County welcomes new public health nurse

Kjirsten Mercer is the new Sanders County Health Department Nurse/Director, but she's not new to the county. She has grown up in Libby, Plains, and Noxon. "I graduated from Montana Tech in Butte with my nursing degree," Mercer said. She searched for the best options for nursing programs in Montana. "Tech is renowned for its National Council Licensure Examination, NCLEX, for registered nurses, and I had family members who were attending Tech as well," Mercer explained.

Mercer graduated high school from Noxon as salutatorian, with scholarships for college. Mercer said she started out her nursing career at Clark Fork Valley Hospital. "I went to work at a clinic in Sandpoint, Idaho and gradually made my way back, moving closer and closer to home," she said. She worked at a boarding school in Heron, the Bull River Clinic near Noxon, then in Noxon as the school nurse for 3.5 years prior to taking the county position.

Mercer said she is excited to learn more about the county from end to end. "I want to find out what resources are needed for the county, and address and fulfill those needs." The challenges she feels she will be facing as she learns her new job are the county's widespread rural diverse populations. "So to meet the needs of everybody the best I can will be challenging," she said.

"My responsibilities are learning what they are. I am just getting my feet wet. I have a multitude of grants that I am the lead director of that I oversee, which are offered through the state. I have to review them and make sure that we are spending the appropriate amount of money while meeting the guidelines of the grants. Her first few weeks will be spent collaborating with other community health entities such as CFVH to form stronger relationships, more education and public health awareness. "I am here to work for the people and improve public health. That is my main goal," she said.

Mercer explained her plans regarding vaccines. "Regarding COVID, if it is approved or recommended thru the CDC, I will do my best to deliver the vaccines if available and monetarily practical for the county budget. I will leave my personal opinion out of the equation." Mercer said she plans to travel with the mobile flu shot clinic in the fall across the county, including the schools. She will be going with the WIC mobile clinic to Hot Springs and Plains in the next few weeks.