Possess an appropriate and valid license to practice as a Registered Nurse issued by the Oregon State Board of Nursing.
Have an associate's degree in nursing from an accredited nursing program.
Have BLS/CPR certification.
Pass a Multnomah County Sheriff's Office background check.
Be able to work independently.
Be able to work in an interdisciplinary setting that fosters a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment.
Have experience providing services to diverse and vulnerable communities.
Be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have an approved medical or religious exemption as a condition of employment.
Submit a resume demonstrating that minimum qualifications are met and a cover letter addressing experience with diverse or vulnerable populations, qualifications for the position, and interest in the position.
Responsibilities
Provide professional and compassionate healthcare services to detained individuals, beginning with intake triage and care planning and continuing through care management while in custody until release to the community or transfer to another facility.
Provide comprehensive assessments and treatment reflecting the standard of care in the community.
Partner with Multnomah County Sheriff Deputies to prioritize staff and detainee safety.
Respond to acute medical and mental health events.
Evaluate, monitor, and treat drug and alcohol withdrawal.
Provide wound care.
Delegate Certified Medication Aides.
Provide health education.
Facilitate transition planning for release to the community.
Serve in the county's correctional health facilities.
Desired Qualifications
Have experience working in a correctional facility.
Have demonstrated experience working with a diverse and underserved population.
Current employees: Please apply through the employee portal to be considered for this opportunity.
Pay Range:
$50.41 - $64.80 Hourly
Department:
Health Department
Job Type:
Regular Represented
Exemption Status:
United States of America (Non-Exempt)
Closing Date (Open Until Filled if No Date Specified):
October 05, 2026
The Opportunity:
Discover a Career in Correctional Nursing
Watch a video on Careers in Correctional Nursing Highlighting Benefits of Working in Our FieldWATCH HERE
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
An additional benefit to being a full time employee with the Multnomah County Health Department is that you will qualify for the Federal Student Aid U.S Department Of Education Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Essentially this is a program that allows those that work for a qualifying employer for a period of at least 10 years to have their student loans forgiven. To learn more about Public Service Loan Forgiveness please visitPublic Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
Overview:
Additional Compensation:
Premiums: Corrections Health Nurses receive an additional 12% hourly premium and hourly differentials for working swing ($3/hr), graveyard ($6/hr), weekends ($3.50/hr) shifts.
Mandatory Overtime*: The first 4 hours of the mandated shift will be paid at an overtime rate (1.5x), and the remaining hours of the mandated shift will be paid at a double-time rate (2.0x). In addition, if you are scheduled to work the following day after a mandated shift, then that schedule shift will be paid at an overtime rate (1.5x).
Benefits: Multnomah County offers generous vacation and sick leave, exceptional medical and dental plans, and pension. For more information about our benefit offerings, please visit: https://multco.us/benefits/new-employee-benefits
THIS WORK MATTERS!
This recruitment will be used to fill various types of positions as positions become available. Types of jobs may include regular full time or part time positions, on-call positions (up to 20 hours per week) or temporary positions (up to 40 hours a week for up to 6 months).
If you are interested in this opportunity, please apply immediately as we are scheduling interviews!
Our facilities collectively house almost 800 adults and nearly 30 juveniles. Over 36,000 adults and over 2,000 juveniles are cared for each year.
As a Community Health Nurse (CHN)you will provide professional and compassionate healthcare services to detained individuals starting at intake with triage, care planning and management of their care while in custody, until they are released to the community or transferred to another facility. Corrections Health personnel provide comprehensive assessments and treatment that reflects the standard of care in the community. Our medical team partners with the Multnomah County Sheriff Deputies to prioritize safety and care for our staff and detainees.
As a community health nurse in Corrections Health, you will help serve in our three Correctional Health facilities.
1. The Multnomah County Detention Center (downtown)
2. Inverness Jail (near PDX airport)
3. The Juvenile Detention Center (NE Portland)
Other duties include but are not limited to the following:
Respond to acute medical and mental health events
Evaluate, monitor, and treat drug and alcohol withdrawal
Wound care
Delegate Certified Medication Aides
Health education
Facilitate transition planning for release to the community
TO QUALIFY:
We will consider any combination of relevant work experience, volunteering, education, and transferable skills as qualifying unless an item or section is labeled required. Please be clear and specific about how your background is relevant. For details about how we typically screen applications, review our overview ofthe selection processpage.
Minimum Qualifications/Transferable Skills*:
Possession of an appropriate and valid license to practice as a Registered Nurse issued by the Oregon State Board of Nursing.
And the following:
A Associate's degree in nursing from an accredited nursing program
BLS/CPR certification required
Must be able to pass a Multnomah County Sheriff's Office Background Check
Ability to work independently
Ability to work in an interdisciplinary setting fostering a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment
Experience providing services to diverse and vulnerable communities
Multnomah County COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement:To protect the health of the community and employees, Multnomah County requires employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have an approved medical or religious exemption as a qualification of employment. The rule applies to all employees, as allowable by law. Candidates who receive an offer of County employment must provide proof of vaccination upon hire or submit an exception request prior to their start date.
Preferred Qualifications/ Transferable Skills*: You do not need to have the following preferred qualifications/ transferable skills to qualify. However, keep in mind we may consider some or all of the following when identifying the most qualified candidates. Please clearly explain on your application how you meet any of the following preferred qualifications/transferable skills.
Experience working in a correctional facility
Demonstrated experience working with a diverse and underserved population
Transferable skills:Your transferable skills are any skills you have gained through education, work experience (including the military), or life experience that are relevant for this position. Be sure to describe any transferable skills on your application and clearly explain how they apply to this position.
SCREENING & EVALUATION:
REQUIRED:
The Application Packet: You must submit all requested items below. Failure to do so will be deemed as an incomplete application.
1. Attach aResume demonstrating you meeting minimum qualifications; AND
2. Attach aCover Letter addressing the following:
Demonstrate your experience working with diverse/vulnerable populations; and
How you meet the qualifications for this position; and
Why are you interested in the position?
The Selection Process:For details about how we typically screen applications, review our overview ofthe selection processpage. We expect to evaluate candidates for this recruitment as follows:
Initial review of minimum qualifications
Resume and Cover Letter Review
Phone screen
Consideration of top candidates
Background and reference check
Note:Application information may be used throughout the entire selection process. This process is subject to change without notice.
Corrections Health Staff Testimonial:
“I have worked for Multnomah County Corrections for the past 8 years. I love it and don't want to be anywhere else. Though the hospital is more skills-heavy, I love the autonomy that working in Corrections gives me. I get to work with a great team who is always willing and able to offer support when I need it, and I love working with Multnomah County's most underserved and disadvantaged population. Multnomah County offers better benefits, and the stress and burnout from COVID has not hit us nearly as hard as the hospitals. We have had very little staff turnover in the past 2 years, and I don't see that changing any time soon.”
- A.W., RN Evening Shift Lead Nurse
“I have been an RN for nearly 7 years. In that time I have worked in both clinic and hospital settings. I’ve been with Multnomah County Correction Health for almost one year- and so far in my nursing career, this has been the job that I have enjoyed the most. It comes down to a good team that supports each other and works together. We have a good balance with the workflow—and we’re not constantly patient-facing, which for me means less burn out. It’s rarely, if ever, boring and we see a wide range of ailments so the opportunity to learn something new is almost constant. Asking for help is encouraged here and not only are the fellow nurses willing to help, but we work with great providers who give us excellent education. It’s important for people to receive good healthcare, especially when, for a lot of our patients here, they are at rock bottom. And we get to provide that. It’s pretty cool. This seems like a good place to add that we work with a good team of deputies who put our safety first. And last but not least, compensation is satisfactory with overtime opportunities as well!”
- K.U., RN, Swing Shift RN
In accordance with Oregon Law, Multnomah County is not collecting school attendance dates in the initial application process; please do not include these dates in your resume, cover letter and other application materials.
Diversity and Inclusion: At Multnomah County, we don't just accept difference; we value it and support it to create a culture of dignity and respect for our employees.
We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran or protected veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected characteristics. The EEO Know Your Rights poster is available for your reference. Multnomah County is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor. We request priority protected veteran referrals.
Veterans’ Preference: Under Oregon Law, qualifying veterans may apply for veterans’ preference. Review our veterans’ preference page for details about eligibility and how to apply.
Accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act: We gladly provide reasonable accommodation to anyone whose specific disability prevents them from completing an application or participating in this recruitment process. Please contact the recruiter below in advance to request assistance. Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may contact the recruiter through the Telecommunications Relay Service by dialing 711.
Application information may be used throughout the entire selection process. This process is subject to change without notice.
Disclaimer: This announcement is intended as a general descriptive recruitment guide and is subject to change. It does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.