Licensed Practical Nurse

April 2, 2020

Overview:
Provides a wide variety of resident care activities as accorded by licensure. Provides limited nursing services to residents as directed by plan of care and physician’s orders. Responsible for assigning and directing staff during their particular eight-hour shift; performs assigned nursing procedures for the comfort and well-being of residents; administers specified medications; administers treatments to residents; prepares needed equipment and instruments; maintains residents’ medical records on nursing observations.

Reports to: Nursing Services Manager

Qualifications and Job Skills:
Current LPN license. Must have knowledge of: nursing care practices, especially in the context of geriatric care; state Boarding Home regulations pertaining to resident care; infection control procedures; nursing care practices; infection control procedures; quality assurance in a long term care environment. Must have the ability to: interact well with residents and their families, physicians, and Company staff; work as part of a team; and teach and monitor the performance of others.

Physical / Environmental Demands:
The physical and environmental demands described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The essential functions of the Licensed Practical Nurse position will require an individual to be in reasonably good physical condition, having the ability to lift up to 50 pounds. The individual in this position may be regularly called upon to handle emergency situations, such as injuries, accidents, resident condition changes, etc., and must be physically able to so, without posing a direct threat to the safety or health of self or others.

The essential functions of the Licensed Practical Nurse position will require an individual to routinely participate in the provision of basic resident care, creating a potential exposure to biohazards, such as infectious waste, diseases, odors, hazardous chemicals, and other situations associated with health care, including, but not limited to exposure of AIDS, HIV, and Hepatitis viruses. Environmental conditions for this position will fluctuate.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Be alert and active in supporting facility’s commitment to safe practices, infection control, and respect for residents’ rights;

• Communicate effectively with family members, other members of staff, administration, and physicians;
• Record and monitor all progress of residents; communicate with physicians, Resident Services Director, and Nursing Services Manager regarding residents’ progress
• Assign, direct, and delegate staffing requirements on his/her shift;
• Make rounds 1 or 2 times during shift to assess resident care and evaluate staffing;
• Give verbal change-of-shift report to Licensed Nurse or direct care staff on next shift;
• Record progress of residents in medical chart and complete other aspects of paperwork associated with residents’ care;
• Be responsible for providing or supervising all resident care and treatment during his/her shift;
• Completes skin assessments on residents as required; evaluates, documents, and responds to skin problems; teaches staff the elements of proper skin care;
• Participate in and contribute to care conferences and care planning;
• Take and record temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and respiration rate at required intervals;
• Assist other nursing staff and direct care staff according to their needs;
• Participate in safe resident transfers using good body mechanics and transfer techniques.

Job Responsibilities That Apply to Everyone

The following are part of every employee’s job description:

1. The employee’s work schedule may occasionally be changed to include: (a) working a different shift than the one for which the employee was hired; and/or (b) overtime.

2. An employee who is injured on the job will, with the approval of a physician, be assigned to transitional or “light duty” job responsibilities pending recovery and return to his or her regular position.

3. Each employee has the responsibility to become familiar with and follow facility’s:

• policies and procedures on residents’ rights
• safety procedures
• exposure control plan, especially as it relates to the employee’s position
• procedures for correct use of personal protective equipment
• procedures for preventing the spread of infection
• procedures for using good body mechanics and safely transferring residents
• other policies and procedures relating to proper resident care.

4. Each position of employment is “at will”, which means that it may be ended at any time by either the employee or the facility.

5. The qualifications and job skills and essential duties and responsibilities listed for each position are, unless otherwise indicated, considered examples of that position’s essential functions. However, duties and responsibilities other than the specific examples listed may be assigned from time to time.