Public Health Nurse Consultants
The public health nurse consultants (PHNCs) are a part of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Division of Public Health. We offer consultation and technical assistance for the purpose of promoting and maintaining a strong public health system. We work directly with local public health and Tribal nation health agencies.
Welcome to Wisconsin Public Health Nursing, P-03609 (PDF)
This document is a starting point to learn about public health nursing resources in Wisconsin.
Our partners
The primary partners of the PHNCs are staff who provide public health services for a city, county or Tribal government. This may include community health nurses, public health nurses, school nurses, jail nurses, staff from home visitation programs, Tribal community health nurses, nursing school faculty, and staff from other state agencies. In addition, PHNCs partner with other community partners who are dedicated to improving the health of communities through networking, collaborations, and coalitions.
Our activities
The PHNCs are responsible for assuring that the specialty of public health nursing is appropriately integrated into the Foundational Public Health Services (PDF) at the local, regional, and state level. This is accomplished through:
- Leadership to ensure that nursing and public health nursing programs are in compliance with nursing and public health statutes and rules.
- Board of Nursing – Wis. Stat. ch. 441 and Wis. Admin. Code ch. N6
- Public Health Nurses – Wis. Stat. § 250.06
- Public Health Nursing – Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 139.08
- Guidelines for Hiring Nurses at Health Departments, P-01748 (PDF)
- Provision of technical assistance and consultation to local health departments, Tribal entities, and other community partners to assure best practices of public health nursing.
- Promotion of high-quality Public Health Nursing Competencies (PDF) through education and training.
- Development of resources critical to public health nurses' capacity to carry out the Essential Public Health Services and as identified in Wis. Stat. § 250.03(1)(L).
Public health nurse consultant staff
For a medical emergency, dial 911 or contact your local emergency services.
For bat or animal bite exposures or communicable disease questions, contact your local public health department.
Charlotte Ahrens (Charlottea.Ahrens@dhs.wisconsin.gov), 715-365-2723
Deborah Heim (Deborah.Heim@dhs.wisconsin.gov), 414-227-4775
Kristen Kelm (Kristen.Kelm@dhs.wisconsin.gov), 608-264-7743
Tiffany Giesler (Tiffanye.Giesler@dhs.wisconsin.gov), 608-267-3565
The PHNC team has a shared email inbox (DHSPHNConsultant@dhs.wisconsin.gov) where local and Tribal health department staff can send general, non-emergent public health nursing questions. The inbox is monitored Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. excluding State of Wisconsin recognized holidays.