The Bureau of Epidemiology is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for consultation at our main number (SunCom 205-4401 or 850/245-4401) PLEASE NOTE: Consultation after 5 p.m. & on weekends is intended for emergencies.

As of May 25, 2001 our new address and phone numbers are

Fax: (813) 974-5776

Please contact Dr. Lillian Stark (813/974-5990) or Dr. Deno Kazanis (813/974-8072) if there are any questions.

On Friday, May 4, Roberta M. Hammond, Ph.D., accepted the FDA Commissioner’s Special Citation team award from FDA on behalf of the Outbreak Coordination Workgroup. The award was presented by Bernard A. Schwetz, D.V.M., Ph.D., Acting Principal Deputy Commissioner and Dennis E. Baker, Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs in Rockville, MD. RADM Kenneth P. Moritsugu, Deputy Surgeon General, was also present. The Outbreak Coordination Workgroup is one of six workgroups that began a little over two years ago as part of the FDA-sponsored National Food Safety System (NFSS) effort to build local-state-federal partnerships in food safety. The award states: "For exceptional performance in enhancing food safety through a local-state-federal workgroup to improve coordination, cooperation and communication regarding multi-state foodborne outbreak investigations."

Outbreak Coordination Workgroup Team members include:

This is a statewide Florida ARNP Specialist career service position providing STD primary care at a county public health department clinic (20% of time) and planning, coordinating, and implementing STD program policy and protocols and performing technical assistance and quality improvement activities 80% of the time. The position is located in scenic Tallahassee, Florida, in the Bureau of STD.

Provides consultation and technical assistance in evaluating the appropriateness of client care as it relates to STD services.

Serves as a resource person for technical knowledge in the field of STD services.

Provides leadership in the development and design of STD health educational materials and training of personnel.

Assists in the development of STD policies, guidelines and protocols related to the management of STD nursing care problems and the delivery of client care by nurses and clinicians.

Assesses the overall delivery of care in the STD setting and designs, implements and monitors corrective action plans.

Acts as STD clinical liaison between state and local health agencies, interpreting state policies, advising as to program changes, and clarifying clinical needs on the local level to program directors and administrators on the state level.

Participates in the development of research in the field of STD.

Monitors the delivery of STD health services by physicians, nurse practitioners, and nurses, and evaluates professional methods and techniques.

Performs complete physical appraisal of clients appropriate to background, training, and client need.

Compiles and evaluates medical histories and physical findings.

Initiates diagnostic laboratory tests and interprets and evaluates laboratory results.

Monitors medication and initiates appropriate therapies for certain conditions and alters medications according to variations in a client's response within established protocols.

Instructs advanced registered nurse practitioners in skills and abilities needed to upgrade their competencies.

Performs related work as required.

Knowledge of nursing principles, practices and techniques.

Knowledge of human anatomy and physiology.

Knowledge of STD services helpful.

Ability to plan, organize and coordinate work assignments.

Ability to apply the consultative process in problem-solving activities.

Ability to collect, interpret and analyze statistical, demographic and service data.

Ability to formulate and monitor nursing standards and operating policies and procedures.

Ability to develop and implement various program monitoring methodologies and techniques.

Ability to communicate effectively.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.

Ability to perform compete physical appraisals of clients.

Ability to manage the care of clients.

Ability to initiate diagnostic laboratory tests and evaluate the results.

Ability to administer prescribed medications.

Ability to compile and evaluate medical histories and other clinical and laboratory data.

Certification as an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) in accordance with Florida Statute 464, a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in nursing and four years of professional nursing experience, two years of which must have been in a ARNP capacity.

A master's degree from an accredited college or university in nursing can substitute for two years of the required general professional nursing experience.

Preference will be given to applicants with experience working in STD clinics.

A State of Florida job application will need to be completed and mailed or FAXED.

http://www.myflorida.com/dms/hrm/jobsdirect/app.pdf is the state of FL job application form.

Contact:

"Surveillance for West Nile (WN) Virus"

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM EST

Dial-in by 11:10 AM at (850) 487-8587 or SunCom 277-8587

Florida is conducting WN virus surveillance in addition to St. Louis encephalitis and eastern equine encephalitis monitoring activities. During its brief history, WN has manifested itself in the United States with bird die-offs, especially American crows. Thus, tracking bird mortality in Florida is considered a useful tool for WNV detection and surveillance. WN has also caused morbidity and mortality among people and other animals, and has been identified in a number of vector species. No human or animal cases have been reported in Florida. The state's interagency effort includes looking for evidence of WN virus in wild birds, sentinel chickens, horses and people and a protocol for mosquito surveillance when WN virus is detected in Florida.

Further details regarding the audio-conference call and PowerPoint files will be posted on the Bureau of Epidemiology Intranet web site. Be sure and register online for nursing CEU's and contact hours for environmental health professionals. We will also be providing CEU's for Veterinary Medicine. Information about up-coming topics and presenters will also be posted in the Epi Update. If either of these access points is unavailable to you, please e-mail Melanie Black [Melanie_Black@doh.state.fl] or telephone (850) 245-4444 ext. 2448 (SunCom 205-4444 ext. 2448) to request presentation materials.

While we realize you might not always be able to call in at 11:00 AM, it can be distracting to the speaker and others in the audience when participants dial-in throughout the hour. Please try to call in on time and remember to put your phones on mute so as not to disturb others. Thank you for your cooperation.