Public Health Nursing Consultant

The Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) Surveillance and Birth Defects Surveillance Programs within the Family Health and Wellness Division at the Tennessee Department of Health are seeking a Public Health Nurse Consultant 1. This is a full‑time hybrid position that includes remote work and required in‑office days (1–2 times per month) at the Central Office in Nashville, TN. Typical working hours Monday – Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM CST, 37.5 hours per week. Travel to central office in Nashville, TN is not reimbursable.

The Public Health Nursing Consultant 1 will serve as a subject‑matter expert for both teams – Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome and Birth Defects – and will focus mainly on reviewing and abstracting medical records.

Job Duties

• Maintain status of all infant medical record requests in REDCap
• Review assigned medical records (digital, electronic, and hard copies) and extract relevant information and required data variables
• Review and abstract assigned electronic medical records
• Cross‑reference information from multiple sources to ensure abstracted data is complete and accurate
• Perform data entry into database for abstracted medical records
• Review data entry by non‑clinical staff to ensure clinical accuracy
• Maintain HIPAA compliance at all times
• Submit service referrals to appropriate social services, when indicated
• Work closely with the NAS and Birth Defects Surveillance Teams to identify issues and ensure data processes are complete and accurate
• Maintain partnerships with medical records office staff and provide feedback as it relates to process improvements
• Work independently, responsibly, and efficiently; problem‑solving and communicating when needs are present
• Complete abstraction assignments on time with minimal supervision
• Attend weekly meetings with the NAS and TNBDSS teams
• Maintain ongoing education on developments in patient care, data management, birth defects, healthy pregnancy, and quality improvement
• Work closely with program epidemiologists to ensure accuracy of data collection
• Partner with other FHW programs within Children and Youth with Special Healthcare Needs (CYSHCN) on special projects and strategic planning

Qualifications / Requirements

• Education: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN); Master’s degree (MSN) preferred.
• Experience: Minimum 1 year in Health Information Management; Coding, and/or Medical Record abstraction experience.
• Clinical background in High‑Risk Obstetrics, Pediatrics, Labor/Delivery, Congenital Birth Defects, Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, and/or Maternal/Child Health required.

Additional Information

This position is supervised by the Public Health Nurse Consultant Manager.

This position provides the opportunity to work from home and requires a minimum in‑person commitment of at least two (2) days in the Nashville, TN Central Office location.

Applicants must be Tennessee residents.

Desired Characteristics

• Strong attention to detail
• Reliable and able to work independently
• Good time management and organization
• Clear communication skills
• Team‑player
• Comfortable using electronic medical records and data systems
• Maintains confidentiality and professionalism
• Critical thinker who follows guidelines accurately
• Adaptable and open to learning
• Collaborative and receptive to feedback
• Dependable with meeting deadlines and attending required meetings