Download Job Title: Licensed Vocational Nurse

Wilbarger General Hospital
Vernon, Texas
Job Description
Job Title:
Licensed Vocational Nurse
Department:
Nursing – Medical/Surgical
Job Summary:
Assists the professional nursing staff in providing maximum patient
care, assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of each
assigned patient. Under supervision gives direct and indirect patient
care as assigned.
OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Class I.
Job Qualifications:
A.
Education:
B.
Personal Job-Related Skills: Effective oral and written communication skills.
C.
Licensure, Registry or Certification: Licensed Vocational Nurse currently
licensed by the State of Texas Board of Nursing. Graduate Vocational Nurse with
temporary licensure in the State of Texas.
D.
Experience:
E.
Graduate of accredited School of Vocational Nursing.
1.
Prior work experience:
preferred.
One year of Licensed Vocational Nursing
2.
Technical Training:
Current CPR Certification. IV Therapy course
preferred. PALS and ACLS preferred – must obtain certification within
12 months of hire date. Basic Arrhythmia course preferred – must obtain
in 3 months of hire date.
Physical and Mental Requirements: Duties of the position require extended
periods of standing and walking. Bending, stooping, twisting, reaching and lifting
up to 50 pounds. Occasional heavy lifting when moving or supporting patients
who may become weak or helpless. Must submit to post offer substance abuse
testing (drug screening).
Revised 09/30/2011
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
A.
Utilizing the nursing process, completes basic physical and psychosocial
assessment of patients and takes nursing histories to provide a basis for
development of patient care plans under the direct supervision of the licensed
professional.
1. Identifies teaching/learning/discharge needs at time of admission and
throughout hospitalization.
2. Provides a basic assessment which accurately reflects overt physiological and
psychosocial needs of patients and reports unusual findings to appropriate
licensed personnel.
3. Uses input from patient, family, significant others, physician, and health care
team members.
B.
Using nursing process, plan and provides patient and family care and evaluates
patient’s response to care provided and redirects care as necessary under the
supervision of a Registered Nurse.
1. Assists with formulating appropriate nursing diagnosis and identifies patient
problems from admission data base and ongoing assessment.
2. Establishes patient outcome goals that are realistic, specific, measurable and
progressive.
3. Initiates interdisciplinary communications and incorporates recommendations.
4. Consults with a Registered Nurse to formulate care plans that reflect concerns
for holistic patient needs for the patient, family and significant others.
5. Assesses and evaluates patient’s response and outcome and makes appropriate
modifications on the care plan.
6. Reviews and updates the care plan as needed with the assistance of the
Registered Nurse to reflect patient’s current status throughout hospitalization.
C.
Implements and monitors appropriate nursing care to meet patient’s needs and
identifies expected outcome for planned nursing intervention and insures vital
information is passed between shifts.
1. Administers medications according to policy including IV’s and IVPB’s as
prescribed by physicians.
Revised 09/30/2011
2. Knows actions, indications, contraindication, precautions, adverse reactions,
dosage and route of administration on all drugs before administering to patient
and verifies against medication administration record for accuracy on each
shift and on an ongoing basis.
3. Monitors all blood transfusions after started by the Registered Nurse.
4. Gives exchange report to other health care personnel providing accurate and
complete information on each patient at the change of shift, when transferring
patient to another unit, and at intervals during the shift.
5. Assesses patients at the beginning of shift for acuity of patient needs/problems
and based on that assessment, establishes priority in which work activities are
consistently completed by the end of the shift.
6. Performs basic nursing skills competently to include but not limited to: intake
and output, vital signs, urine testing, specimens/cultures, dressing changes,
personal hygiene for patient, skin care, glucose monitoring, airway/suctioning,
basic oxygen administration, tube feedings, urinary catheterization, drains,
enemas, and intravenous catheterization.
7. Notifies Charge Nurse and physicians of emergency situations promptly.
8. Recognizes variances of vital signs and assessments that should be reported to
the Charge Nurse and the physician and notifies physician in time appropriate
to the variance.
9. Functions proficiently in unit nursing modalities.
10. Consistently checks for new patients orders throughout the shift and
implements them in an appropriate time frame.
D.
Participates in the health care educational needs for the client family and others
with regard to patient care needs, disease prevention and health maintenance
measures.
1. Assists the Registered Nurse in the developing and implementing an
individualized teaching and discharge plan at admission and throughout
hospitalization.
2. Initiates and documents progressive patient, family, or significant other
teaching on admission and throughout hospitalization.
3. Act as a liaison between patient, physician, family, significant other, and other
health disciplines.
Revised 09/30/2011
E.
Maintains accurate and timely records according to hospital policy and
procedures.
1. Accurately documents on each shift the nursing patient care activities and the
patient response to nursing interventions and delegated medical management.
2. Assists with maintaining a patient care plan that is current and reflects
individual needs and preferences of patients and other(s).
3. Documents teaching completed and patient and family response in the patient
record.
4. Transcribes and/or co-signs physicians orders completely and accurately
according to hospital policy and practice.
Other Significant Requirements:
A.
Maintains confidentiality while working with confidential matters on a daily
basis.
B.
Provides service direct to patients while maintaining a positive patient relations
atmosphere.
C.
Interacts with patients, family members, Medical Staff members, department
managers, and other staff on a continuous basis.
D.
Utilizes aseptic procedures and maintains aseptic precautions when involved in
direct patient contact or handling potentially infectious materials.
E.
Provides care appropriate for the neonate and the pediatric, adolescent and
geriatric patients served based on demonstrated knowledge of the principles of
growth and development over the life span.
F.
Assesses and interprets data on neonate and the pediatric, adolescent and geriatric
patients’ status to identify patients’ requirements relative to their age-specific
needs and provides care needed as stipulated in departmental policy.
G.
Provides care to patients based on standards recognized and approved by the
Administration, the physician, and the licensing authority.
H.
Administers medications in a safe manner that is acceptable to the State licensing
authority and is aware of consequences of failure to adhere to medication
administration standards. Consequences of failure to perform medication
administration in a safe manner may result in (but may not be limited to) Peer
Review, Reporting to State Board, performance restrictions or employment
termination.
Revised 09/30/2011
STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING:
I have read and understand the above JOB DESCRIPTION and understand the essential duties
outlined and required in this position. I understand that I should contact my Department
Manager if I have any questions or concerns regarding the job duties and requirements as
outlined above. I acknowledge that I have received a copy of this job description.
Employee Signature
Date
Department Manager Signature
Date
Revised 09/30/2011