Corrections Health Nurse (Additional 12% Corrections Nurse Premium)
Multnomah County
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
Multnomah County Corrections Health is seeking a Community Health Nurse to provide professional healthcare to detained individuals from intake through custody and release. You’ll work with a medical team partnered with sheriff deputies to prioritize safety while delivering standard community care.
The role covers three facilities: Detention Center, Inverness Jail, and Juvenile Detention Center. The position supports triage, care planning, and per-shift nursing duties within a corrections setting.
Qualifications
- Possession of an RN license issued by the Oregon State Board of Nursing.
- An Associate's degree in nursing from an accredited program.
- BLS/CPR certification required.
Responsibilities
- Respond to acute medical and mental health events.
- Evaluate, monitor, and treat drug and alcohol withdrawal.
- Provide wound care.
- Delegate Certified Medication Aides.
- Deliver health education.
- Facilitate transition planning for release to the community.
Skills
Education
Job description
$50.41 - $64.80 Hourly
Health Department
Regular Represented
United States of America (Non-Exempt)
November 05, 2026
Discover a Career in Correctional Nursing
Watch a video on Careers in Correctional Nursing Highlighting Benefits of Working in Our Field
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 visit Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
- 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 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).
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.
- The Multnomah County Detention Center (downtown)
- Inverness Jail (near PDX airport)
- The Juvenile Detention Center (NE Portland)
- 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
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 of the selection process page.
- 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 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.
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
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.
You must submit all requested items below. Failure to do so will be deemed as an incomplete application.
- Attach a Resume demonstrating you meeting minimum qualifications; AND
- Attach a Cover 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?
For details about how we typically screen applications, review our overview of the selection process page. 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
Application information may be used throughout the entire selection process. This process is subject to change without notice.
“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.
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.
Under Oregon Law, qualifying veterans may apply for veterans’ preference. Review our veterans’ preference page for details about eligibility and how to apply.
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.
6315 - Community Health Nurse
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