LICENSED VOCATIONAL NURSE

Position Summary

Under the general supervision of the Director of Nursing, Assistant Director of Nursing, RN Charge Nurse, and Registered Nurse, this position evaluates inmates within the scope of their license, and provides necessary and appropriate nursing care while observing all security requirements.

Essential Functions

• Provide basic patient care and treatments, such as taking temperatures and blood pressure, dressing wounds, treating pressure ulcers, performing catheterizations, starting IV's
• Carries out designated nursing procedures, including administration of medications, assisting in the planning and formulation of nursing care plans; observes records and reports symptoms, reactions and changes in the conditions of all inmates; provides care based upon inmate need/condition
• Prepare facility and/or prisoner for procedures and x-rays performed by practitioner
• Maintains logs and other reports as directed; assists with the reordering and stocking of supplies; maintains a clean work area
• Collect samples, such as blood, urine, or sputum from patients, and perform routine laboratory tests on samples
• Identifying actual and potential health problems and developing appropriate plan of care or appropriate referrals
• Provides monitoring and/or observation of at-risk individuals
• Record and report patient body temperature, blood pressure, pulse, respirations, pulse oximetry, height, weight, pain scale, and medical history in the electronic health record
• Assist providers with examinations and/or treatments as needed
• Regular attendance and timeliness are required

Minimum Requirements

EDUCATION: Required:

• Graduation from an accredited licensed vocational nursing program
• Licensed as a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) in the State of Texas
• Current BLS/CPR Certification

SKILLS ~ EXPERIENCE: Required:

• Current and valid Texas driver's license and a safe driving record
• Maintain appropriate, unrestricted credentials according to the licensure, certification, and registration requirements of the jurisdiction
• Considerable knowledge of nursing theory, techniques, and practices
• Working knowledge of medications, drugs, and narcotics and their effects
• Ability to perform all functions of the job classification without posing a direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals in the workplace
• Exceptional skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with County staff, inmates, police departments and the public
• General knowledge of basic hardware and software and uses of a variety of different computer operating systems such as Microsoft Office Work, Excel, Outlook
• Ability to work in a hostile environment of inmates and their visitors without reacting in a negative manner and project a professional image at all times
• Possess excellent communication skills in expressing oneself clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing
• Is familiar with current medical documentation requirements

Preferred:

• 1 year experience in Mental Health

Disqualifiers:

• Undesirable character or reputation
• A felony conviction or felony deferred adjudication against the laws of this state, another state, or the United States
• Conviction including court-ordered community supervision or probation for any criminal offense above the grade of Class B Misdemeanor, or a Class B Misdemeanor within the last ten (10) years
• Arrested for DWI or DUI in the past ten (10) years
• Currently under indictment for any criminal offense
• Sold or manufactured any illegal drugs
• Conviction, guilty plea, or probation for any family violence offense
• Discharge from any military service under less than honorable conditions, or any other characterizations of service indicating bad character

Supplemental Information

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS:

• Contact with "at risk" clients and persons accursed or adjudicated of misdemeanor and felony offenses, visitors and general public
• Work is performed mostly indoors in a 24-hour/7-day confined, security facility
• Climate-controlled environment. Significant contact with the public, elected officials, department heads, and other County employees
• Risk of exposure to infectious diseases, but receives training in handwashing practices and Universal Precautions and has access to personal protective equipment if direct exposure is anticipated

PHYSICAL DEMAND REQUIREMENTS:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear
• The employee frequently is required to stand. The employee is occasionally required to walk; sit; use hands to find, handle, or feel objects, reach with hands and arms; stoop and kneel
• Must be able to safely lift 20 lbs.
• Although directed not to engage in physical contact with inmates, individual must be able to physically avoid combative or aggressive inmates and may occasionally become involuntarily engaged with combative inmates

HOURS / SPECIAL CONDITIONS: Must be willing to work overtime, weekends, holidays, rotating shifts, evenings and nights. Must be able to work 12 hour shifts.