Lead Licensed Vocational Nurse

The Position

The Lead Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) oversees the delivery of nursing services across Project 180’s DMH programs. The Lead LVN provides direct clinical care to clients—including administering long-acting injectable antipsychotics and TB tests—and assists prescribers with scheduling and pharmacy coordination. This position is responsible for delivering high-quality client care, ensuring service excellence, and coordinating care within a multidisciplinary treatment team.

Essential Functions

Direct Clinical Care & Client Support

• Administer prescribed injections and TB tests, perform urine drug screenings, assess for lice, scabies, and other health concerns, and provide initial response to medical emergencies, including appropriate documentation and follow-up with prescribers and treatment teams.
• Reinforce prescriber-provided education to clients regarding medication orders, purpose, dosages, and general health to encourage treatment adherence and consistent access to care.
• Complete laboratory testing requisition forms accurately as ordered, coordinating testing and follow-up care as appropriate.
• Maintain LA County LPS designation and current CPR certification to complete clinical risk assessments, safety planning, and facilitate psychiatric hospitalizations when indicated.

Medication Management & Pharmacy Coordination

• Coordinate with pharmacies and prescribers to confirm orders, secure medication refills, resolve fulfillment issues, and maintain seamless client access to prescribed medications.
• Manage scheduling for all injections administered at the DTLA clinic and provide backup scheduling support for injections administered at housing sites and psychiatric appointments.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and secure medication room, including medication and sample inventory, temperature monitoring, proper disposal, and participation in Medi-Cal medication room audits and CARF accreditation reviews.

Staff Supervision & Team Leadership

• Lead hiring, onboarding, initial and ongoing clinical training, competency evaluations, and regular supervision for assigned staff (1–2 LVNs and 1–2 reception staff).
• Drive staff performance through routine coaching, constructive feedback, weekly supervision, and annual performance reviews.
• Assist nursing staff in troubleshooting challenging client care situations via direct intervention, coaching, and supportive escalation.
• Monitor staff performance metrics and site outcomes to proactively resolve barriers, meet program goals, and cultivate a supportive team culture for staff retention.

Operational & Clinical Governance

• Ensure all clinical care, supervision, and service delivery adhere to legal, ethical, and LVN scope of practice standards.
• Apply a racial equity lens across all elements of direct clinical care and staff supervision.
• Build collaborative relationships with nursing leadership, program teams, and external partners (e.g., ODR, pharmacies) to resolve operational issues and streamline service delivery.
• Plan nursing coverage in coordination with the nursing supervisor and provide cross-coverage for other sites as needed.
• Complete daily medication and no-show appointment data entry (EXYM, medcall) and submit accurate billing records in a timely manner according to program standards.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Directly supervises 1–2 LVNs and 1–2 reception staff members.

Skills and Abilities

• Clinical Expertise: Demonstrates high-quality clinical care and service delivery.
• Empathetic Engagement: Builds strong, trusting relationships with clients.
• Collaboration: Works effectively within multidisciplinary teams to solve complex challenges.
• Adaptability: Flexibly adapts to changing client needs and dynamic environments.
• Critical Thinking: Demonstrates strong problem-solving skills and remains calm under pressure.
• Organization: Utilizes strong organizational systems with high attention to detail.
• Communication: Conveys information clearly, builds rapport, and engages effectively with clients and team members.