Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN)

By joining the San Diego Center for Children, you will empower children and families through transformative mental health care and educational services. Our vision is to inspire a world where children and families live joyful, healthy lives. We serve over 1,000 people every day - are you ready to make an impact?

Join us - and work with purpose!

POSITION BENEFITS

• Team-Oriented, Multidisciplinary Approach
• Ongoing, High-Level Learning and Development Opportunities
• Culturally Diverse Environment
• Joint Commission Accredited Organization
• Comprehensive Health Insurance (Medical, Dental, Vision, Pet)
• Retirement Savings Plan: 403(b) - With Employer Match Up To 3%
• Generous Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick Leave, Holidays)
• Wellness Programs
• EAP - Employee Assistance Program
• Tuition Reimbursement or Assistance For Continuing Education
• Employee Discounts
• Employee Recognition Program
• Opportunities For Career Advancement
• May Be Eligible For State or Federal Loan Forgiveness Programs For Work With Underserved Populations

New Grads Welcome!

Available Shift:

Monday-Friday: 2PM-10PM

SUMMARY

The Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) provides direct nursing services to youth receiving care through the San Diego Center for Children. The LVN is responsible for medication administration, monitoring health conditions, coordinating medical care, maintaining accurate medical records, and supporting the overall health and well-being of youth in accordance with physician orders, licensing regulations, accreditation standards, and organizational policies.The LVN works collaboratively with Residential, Clinical, Educational, and Psychiatric teams to ensure the delivery of quality, trauma-informed care. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.


ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES(Other Duties May Be Assigned)

• Reports to the Nurse Supervisor, this position provides the appropriate nursing services within the scope of practice by the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians or California Board of Registered Nursing.
• Responds to life saving situations based upon nursing standards, policies, procedures, and protocol.
• Provides direct and indirect patient care services including, but not limited to the following: distribution of prescribed medications and treatments in accordance with approved nursing techniques. Maintains awareness of comfort and safety needs of clients.
• Ensure the personal hygiene and the performance of disease prevention and takes restorative measures.
• Perform basic health care, testing and prevention procedures, including skin tests and immunization techniques according to facility policy and procedures for both employees and clients.
• Ensure SDCC policies and procedures are always utilized in dispensing and monitoring effects of children's medication, including distribution of routine and PRN medication when deemed necessary and clinically appropriate and approved.
• Responsible for the storage, distribution, change and discontinuation of our client's medication upon physician approval.
• Observes clients; records significant conditions and reactions and notifies Nurse Manager and Physician of client's condition and reaction to drugs, treatments, and significant incidents.
• Maintain proper records/documentation, to include reporting any changes in client's conditions, and behavior.
• Responsible for the determination of whether such signs, symptoms, reactions, behavior, or general appearance exhibit abnormal characteristics; and implementation based on observed abnormalities, or appropriate reporting, or referral, or standardized procedures.
• Upon admission of new clients may be required to complete admission paperwork. Including but not limited to, documenting medical history and completing intake packet.
• May be responsible for scheduling labs for clients, standing or STAT.
• Responsible for obtaining heights, weights and vital signs as ordered per physician.
• Perform a routine check on any physical hold every 15 minutes for duration of the hold. Clinician approval for any hold exceeding 30 minutes or in 30-minute increments thereafter.
• Accountable for the safety and whereabouts of children while in care by nursing.
• Always intervene with escalated and/or assaultive children in a manner which ensures the dignity and self-respect of the child, and consistent with agency policies, including SPA principles.
• Provides direct support and assistance to counselor staff in a crisis situation when not involved in performing required medical functions.
• Occasionally may be called to assist NPS when a crisis or injury presents to provide basic first aid.
• Engages in professional conduct (role model behavior and appropriate boundaries) and abides by all SDCC policies and procedures and employee handbook guidelines at all times.
• Provides direct support and assistance to counselor staff in a crisis situation when not involved in performing required medical functions.
• Responsible for placing client on precautions and discontinuing precautions when deemed necessary.
• Attends treatment team milieu meetings and treatment reviews as assigned.
• Communicates effectively with psychiatrists and other mental health professionals to provide a cohesive plan of care for patients.
• Responsible at all times for clear and concise documentation of children's progress in treatment through the timely completion of daily shift reports; nursing notes, MARS signed prior to end of shift daily; Special Precaution Form as needed; Serious Incident Reports as needed, and any other documentation related to departmental operational functions.
• Participates in department or unit quality improvement activities. Provides specific in-service training in accordance with established policy and procedures as assigned and on-going in-service training in the areas of hygiene, basic first aid, prevention of communicable disease, etc.
• Responsible for defining problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Able to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
• Occasionally may need to drop off or pick-up youth medication from designated pharmacy or school always utilizing SDCC vehicle policy and procedures.
• Understanding and following children's personal rights guidelines at all times.
• Interact with children in a manner which supports the development of therapeutic relationships by applying Trauma Informed principles.
• Proper interacting with internal and external customers in a professional manner while ensuring client safety and satisfaction is a priority.
• Ability to work with other members in a multi-disciplinary treatment setting.
• Actively participates in all assigned staff meetings and trainings.
• May occasionally pick-up additional shifts in both the Children's and Clark residential programs upon nurse manager approval.
• San Diego Center for Children may redeploy staff as needed to ensure operational needs are meet for the safety of our organization, youth and staff. For the purpose of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, SDCC may be required to modify work schedules, job duties/functions or assignments as needed with minimal to no notice.
• Other job-related duties and responsibilities assigned by the Nurse Manager.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret medical records, journals, reports, and legal documents. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community. Ability to effectively present information to management and public groups. Complete timely, organized documentation for trainings.


REASONING ABILITY

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret and extensive variety of instructions and deal with several abstracts and concrete variables.


PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to run, walk, sit and drive a vehicle. The employee must be able to move and/or lift a child when clinically necessary and must be able to follow a child that AWOLs in a walking or running pace. Applying SPA restraint techniques can involve lifting the child, holding the child down in a standing, sitting or ground level manner, as well separating clients who are acting in an unsafe manner to ensure the safety for the clients and staff. Due to the emotional instability of the clients the employee may be subjected to kicking, hitting, punching, biting, hair pulling, etc. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.


WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.


DIVERSITY STATEMENT

The San Diego Center for Children is committed to:

• Actively recruiting, retaining, and supporting diverse staff at all levels of the organization.
• Ensuring that diverse perspectives are included in the development and implementation of policies, practices and services, and that individuals feel empowered to advance our mission within an atmosphere of trust, safety, and respect.
• Encourage and provide access to professional development in order to deliver equitable and culturally informed services to the population we serve.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Current California Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) License
• Valid CA Drivers License
• Ability to pass all required Background Checks

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience working with children, adolescents, behavioral health, residential treatment, or mental health populations.
• Experience administering medications and maintaining medical records.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed care practices.
• Bilingual