N.J. Admin. Code § 8:52-4.2

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 9, May 6, 2024

Section 8:52-4.2 - Public health staffing qualifications

(a) Each health officer shall be licensed by the Department pursuant to the provisions of Licensure of Persons for Public Health Positions, N.J.A.C. 8:7.

(b) Each public health nurse shall have the following qualifications:

1. Hold a baccalaureate degree in nursing from an accredited college or university;

2. Hold a current license to practice as a registered professional nurse by the New Jersey State Board of Nursing;

3. Have a minimum of one year experience in public health or working with a preceptor or local resource person; and

4. Complete a course in population-based public health nursing within one year of employment.

(c) Each registered environmental health specialist shall be licensed by the Department in accordance with the provisions of N.J.A.C. 8:7.

(d) Each health educator shall have the following qualifications:

1. Hold a baccalaureate degree in a related field, including, but not limited to, health education, community health, nursing and/or public health from an accredited college or university;

2. Meet national credentialing standards of the profession as a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), or if a baccalaureate degree registered nurse, meet national credentialing standards of the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) as a Community Health Nurse. Specifically exempted from this requirement is any individual who holds this position prior to February 18, 2003; and

3. Have a minimum of two years of relevant experience in health education.

(e) Each epidemiologist shall have the following qualifications:

1. Hold either a Master of Science degree from an accredited college or university or a Master of Public Health from an accredited college or university in epidemiology or biostatistics; and

2. Have a minimum of two years experience working as an epidemiologist in a health-related field.

(f) Each information technologist/computer specialist shall have the following qualifications:

1. Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum of 18 semester hour credits in mathematics and/or computer science; and have a minimum of three years experience in computer programming, information system design, and systems analysis. The experience shall have included responsibility for the development, maintenance and implementation of a moderate-sized server-based multi-network, multi-user Local Area Network (LAN), Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) and/or Wide Area Network (WAN) of about 20 end users; or

2. Possess 18 semester hour credits in mathematics and/or computer science; and

i. Have college credits equivalent to a baccalaureate degree or experience on a year-for-year basis where one year of appropriate experience may be substituted for 30 semester hour credits. The experience shall be related to the development, implementation and maintenance of a multi-network, multi-user Local Area Network (LAN), Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) and/or Wide Area Network (WAN) environments.

(1) Evidence of formal training in computer science/information technology received at an accredited institution for equivalency to college courses may be submitted for evaluation for possible credit on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with New Jersey Department of Personnel criteria; and

ii. Have an additional three years experience in computer programming, information system design, and systems analysis. The experience shall include responsibility for the development, implementation and maintenance of a moderate-sized server-based multi-network, multi-user Local Area Network (LAN), Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) and/or Wide Area Network (WAN) environments of about 20 end users.

(g) Each public health planner shall have the following qualifications:

1. Hold a masters degree from an accredited college or university in public health, business administration, or public administration; and

2. Have a minimum of two years of professional experience in health planning.

(h) Each public health nursing director shall have the following qualifications:

1. Hold a masters degree from an accredited college or university in public health, or a masters degree in nursing from an accredited school of nursing;

2. Hold a current license to practice as a registered professional nurse and who is certified by the New Jersey State Board of Nursing; and

3. Have a minimum of five years of supervisory experience in public health.

(i) Each director of health education shall have the following qualifications:

1. Hold a master or baccalaureate degree in a related field, including, but not limited to, health education, community health, nursing and/or public health from an accredited college or university;

2. Meet national credentialing standards as a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), or if a baccalaureate degree registered nurse, meet national credentialing standards of the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) as a Community Health Nurse. Specifically exempted from the requirement is any individual who holds this position prior to February 18, 2003; and

3. Have a minimum of two years of relevant experience if master degree trained or five years of relevant experience if baccalaureate degree trained.

(j) Each public health medical director shall have the following qualifications:

1. Hold a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathy from an accredited medical school or school of osteopathy supplemented by at least the first year of post-graduate training (PGY-1);

2. Have a minimum of two years of comprehensive medical experience in private or public health practice or be Board-eligible for one of the certifying boards approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties or one of the certifying boards of the American Osteopathic Association. A Master of Public Health from an accredited school or program in public health may be substituted for one year of experience; and

3. Be licensed by the New Jersey Board of Medical Examiners.

(k) Each field representative health education shall hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university in health education, community health, or a related field.

(l) Each graduate nurse, public health shall have the following qualifications:

1. Hold an associate degree in nursing from an accredited college or hold a diploma in nursing;

2. Hold a current license to practice as a registered professional nurse by the New Jersey State Board of Nursing;

3. Have a minimum of one year experience in public health or working with a preceptor or local resource person; and

4. Have successfully completed a course in population-based public health nursing within one year of employment.

(m) Each public health nursing supervisor shall have the following qualifications:

1. Hold a baccalaureate degree in nursing from an accredited college or university;

2. Hold a current license to practice as a registered professional nurse by the New Jersey State Board of Nursing; and

3. Have a minimum of four years of experience as a public health nurse.

N.J. Admin. Code § 8:52-4.2

Amended by R.2004 d.434, effective 12/6/2004.
See: 35 New Jersey Register 4972(a), 36 New Jersey Register 5347(a).
In (d), rewrote 2; rewrote (f); in (i), rewrote 2; in (m), substituted "four years" for "three years" in 3.