The Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) provides outstanding patient care based on the nursing process, planning, implementation, and monitoring for IPU patients in accordance with the physician’s orders and under the supervision of the Registered Nurse.
Duties/Responsibilities:
- Under the direction of the registered nurse, provides care to patients and families.
- Promotes and maintains patient quality of care under the guidance of the registered nurse.
- Provides necessary education to patient/caregiver/family to enable them to provide appropriate care for the patient.
- Helps to achieve and maintain continuity of patient care by assisting in planning and exchanging information with other health professionals.
- Assists patients, families, colleagues, and self to cope with suffering, grief, loss, and bereavement.
- Utilizes electronic medical records and other electronic devices to their fullest potential.
- Monitor and evaluate medication needs and administration of patients, including symptom management, supplies, and equipment needs.
- Communicates progress and needs of patients and families to other interdisciplinary team (IDT) members promptly and professionally.
- Assess patient safety and provide education on safety issues to patients and families.
- Refer patients to other disciplines as needed.
- Educate patients and families on using durable medical equipment (DME) appropriately.
- Assist and provide HHA services as needed.
- Satisfactorily complete competency requirements for this position.
- Maintain your required licenses, certifications and mandatory skill updates.
- Comply with all policies, local, state and federal laws and regulations.
- Performs all duties within the framework of the Hospice's philosophies, policies, and procedures.
- Perform other duties of healthcare team members and as assigned.
Clinical
- Under the supervision of an RN, the LPN provides palliative nursing care to patients and families, incorporating psychosocial, cultural, physical, spiritual, and biological components and appropriate nursing intervention as identified in the patient/family plan of care developed by the IDT.
- Demonstrates clinical skills regarding application of Clinical and Administrative policy and procedures such as: pain medication titration, symptom management, and patient/family relationships.
- Observes and reports signs of adverse reactions, response to treatments and results of dressing changes.
- Consults and collaborates with other professionals to promote quality and continuity of patient/family care.
- Provides bereavement support to the patient’s caregiver/family.
- Accepts responsibility and is accountable for nursing actions; demonstrates an understanding of legal consequences of nursing actions; requests supervision when needed; performs within the guidelines established by the Florida Nurse Practice Act.
- The employee uses the electronic medical record to collect, analyze, validate, report, and record data about our patients. Assessment includes physiological data and psychological, sociocultural, spiritual, economic, and lifestyle factors to ensure the patient's safety.
- Provide accurate and appropriate documentation and submit daily.
- Verifies medical orders for accuracy, proper authorization, and documented contraindications.
- Medications are accurately ordered, administered, and documented; anticipates patient’s needs to avoid on-call, stat, and same-day refills when foreseeable.
- Follows the six rights of medication administration: name, time, dosage, patient, route, and documentation.
- Ensures pump settings are correct.
- Provides education and counseling regarding the plan of care.
- Documents and communicate interventions and responses in the electronic medical record within 4 hours of patient contact.
- Implements transition of care according to the care plan.
Communication
- Communicates clearly, accurately and completely to staff members, patients, families, supervisors and all health professionals; utilizes positive approaches when working with other staff members.
- Communicates any changes to patient status to RN.
- Maintains a safe environment.
- Institutes standard procedures to stabilize patient’s condition or prevent serious complications in emergencies.
- Acts as a patient advocate.
Department Specific
- Follows rounding protocol to check on patient needs and well-being.
- Knocks to gain permission to enter if the patient is alert and/or has visitors.
- Greets the patient and any visitors and explains the rationale for interventions.
- Utilizes the dry-erase board and writes the names of the team, goals for the day, and patient’s position on the bed.
- Addresses the 3 P’s during patient assessments: positioning, potty (personal needs), and pain.
- Consistently asks the patient if there is “anything else I can do for you before I leave.”
- Proactive applies pain and symptom management principles to nursing interventions for quality patient care.
- Provides active listening and frequently interacts with patients and visitors.
Qualifications
- Must have proven ability to maintain professional conduct and confidentiality in the care of patients.
- Excellent communication and organizational skills.
- Compassionate with sound judgment.
- Possesses critical thinking skills to clarify goals, examine assumptions, discern hidden values, evaluate evidence, accomplish action, and assess conclusions.
- Must be able to concentrate on work tasks amidst distractions such as noise, conversations, and foot traffic.
- Ability to extend hospitality and patience while assisting patients, families, physicians and peers under stressful circumstances
- Must exert self-control in volatile or hostile situations, such as when verbally or physically confronted in a threatening or aggressive manner.
- Must be able to withstand contact with animals and exposure to hoarding situations.
- Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite and medical software programs.
- Demonstrates knowledge of the hospice philosophy.
Education and Experience:
- Graduate of Licensed Practical Nursing Program.
- Nursing home/Hospice or home health experience preferred.
Licenses and Certifications:
- Current license to practice as a Licensed Practical Nurse in the State of Florida.
- Current CPR/BLS certification.
Pay: From $27.50 per hour
Application Question(s):
- Are you a graduate from a LPN nursing program?
- Are you current on your BLS/CPR certification?
- Do you have a valid Driver's License?
- Do you have experience working in a in-patient unit (IPU) setting?
License/Certification:
Work Location: In person
