Registered Nurse for The Lewis Center

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

Provides individualized nursing care to guests residing at the various Homeless Resource Centers as needed. Provides oversight into duties performed by LPN’s/certified housing/medical techs in this scope; and contribute to the mission of Goodwill by providing a safe environment for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, guided by established standards and procedures. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Assist guests in the management of their prescribed medications, learning about their medication, and coordinating medication access.
2. Provides medical guidance for LPN’s/CM’s to ensure best guest outcomes and participates in multidisciplinary case conferencing meetings.  
3. Provides communicable disease prevention and non-communicable disease management education, resources, and guidance to shelter staff and guests.
4. Recruit, interview, hire, train LPN staff. Responsible for the LPN scheduling at each shelter site. Completes annual evaluations and facilitates disciplinary action when necessary.
5. Facilitates formal supervision of LPN’s at all shelter sites; is available for consultation to the LPN’s as needed/warranted.
6. Conducts communicable disease outbreak monitoring.
7. Reporting communicable disease outbreaks to the Department of Health.
8. Initiates isolation/quarantine protocols for clients with communicable illness (i.e. covid, TB).
9. Assists with disease surveillance activities (e.g. contacting hospitals & health care providers regarding signs of infectious diseases, communicable diseases, or reportable communicable diseases).
10. Monitor guest’s health (presence of chronic disease, communicable disease and injuries). Evaluates guest’s past medical history and pre-existing conditions. Ensures appropriate medical care is provided and/or guests are referred for appropriate medical care. Follows-up with outside medical providers to ensure continuity of care for all guests.
11. Audits LPN documentation for comprehensiveness and accuracy; may audit medication observation logs and medication count logs. Notifies the Senior Director and/or Associate Director of any medication variances found and/or if policy was not followed. Completes and submits incident reports to the Senior Director in a timely manner per agency and/or contract policy. Conducts Root Cause analysis of medication errors, including omissions of medications.
12. Responsible for the development of medication policies/procedures, educating staff on the policies and monitoring to ensure policies are being followed consistently. Completes frequent reviews of policies and revises as needed/necessary.
13. Provides oversight of health care screening for guests. Ensures LPN’s are following protocol in having guests receive a full medical screening/clearance, TB and/or other communicable disease testing/assessment and HIV screening, if indicated.
14. Provides oversight and is responsible in ensuring LPN’s are tracking the TB testing of all guests and that all guests had their PPD read within the required time frame. Must ensure LPN’s follow through with additional testing/care if results are positive. 
15. Provide oversight and training to LPN’s and/or Housing/Med Techs assigned to assist guests with medication observation. 
16. Expected to provide coverage and/or work additional hours when necessary to support the Lewis Center, Annex and/or Western Shelter sites when there are absences and/or vacancies.
17. Prepare clinical and progress notes for any/all services and enters into client track within 48 hours of occurrence of service provided.
18. Instruct participants in self-care techniques.
19. May monitor/Observe the self-administration of medication by participants.
20. Monitors the maintenance of the MOR; ensures all staff are following protocol in completing the logs; file logs into the guest’s charge upon exit from the facility within 3 business days of exit.
21. Report changes in participant health conditions to administrators, along with documented report, as required. 
22. Assisting clients with replacement of lost/damaged medications or Durable Medical Equipment (DME) (i.e. wheelchair, raised/handicap accessible toilet seat, cane, or walker).
23. Provide episodic and emergency care while on site. Guests that require care beyond the scope of practice and available on-site first aid for minor injuries or illness must be referred to urgent care, the emergency room or call for EMS/911 assistance.
24. Recommending and distributing over the counter medication. 
25. Report issues relating to medical care and conditions of the shelter guests to administration. 
26. Assist with referrals and linkage to primary care, behavioral health, and specialty care.
27. Participate in various meetings with GGI staff and others to receive guidance on program changes or enhancements.
28. Provide assistance with other general department activities. Perform any range of departmental assignments or special projects as requested. 

OTHER DUTIES MAY INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:

1. Demonstrate by words and actions a commitment to the Goodwill mission by advocating for and assisting persons experiencing homelessness to become more independent.
2. Perform or assist with any duties or operations, as required to maintain workflow and to meet schedules and quality requirements.
3. Maintain safe work area and comply with safety procedures and equipment operating rules, keeping work area in a clean and orderly condition.
4. Participate in any variety of meetings and task force groups to integrate activities, communicate issues, obtain approvals, resolve problems and maintain specified level of knowledge pertaining to new developments, requirements, and policies. 
5. May need to travel between shelter sites to assist with providing coverage.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

1. A Graduate from an accredited school of nursing.
2. Licensure issued by the State of Florida required. 
3. Minimum of (1) year nursing experience preferred. 
4. Experience working with homeless population preferred.
5. Experience working with individuals with a history of mental illness and or substance abuse required.
6. Knowledge of, and commitment to, harm reduction and housing first principles.
7. Strong written and verbal communication skills
8. Superb collaborative skills and demonstrated success working in a high- needs environment.
9. Strong problem-solving skills.
10. Current CPR and AED certification.
11. Must possess a valid Florida driver’s license, clean driving record, and ability to be insured on the agency’s automobile policy. 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

1. General office environment
2. Normal sitting, standing and walking
3. Occasional assistance with lifting up to 30 lbs. 

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED:

Computer and usual peripherals, word processing, spreadsheets and software programs, and office equipment, safety equipment, automobile, large passenger van or wheelchair accessible van, as required.