Licensed Practical Nurse - Nursing Home jobs in Altoona, PA

Description

PURPOSE OF POSITION

The primary purpose of your job position is to provide direct nursing care to residents and to supervisor the day-to-day nursing activities performed by nurse aides and care helpers in accordance with current applicable federal, state, and local standards, guidelines and regulations, and as may be directed by the Director of Nursing or the RN Supervisor to ensure that the highest degree of care and/or services can be maintained at all times.

DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY

As Team Leader, you are delegated the administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability necessary for carrying out your assigned duties.

JOB FUNCTIONS

The Facility has reviewed this job description to ensure that the essential functions and basic duties have been included. It is intended to provide guidelines for job expectations and the employees ability to perform the position described. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all functions, responsibilities, skills, and abilities. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or is an essential function of the position. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate. This document does not represent a contract of employment, and the Facility reserves the right to change this job description and/or assign tasks for the employee to perform, as the Facility may deem appropriate.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Direct Care

• Prepare and administer medications as ordered by the physician, verifying the identity of the resident before administering the medication/treatment.
• Communicate effectively and use appropriate interventions when providing care for residents with behavioral health issues, including dementia.
• Ensure that adequate supply of floor stock medications, supplies, and equipment is on hand to meet the nursing needs of the residents.
• Order prescribed medications, supplies, and equipment as necessary and in accordance with established procedures.
• Ensure that narcotic records are accurate by conducting a narcotic count with the shifts Team Leader at the beginning and end of your shift according to facility policy.
• Perform visualization and initialing of Fentanyl patches with Team Leader at the beginning and end of your shift.
• Dispose of drugs and narcotics as required and in accordance with established procedures and law.
• Provide leadership to nursing personnel assigned to your shift. Follow all facility policies and procedures as well as applicable laws and regulations and ensure that staff reporting to you performs their functions in accordance to such policies, regulations and laws.
• Make daily rounds of your unit/shift to ensure that nursing service personnel are performing their work assignments in accordance with acceptable nursing standards.
• Monitor nurse aides, care helpers, residents and visitors to ensure compliance with the departments established policies and procedures.
• Participate in nurse aide and care helper performance evaluations.
• Develop work assignments and/or assist in completing and performing such assignments.
• Ensure that disciplinary action is administered fairly and consistently and without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, age, gender, religion, disability, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
• Participate in the orientation of new residents/families to the facility.
• Monitor direct nursing care provided by the nurse aides and/or trainees to ensure that each residents plan of care is being followed.
• Develop and maintain a good working rapport with inter-departmental personnel, as well as other departments within the facility to ensure that nursing services and activities can be adequately maintained to meet the needs of the residents.
• Ensure that foods brought into the facility by families/visitors are within the residents dietary allowances and are in marked, dated containers.
• Assist in carrying out restorative and rehabilitative programs as necessary.
• Ensure that the nursing units are maintained in a clean and safe manner (care bases, med rooms, treatment areas, resident rooms).
• Meet with resident and/or family as necessary.
• Assist in orienting new employees to the facility policies and procedures, and to his/her job position and duties.
• Attend and participate in competency, continuing education programs, and other inservices as required.
• Follow facility policies and procedures regarding Antibiotic Stewardship.
• Ensure that assigned personnel are following established infection control techniques, especially hand hygiene, when performing resident care.
• Ensure that assigned personnel are following established universal and transmission-based precautions as indicated.
• Ensure that assigned personnel use safety equipment, supplies, mechanical lifts, gait belts, as indicated when providing resident care.
• Ensure that nursing supplies are used in an efficient manner to avoid waste.
• Review immediate needs care plans daily to ensure that appropriate care is being given, revising goals, problems, and approaches as necessary.
• Ensure that the progess notes reflect that the care plan is being followed when administering care or treatment.
• Provide a safe, secure and home-like environment. Exercise care and concern for the property of the facility and of the resident.
• Ensure that nursing care is provided in privacy and that personnel knock before entering resident rooms.
• Administer professional services including, but not limited to:
  • Male/female catheterization: straight and indwelling (insertion/care of)
  • Enteral nutrition/Peg/J tube care and feeding
  • Suctioning oral/nasal
  • Colostomy/ileostomy care
  • Glucometers use/cleaning/maintenance
  • Injections (IM/SQ)
  • Wound management
  • Clean/sterile treatments
  • Vital signs
  • Obtaining specimens (sputum/urine/stool)
  • O2 therapy/Bipap use
• Treat all residents fairly and with kindness. Provide care and services in a manner which is respectful of residents rights and dignity and which allows residents the right to choose, including the right to refuse care/treatment.
• Maintain the confidentiality of all resident, family, and facility information and comply with applicable laws related to confidentiality (HIPAA).
• Provide a safe, secure, and home-like environment. Exercise care and concern for the property of the facility and residents belongings.

Communication

• Participate in and receive nursing report at the start and end of your shift.
• Report to the RN Supervisor any discrepancies noted concerning physician orders, diet changes, medication counts, charting errors, etc.
• Report to the RN Supervisor staffing needs when assigned personnel fail to report to work or have a need to leave early.
• Report to the RN Supervisor all accidents, incidents, changes in condition, complaints/concerns and grievances made by the residents/families.
• Report to RN Supervisor all allegations of resident abuse, neglect and/or misappropriation of property.
• Immediately notify the RN Supervisor of any resident leaving or missing from the facility.
• Attend all staff meetings and/or read minutes from staff meetings.

Documentation

• Record all documentation timely and accurately as assigned, legibly and accurately.
• Complete required documentation including, but not limited to:
  • Vitals/Intake
  • Daily charting in progress notes
  • Care plans (implementing/revising/resolving)
  • EMAR/ETAR/narcotic records/E box
  • Skin observation tool
  • Alarms/hearing aid use
• Review physician orders and ensure proper follow through is completed.
• Complete accident/incident reports and witness statements as necessary for resident/staff incidents.
• Sign all entries in the medical record; sign and date all entries that remain on paper.

Safety/Procedures

• Keep med cart locked at all times when unattended.
• Follow established policies concerning exposure to blood/body fluids.
• Check rooms for food articles (i.e., food in proper container and properly marked/dated, unauthorized food items, etc.). Report if food not in containers and properly marked/dated.
• Follow established infection control measures in the performance of duties, including, but not limited to, hand hygiene, exposure to blood and body fluids, and standard precautions.
• Follow transmission based precautions as instructed and required.
• Follow established procedures in the use and disposal of personal protective equipment.
• Keep floors dry. Report spills immediately.
• Complete all Relias education within the allotted time frames.
• Keep excess supplies and equipment off the floor. Store in designated areas.
• Clean, disinfect and return all resident equipment to its designated storage area after each use.
• Follow established smoking regulations. Report all violations.
• Maintain compliance with facility policies and procedures and applicable regulations.
• Maintain a professional demeanor and appearance by consistently complying with the facilitys code of conduct and appearance and hygiene policy.
• Cultivate an atmosphere of mutual trust, respect, kindness and consideration. Promote collaborative relationships and teamwork, committed to the Carmelite Sisters and the facilitys Mission. Show respect and consideration toward each other, regardless of position.
• Train or direct other employees and volunteers as requested.
• Attend and participate in in-service education and on-the-job training as directed, especially mandatory in-services and department meetings. Be responsible to attain training hours required for position/discipline, especially required inservice training re: resident rights/abuse.
• Respond to fire alarms as required (refer to Fire Safety Manual for employees responsibilities and those that are specific to your position.
• Direct your assigned unit in the event of a fire/disaster and ensure that your assigned personnel, as well as reporting personnel, participate in and conduct all fire safety and disaster preparedness drills in a safe and professional manner.
• Follow all safety procedures and precautions in the performance of your duties and when operating equipment. Report all problems with equipment to supervisor and maintenance as soon as possible. Report all safety violations.
• Use only the equipment you have been trained to use that is necessary to do your job. Inform direct supervisor of any special needs.
• Follow established regulations governing the use of labels and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for hazardous chemicals within the department.
• Use personal protective equipment as required by facility policy or by product instructions.
• Follow established ergonomics policies and procedures governing lifting techniques, repetitive tasks, and the use of safety equipment and supplies to prevent work-related injuries and illnesses.
• Report all unsafe/hazardous conditions to your supervisor immediately.
• Use supplies in an efficient manner to avoid waste.
• Participate in Quality Assurance/Performance Improvement (QAPI) program, studies, support and implement QAPI initiatives, and offer suggestions to improve resident care and the workplace.
• Review Corporate Compliance educational materials, comply with Corporate Compliance directives, and report any Corporate Compliance issues according to established procedures.

Qualifications

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS

Accountability: Ability to accept responsibility and account for his/her own actions.

Assertiveness/ Initiative/Judgment: Able to act in a self-confident manner to complete an assignment or to defend a position or idea. Able to make independent decisions to solve a problem or meet a goal while following facility procedures.

Constructive Communication: Able to speak, write, listen and understand effectively with others.

Coaching/Mentoring/Development/Training: Ability to provide guidance and feedback to help others develop and strengthen specific knowledge and skill areas. May require ability to present information publicly.

Education and Learning: Able to participate in learning activities to obtain required skills.

Leadership: Able to organize, direct, and influence others to perform their jobs effectively and to use resident and facility resources to reach optimal outcomes. Make decisions, encourage others, and promote positive spirit.

Mission-Oriented: Able to provide care/services in a manner supportive of the Mission and Philosophy of the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm.

Organized and Resourceful: Adaptable to change, creative/innovative, detail-oriented, conscientious of resident/facility property, self-directed, efficient, able to work under pressure.

Team Player: Considerate, empathetic, hospitable, able to work with and collaborate with others, patient, respectful of individual rights and diversity, service-oriented while following facility procedures.

Work Ethic: Able to demonstrate conduct conforming to a set of values and accepted standards. Honest, loyal, mission-oriented, reliable, responsible, and aware of safety requirements.

SKILLS & ABILITIES

Education: Must have successfully completed an accredited practical nurse or registered nurse training program.

Experience: None required; on-the-job training provided.
Long-term care experience preferred.

Certificates & Licenses: Must possess a current, unencumbered, active license to practice as an LPN or RN in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. May work under a practice permit as allowed by law.

Not Applicable: Activity is not applicable to this occupation

Occasionally: Occupation requires this activity up to 33% of the time (0-2.5 hrs/day)

Frequently: Occupation requires this activity from 33%-66% of the time (2.5 5.5 hrs/day)

Constantly: Occupation requires this activity more than 66% of the time (5.5 hrs/day)

OTHER PHYSICAL/SENSORY REQUIREMENTS (with or without the aid of mechanical devices)

• Must be able to move intermittently throughout the work day.
• Must be able to read, write, speak, and comprehend the English language in an understandable manner.
• Must be able to relate information concerning a residents condition.
• Must be able to cope with the mental and emotional stress of the position.
• Must be able to see and hear or use prosthetics that will enable these senses to function adequately to ensure that the requirements of this position can be fully met.
• Must meet the general health requirements set forth by policies of this facility which include a medical and physical examination.
• Must function independently and have flexibility, personal integrity, and the ability to work effectively with residents, personnel, and support agencies.
• Must be able to relate to and work with the ill, disabled, elderly, emotionally upset, and, at times, hostile people within the facility.
• Must be able to assist in the evacuation of residents during emergency situations.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Works in nursing care areas and other areas as required, as well as throughout the facility.
• May work in confined or small areas.
• Moves frequently during work hours.
• Is subject to frequent interruptions.
• Is involved with residents, family members, personnel, visitors, volunteers, business associates, government agencies/personnel, etc., under all circumstances.
• Is subject to hostile and emotionally upset residents, family members, personnel, visitors, etc.
• Is subject to call-back during emergency conditions (severe weather, evacuation, post-disaster, etc.).
• Attends and participates in continuing education programs.
• Is subject to injury from falls, burns from equipment, odors, etc., throughout the work day, as well as reactions from dust, disinfectants, and other air contaminants.
• Communicates with departmental personnel and other personnel as required.
• Works beyond normal working hours, on weekends and holidays, and in other positions temporarily when necessary.
• Is subject to exposure to infectious waste, diseases, conditions, etc., including TB and the AIDS and Hepatitis B viruses.
• May be subject to the handling of and exposure to hazardous chemicals.