Licensed Vocational Nurse - Progressive Care Unit

Job Title

Location: Fort Sam Houston - Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC), San Antonio, TX

Operation Coverage: 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, including holidays.

Pay: $28.50/hr, Health & Wellness $5.09*/hr worked (in lieu of benefits)

Shift Lengths:

• 8-hour shifts (with a 30-minute unpaid lunch/dinner break), or
• 12-hour shifts (with a 30-minute unpaid lunch/dinner break).
• No more than 12 hours may be scheduled in a 24-hour period

Benefits: Vest vacation, sick leave, holiday leave, Life, Accidental Death and Dismemberment, Short Term Disability

Optional Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(K) matching with employee participation in 401(K) plan

Responsibilities

• Perform the same clinical duties as military/civil service nurses of similar experience; may be designated for team lead responsibilities or clinical orientation.
• Insert IV catheters, perform phlebotomy and arterial blood draws (with required training).
• Obtain patient and family history; observe, assess, and record symptoms, reactions, and progress; assist physicians and RNs during treatments and exams; complete admissions/discharges.
• Assess patient/family knowledge, provide education, and document care in the medical record.
• Develop and manage nursing care plans; instruct patients/families on proper care and health maintenance.
• Administer medications within scope of practice (IV, oral, subcutaneous, intramuscular, rectal, transdermal); monitor administration of blood products (cannot start transfusions).
• Perform direct patient care (range of motion, lifting, turning, transporting, positioning, hygiene care, changing linen/clothing, feeding patients).
• Manage care for patients with high infection risk or on life-support equipment.
• Ensure proper procedures with tissue/skin bank and blood bank.
• Provide professional oversight for CNAs/unlicensed personnel, and collaborate with other healthcare providers.
• Follow infection control protocols, respond to breaches, and participate in research/committees as needed.
• Participate in patient care conferences, nursing reports, and discharge planning.
• Demonstrate ability to manage interpersonal relationships, stay composed under stress, and act in emergencies (e.g., CPR, hemorrhage, trauma)
• Provides an advanced level of specialized comprehensive nursing for highly complex patients with real or potential life-threatening emergencies and involve labor intense nursing interventions.
• Observes and monitors: vital signs, symptoms of deterioration in condition, and assists the RN in the identification of normal and abnormal cardiac rhythms.
• Initiates lifesaving measures, which include cardiopulmonary resuscitation and assisting the RN in performing arterial punctures and troubleshooting respiratory adjunctive therapy.
• Starts intravenous lines in accordance with institutional infection control standards.
• Works with non-titratable vasoactive drips and assist in management of non-titratable vasoactive drips (i.e.amiodarone, diltiazem) and other non-titratable continuous IV infusions (bumex, Lasix).
• LVNs are trained to manage patients on long-term stable ventilators through tracheostomy.
• LVNs are trained to manage patients on continuous BIPAP/CPAP.
• Performs a vast array of direct patient care procedures to include but are not limited to: assist in the management of epidurals, range of motion exercises, lifting, turning, transporting and positioning patients, personal hygiene care, changing linen and clothing and feeding patients.
• Transports seriously ill patients for various diagnostic procedures.
• Administers and monitors the use of medications in accordance with Department of Nursing and unit level policies/guidelines.
• Assists in the administration of intravenous fluids Assist in the administration of anticonvulsants, insulin and thrombolytics and monitors patient condition per recommended guidelines; is familiar with correct dosages and potential side effects.
• Assists the RN with complex and potentially life-threatening procedures to include insertion of endotracheal intubation, invasive arterial and central venous catheters and chest tubes.
• Inserts intravenous catheters, performs phlebotomy and arterial blood draws.
• Monitors intake and output of fluids and notifies physician when caloric and fluid requirements have changed.
• Assess patient vital signs, level of consciousness and other neurological and early interventions or escalation of care utilizing methods outlined in the PCU scope of service.
• Use emergency crash/code cart appropriately during patient emergencies.
• Maintains patency of patient airway to include suctioning patient nasopharyngeal airway, tracheostomy tube or endotracheal tube.
• After receiving PCU training, is able to manage chronic and stable mechanically ventilated patients.

Qualifications

Education: Graduation from a State Board of Nursing–approved LPN/LVN training program, or Completion of equivalent military training that permits sitting for the state licensure exam.

Licensure: Must hold a current, active, valid, and unrestricted LVN license from any U.S. state, D.C., or territory

Certifications: The LVN shall possess and maintain a current certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certified by the American Heart Association.

Experience: The LVN shall have at least one (1) year of full-time experience working as an LVN in an Adult Progressive Care Unit (PCU) or equivalent and a minimum of two (2) years (full-time) in clinical nursing within the last four (4) years. Complete BAMC Telemetry test within the first 30 days.