Public health nursing is the practice of promoting and protecting the health of populations using knowledge from nursing, as well as social and public health sciences.

The PCPH Nursing Division provides a wide variety of public health services to the community including vaccination of children and adults against disease, surveillance of disease, helping families with Children who have special medical needs, educating teen and first-time moms through the safe sleep/cribs program, provide health education, and conduct lead surveillance.

The PCPH Nursing, Environmental Health and Epidemiology programs work together with medical providers, laboratories, the Ohio Department of Health, CDC, and other partners to prevent the emergence and spread of communicable diseases, including emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, vaccine-preventable agents, bacterial toxins, bioterrorism, and pandemics.

PCPH is the designated TB control agency for Preble County. The TB control program’s mission is to protect the residents of Preble County from tuberculosis. Public health functions include disease surveillance, case finding, epidemiologic analysis and contact tracing.

Vaccines are among the most successful and cost-effective public health tools available for preventing disease and death. They not only help protect vaccinated individuals, but also help protect entire communities by preventing and reducing the spread of infectious diseases.

Emergency Preparedness

Preble County Public Health maintains on-call personnel 24/7 to respond to public health emergency situations. So, what exactly is a public health emergency?

A public health emergency is any event or situation demanding immediate action on the part of the public health system to prevent disease and injury as well as maintain public health within the community of service. Emergencies can be natural or man-made, occurring with little to no warning.

Preble County Public Health works with representatives from local law enforcement, the Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Medical System, Fire Departments, Red Cross, county agencies, school districts, and elected officials to develop plans that minimize the effects of an adverse event,

You are encouraged to prepare a Disaster Supply Kit with emergency supplies that will last at least three days. The kit should be stored in a box or duffel bag in the room in which you can easily access in case of an emergency. The Kit should contain the following items:

• Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation

• Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food

• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both

• Flashlight and extra batteries

• First aid kit

• Whistle to signal for help

• Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place

• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation

• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities

• Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)

• Local maps

• Cell phone with chargers, inverter, or solar charger