Licensed Vocational Nurse (PRN)

Licensed Vocational Nurse

Are you passionate about providing quality patient care and making a difference in your community? If so, we invite you to consider this unique opportunity working with at-risk youth! The Travis County Juvenile Probation Department is accepting applications for full-time Licensed Vocational Nurse positions in our Medical Services unit. These positions are critical to ensure that 24/7 medical operations are maintained to promote quality of care to juvenile clients through assessment, medication management, and direct client care.

About Our Agency: The mission of the Travis County Juvenile Probation Department (TCJPD) is to provide for public safety by effectively addressing the needs of juveniles, families, and the victims of crime. To accomplish this, TCJPD utilizes a comprehensive continuum of care that incorporates victim mediation services; direct supervision; alternative education; substance abuse services; residential, outpatient, and day treatment programs; in-home family counseling; and wrap-around and aftercare services. TCJPD utilizes trauma-informed mental health assessments and psychological evaluations to identify youth in need of specialized services. TCJPD provides onsite services and collaborates with community partners to help ensure that youth and families receive interventions that target their identified treatment needs.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

This is the second in a series of five nursing-related job classifications within the Medical job family. This classification practices under the supervision of a Physician, Registered Nurse, or other similarly licensed supervisory health care practitioner and performs direct patient care functions within the scope of the vocational nurse licensure. Incumbents perform nursing duties of moderate complexity that require a moderate degree of initiative and independent judgment. This classification is distinguished from the Registered Nurse I and Registered Nurse II in that incumbents have not graduated from an accredited Registered Nursing program or do not coordinate the medical treatment of patients. This classification may require work in secure facilities. This classification may require a flexible work schedule in order to meet the needs of the department.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Responds to patients medical needs. Provides and/or arranges for treatment according to protocol and/or direction from authorized medical staff.
• Consults with clinical and administrative staff about patient health care issues.
• Responds to and assesses certain categories of emergent patient illnesses and injuries.
• Provides direct health care to patients, including wound care, medication administration, monitoring of vital signs, and laboratory procedures.
• Assists other medical staff, as required.
• Practices safety, environmental and/or infection control methods.
• Documents patient's condition and maintains patient medical files and records in computer. Performs other administrative duties.
• Inventories medications on a daily basis.
• Assists in dental, STD and other clinic settings.
• May answer medical questions from staff, patient's relatives and others as appropriate.
• May process patients into the facility by screening and evaluating their medical and mental histories.
• May assist patients with activities of daily living, including bathing and feeding.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

Education and Experience: Graduation from an accredited Licensed Vocational Nursing program AND one (1) year of Licensed Vocational Nursing experience. Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements: Current license to practice as a Licensed Vocational Nurse in the State of Texas. Current Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certification. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Knowledge of:

• Standard nursing and other healthcare practices.
• Policies, practices, procedures and terminology related to nursing and healthcare.
• Federal, State, Local and County nursing and other healthcare laws and requirements.
• Treatment of a variety of diseases and injuries.
• Proper dosages and expected results of medication.
• Proper infection control techniques, mental health procedures and protocols.
• Principles and procedures of medical documentation and record keeping.
• Computer equipment to include word processing, spreadsheets, databases, presentations and a variety of software packages.
• Knowledge of and adherence to HIPAA and other federal and state laws requiring the confidential handling of certain health information.

Skill in:

• Administering daily patient care, including use of stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, thermometer and other medical instruments.
• Administering Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and First Aid.
• Performing medical tests and recording results accurately.
• Assisting mental health patients.
• Problem-solving and decision-making.
• Both verbal and written communication.

Ability to:

• Work efficiently both independently and as part of a medical team.
• Recognize and identify health symptoms.
• Exercise sound judgment and react quickly in emergency situations.
• Manage time well and perform multiple tasks.
• Understand and precisely follow both verbal and written instructions and communicate in a concise and effective manner.
• Work in a secure environment.
• Track use of medications and inventory procedures.
• Chronicle medical histories and enter data into computer.
• Work effectively and courteously under high pressure circumstances.
• Deal effectively with mentally disturbed, hostile and aggressive individuals.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with patients, medical and other County employees and officials, and the general public.

Work Environment & Other Information

Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 35-100 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to standing, walking, sitting, repetitive motion, reaching, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, pushing, pulling, balancing, client/customer contact, squatting to perform the essential functions. Subject to contact with communicable diseases, radiation, hazardous waste, human fecal matter and foul odors. Travis County employees play an important role in business continuity. As such, employees can be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions.

Work Hours: Shift work; Schedule varies according to Department needs. May work some holidays, some nights, some weekends

Location: 2515 South Congress Ave. Austin, TX 78704

Department: Juvenile Probation

Criminal background check, driving, education, and employment verification are required. Physical Exam, Drug Test, Alcohol Test, Psychological Exam

This job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.