Licensed Practical Nurse

DEPARTMENT: SOUTHWELL HEALTH AND REHABILITATION

FACILITY: Southwell Medical

WORK TYPE: Full Time


SHIFT: Nighttime

SUMMARY:


Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) provide professional nursing care for assigned patient(s) in one or more patient care departments according to State Board of Nursing Practice Act, standards of practice, and professional performance. The LPN is responsible for assessment, diagnosis, outcomes identification, planning, implementation, and evaluation for patients served. The LPN is an active participant in decisions related to patient care and nursing practice. The LPN serves as educator, colleague, researcher, advocate, and leader. The LPN must demonstrate competency in providing quality care, process improvement, patient and employee safety, collaboration, consultation, and professional development. The LPN assumes responsibility for planning, organizing, directing and evaluating patient care rendered by Patient Care Techs, and other staff.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

* Ensures the timely assessment of the health status and needs of assigned patients.
* Completes all documentation prior to shift end.
* Conducts reassessments on assigned patients (and documents) per unit policy and when the patient's status changes.
* Initiates orders as incorporated into plan of care.
* Completes nursing interventions and physician's orders in a timely manner during shift.
* Accurately interprets, requests, and transcribes orders for medications, treatments, procedures, lab work, and other diagnostic procedures and consultants.
* Follows Nursing Practice Guidelines and policies related to medication administration and IV therapy.
* Accurately states patient's condition to co-workers at shift report, physician, and to other associates when required, using appropriate hand off method and documents appropriately.
* Oversees all care on assigned patients, assuring a high caliber of patient is provided.
* Correctly and accurately recognizes respiratory or cardiac arrest and immediately begins CPR and activates emergency requests for assistance (Rapid Response/Code Blue). Demonstrates efficient, effective, and prompt responses to any unit/patient crisis situation.
* With RN guidance and supervision, reviews patient's and/or significant other's knowledge related to patient disease process, cause, preventative measures, and treatment; develops plans for teaching; documents patient's/significant other's response/level of understanding.
* Assumes responsibility and accountability for individualized judgments and actions. Demonstrates dependability and accountability in all assigned tasks.
* Provides service with respect for human dignity and the uniqueness of the patient unrestricted by consideration of socioeconomic status, personal attribute or the nature of health problems.
* Acts to safeguard the patient and the public when health care and safety are affected by the incompetent, unethical or illegal practice of any person.
* Completes Occurrence Reports on any activity deviating from the norm.
* Accepts responsibility to establish and maintain conditions conductive to high quality nursing care.
* Keeps abreast of pertinent federal, and state regulations and laws and Tift Regional Health System, Inc. ("TRHS") policies as they presently exist and as they change or are modified.
* Understands and adheres to: TRHS' compliance standards as they appear in TRHS's Corporate Compliance Policy, Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest Policy; and HIPAA and TRHS policies regarding privacy and security of protected health information.
* Demonstrates the ability to perform tasks that meet the age-specific requirements of the persons, patients, vendors, and staff that the employee is charged to interact with as required by the position.
* Offers suggestions on ways to improve operations of department and reduce costs.
* Attends all mandatory education programs.
* Improves self-knowledge through voluntarily attending continuing education/certification classes.
* Maintains required competency levels as identified in written exams, skills checklists, skills labs, annual safety and health requirements as well as service excellence education hours requirements.
* Cross-trains in order to better assist co-workers and to provide maximum efficiency in the department.
* Volunteers/participates on hospital committees, functions, and department projects.
* Manages resources effectively.
* Reports equipment in need of repair in order to extend life of equipment and removes malfunctioning equipment out of service with timely reporting to the appropriate personnel.
* Makes good use of time so as to not create needless overtime.
* Follows Dress Code specific to Nursing role as outlined in System policy
* Does not use personal devices or cell phones during work hours. Only hospital approved communication devices are approved for use during work hours.
* Transports patients safely and as required by the patient's level of care.
* Rotates and flexes with a positive attitude to alternate departments as necessary to provide adequate staffing to meet the needs of patient care.
* Accepts responsibility to establish and maintain conditions conductive to high quality nursing care.
* Conducts rounding to meet patient/patient's family's needs and updates patient communication board during hourly rounding, bedside shift report, and as needed.
* Demonstrates basic competency in the operation of a computer to include the following: Keyboard and Mouse functionality, General knowledge of computer software applications, Management of email including reviewing organizational email at least weekly.
* Notifies physician of significant changes in patient status, including critical results within timeframe defined by hospital policy.
* Accurately states patient's condition to co-workers at shift report, physician, and to other associates when required, using appropriate hand off method and documents appropriately.
* Attends 80% of monthly staff meetings.

EDUCATION:

* Diploma in Nursing - Practical Nurse

CREDENTIALS:

* LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE

OTHER INFORMATION:

Current licensure as a Licensed Practical Nurse in the State of Georgia is required.


Southwell/Tift Regional Health System, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.