 3, etc. For example, applicants possessing qualifying experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 1 and additional experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 2 may be accepted to an examination as meeting 100% of the overall experience requirement.

00108297 - PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE I, DEPARTMENTS OF MENTAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES

Minimum Qualifications

Possession of a valid license as a registered nurse and a certificate as a public health nurse in the State of California. (Applicants who do not meet these requirements will be admitted to the examination, but they must secure the required license and certificate before they will be considered eligible for appointment.) and Education: Completion of a university or collegiate program of study approved for public health nursing. (Applicants who have not completed the required program of study will be admitted to the examination, but they must have completed this requirement before they will be considered eligible for appointment.)

Drug Testing Requirement

Applicants for positions in this class are required to pass a drug screening test. Testing of current employees who are applicants in an examination or who are transferring is permitted only if the person does not have a current appointment to a class for which drug testing is a requirement.

Position Description

00108297 - PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE I, DEPARTMENTS OF MENTAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES

Typical Tasks

Performs public health nursing services, including promotion of maternal and child health, the rehabilitation of crippled or handicapped children, safeguarding the health of school children, and assisting with the work in local prenatal clinics and child health conferences; assists with the prevention and control of communicable diseases including tuberculosis, venereal disease, and acute communicable diseases; assists with epidemiological investigations and in teaching patient or family members safe care of infected individuals and prevention of spread of infection; performs public health nursing services in occupational health and chronic disease programs; participates in conferences and institutes on community public health problems; correlates the community public health nursing work with the work of other social and health agencies; addresses interested groups on public health subjects; keeps records and prepares reports.

Special Personal Characteristics

Tact, pleasing personality and appearance, discretion, willingness to live and work in a rural area or in an institutional setting, willingness to travel.

For information regarding position location(s), please refer to the Eligible List Information section.

Examination Information

Applicants must submit their exam application AND complete the exam during the same cut-off period. For example, if you submit your exam application on July 8, 2024 (which is after the July 5, 2024 cut-off) you must complete the exam by July 19, 2024.

 

Filing cut-off dates are listed at the beginning of the exam bulletin.

This examination consists of the following component(s):

Component OrderComponent TypeComponent DuePercentage of Final Score
1Supplemental ReportWith Application100%

Components that are due with your application will be scored and will count toward your final examination result. Failure to submit these items may result in disqualification or elimination from the examination.

A final score of 70% must be attained to be placed on the eligible list.

Complete and submit the following items with your application. These will be scored and count toward your final examination result. Failure to submit these items will result in disqualification from the examination.

Click the above link to take the exam after you have submitted your application. Exam responses must be received by the corresponding cut-off date of your application.

In addition to evaluating the applicant's relative knowledge, skill and ability as demonstrated by quality and breadth of education/experience, emphasis in each test component will be on measuring competitively, relative to job demands, each applicant's:

Knowledge of: Principles, methods, and procedures of nursing as applied in public health practice, and of preventive medicine; causes and means of transmission and the methods of control of communicable diseases, including tuberculosis and venereal disease; procedures involved in promoting maternal and child health and in decreasing infant, child,and maternal mortality; essential diagnostic and therapeutic problems involved in the control of communicable diseases, including tuberculosis and venereal disease; principles and purposes of public health programs, sociological problems of disabled and crippled children and other afflicted persons and of those accompanying the occurrence of tuberculosis, venereal disease, and chronic diseases; principles of mental health.

 

Ability to: Work effectively with individuals and families and assist them in satisfactory solution of health problems; establish and maintain cooperative relations with public and private social and health agencies; analyze situations accurately and take effective action; speak and write effectively.

Eligible List Information

A Departmental Open eligible list for the PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE I, DEPARTMENTS OF MENTAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES Classification will be established for:

  • Department of State Hospitals

The names of successful competitors will be merged onto the eligible list(s) in order of final score regardless of test date. Eligibility expires 12 months after it is established. Applicants must then retake the examination to reestablish eligibility.

Resulting Eligibility List(s) will be used to fill vacancies in

    Veterans' Preference will be granted for this examination. Veterans' Preference is an assistance program for veterans, veteran widows and widowers, and spouses of 100% disabled veterans who seek employment with the state. Veterans' Preference is also extended to currently serving military members nearing their retirement or separation date.

    You are not eligible for Veteran's Preference if you are:

    • A veteran who has been dishonorably discharged or released.
    • A veteran, widow or widower of a veteran, or spouse of a 100 percent disabled veteran who currently has permanent civil service status. (Permanent civil service status is the status of an employee who is lawfully retained in his/her position after completion of the applicable probationary period. This does not include limited term).

    Veterans' Preference is codified in Government Code Sections 18973 – 18979.

    Veteran status is verified by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR). Directions to apply for Veterans' Preference are on the Veterans' Preference Application (Std. Form 1093), which is available at www.CalCareers.ca.gov, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

    Career Credits are not granted for examination(s) administered on an Open basis or a Promotional basis.

    Training & Experience Examination Preview

    Instructions:
    Rate your knowledge performing specific job-related tasks, knowledge skill or ability.

    Tasks:
    1. Review laboratory reports to ensure it meets the policies and procedures and licensing requirements.
    2. Maintain necessary patient records for immunizations, infections, etc. in order to track on a continuous basis.
    3. Coordinate appropriate intervention measures to identify or resolve public health issues.
    4. Report notifiable diseases and outbreaks in a timely basis.
    5. Prepare infection control reports using data collected during facility inspections and patient examinations.
    6. Assist with the epidemiologic investigation of flu, norovirus, scabies, and other outbreaks.
    7. Recommend infection control-related products and personal protective equipment purchasing.
    8. Review the needs for immunizations for prevention of vaccine preventable diseases as ordered by a physician.
    KSAPCs:
    1. Knowledge of the principles, methods, and procedures of nursing as applied to public health practice for infection control.
    2. Knowledge of transmission and control of common communicable diseases for reducing transmission of infections.
    3. Knowledge of identifying and monitoring health care associated infections for reducing patient infections.
    4. Knowledge of public health policies and procedures for enhancing patient health and meeting operational needs.
    5. Ability to speak and write effectively to provide health education and proper communication with staff.
    6. Ability to analyze situations and act appropriately to take prompt and proper action.
    7. Ability to exercise independent judgment to take necessary action when needed in the absence of the supervisor.
    8. Ability to work effectively with patients and staff and be inter-dependent on each other.
    9. Ability to retrieve information from health department websites about infections relevant to patients.
    10. Ability to assist with planning and organizing vaccination programs to prevent vaccine preventable diseases.
    11. Ability to accurately complete forms for reporting notifiable diseases.
    12. Ability to monitor and reconcile inventories of vaccines and record refrigerator temperatures on a log.

    Testing Departments

    • Department of State Hospitals

    Contact Information

    Questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

    Department of State Hospitals
    Department of State Hospitals - Sacramento
    Human Resources Office
    1215 O Street, MS 17
    Sacramento, CA 95814
    Phone: (916) 654-2351

    California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice). TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

    Equal Opportunity Employer

    The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

    Drug Free Statement

    It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free State work place. Any applicant for State employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective, because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing civil service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

    General Information

    Examination and/or Employment Application (STD 678) forms are available at the California Department of Human Resources, local offices of the Employment Development Department, and through your CalCareer Account (www.CalCareers.ca.gov).

    If you meet the requirements stated on this examination bulletin, you may take this examination, which is competitive. Possession of the entrance requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination described in this bulletin will be rated against a predetermined job-related rating, and all applicants who pass will be ranked according to their scores.

    Department of State Hospitals reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service, if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all applicants will be notified.

    General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. In open examinations, investigation may be made of employment records and personal history and fingerprinting may be required.

    Eligible Lists: Eligible lists established by competitive examination, regardless of date, must be used in the following order: 1) sub-divisional promotional, 2) departmental promotional, 3) multi-departmental promotional, 4) service-wide promotional, 5) departmental open, 6) open. When there are two lists of the same kind, the older must be used first. Eligible lists will expire in one to four years unless otherwise stated on the bulletin.

    High School Equivalence: Equivalence to completion of the 12th grade may be demonstrated in any one of the following ways: 1) passing the General Education Development (GED) Test; 2) completion of 12 semester units of college-level work; 3) certification from the State Department of Education, a local school board, or high school authorities that the competitor is considered to have education equivalent to graduation from high school; or 4) for clerical and accounting classes, substitution of business college work in place of high school on a year-for-year basis.

    Accepted applicants must provide proof of identification at each in-person test session. Acceptable identification consists of a photo identification card or two forms of signed identification.
    Application Methods:
    Electronic (Your CalCareer Account)
    By Mail
    In Person (see bulletin for details)
    Alternate Application Process

    While we recommend that you utilize your CalCareer Account to take advantage of all the tools available, you may choose to apply for this examination without using your account. In this case, print and complete the Exam Application Package Checklist and include it if you submit a hard copy application.

    Exam Application Package Checklist

    Blank Application Form (STD678)

    Accommodation Request (STD679)