Licensed Practical Nurse (3rd shift)

Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Implement patient care in an assigned patient load.
• Observe, document, and monitor each patient's psychiatric and physical changes and responses to treatment under the direction of the registered nurse (RN).
• Identify potential patient care problems, abrupt changes or impending instability in the patient's condition, and exercise appropriate intervention leadership to prevent adverse patient outcomes.
• Use appropriate de-escalation techniques: quiet room, locked seclusion, or restraints.
• Identify alcohol withdrawal syndrome.
• Identify significant cardiac and/or respiratory symptoms requiring immediate medical intervention.
• Implement patient care based on established care plans, Hospital policies and procedures, and unit standards of care, incorporating the patient's age-specific and cultural needs as appropriate.
• Provide care in complex patient situations under the standards of the State that they provide care in; under the general supervision of the R.O, physician or other State approved medical professional.
• Participate in the patient nursing assessment process.
• Obtain and process physician orders.
• Complete medication reconciliation orders and create treatment plan.
• Maintain integrity of tube feedings by preparing tube feeding dosages according to physician order.
• Administer bolus for tube feeding patients.
• Demonstrate safe and correct medication administration by ensuring accuracy in medication administration: right patient, right medication, right dose, right time, and right route.
• Maintain current knowledge of the medication's purpose and effects for each patient, as demonstrated by correct documentation of medication, as well as observations about responses to medication.
• Accurately transcribe and implement physician medication orders, after RN approval of the order.
• Maintain a continual awareness of monitoring the expected and unexpected medication efforts including adverse drug reactions, drug/drug or drug/food interactions, or other unexpected consequences of the medication.
• Regularly conduct and document patient education about medications and obtain medication consent.
• Maintain current knowledge about new pharmacologic products, including new medications or medications with new uses/therapeutic action.
• Know the various program schedules and assist patients in maintaining these schedules.
• Care for patients' hygienic and physical environment needs and for patients' personal belongings.
• Employ established systems to monitor the location of all patients in assigned areas.
• Accompany patients to meals, monitor their behavior, and record their food intake, as directed.
• Act as an advocate for patients/residents.
• Explain patient's rights so that they can understand and obtain appropriate signatures.
• Provide the patient with information and obtain their signature on necessary consents.
• Use knowledge of patient rights to assist patients in resolution of complaints / grievances.
• Act as a patient advocate, use knowledge of patient rights and responsibilities, and protect patient's privacy and confidentiality.
• Assist in the patient orientation process.
• Know and employ Hospital policies and procedures regarding unit safety, the necessity of gown/contraband search on admission, and carry out the process in a respectful manner.
• Remain sensitive to the individual patient/family stressors upon admission, while providing pertinent unit information.
• Adhere to the nursing department and Hospital's Standards of Nursing Practice and Standards of Patient Care.
• Protect patients, visitors, and staff from environmental hazards by adhering to the safety and infection control standards.
• Participate in continuing education and inservice programs to increase clinical competence and to meet professional needs and goals.
• Report information obtained from continuing education programs to unit staff.
• Attend 100% of required inservices, as scheduled.
• Participate in projects, tasks, and continuing education opportunities to improve professional skills and unit/department systems.
• Develop goals and objectives for professional growth and discuss ways to achieve them with the Clinical Services manager.
• Take the initiative to develop professional skills through continuing education.
• Discuss, on a regular basis, progress toward work improvement goals with the Clinical Services manager.
• Seek out projects and/or extra tasks to complete, based upon the needs of the unit or the immediate shift.
• Promote department goals and the mission of the Hospital.
• Communicate goals to fellow staff members.
• Demonstrate measurable goal achievement.
• Maintain department policies and procedures.
• Include requirements and guidelines from external agencies (i.e., Joint Commission and State of Wisconsin).
• Maintain and/or communicate the function backlog to the appropriate party at a set timeframe.
• Educate new staff regarding regulations or requirements of those functions that relate to their areas or departments, as directed.
• Demonstrate acceptance and training of student interns in the department, as directed.
• Demonstrate understanding of Joint Commission and other regulatory agency compliance regulations.
• Involve self in the learning and the application of standards relevant to the Nursing department.
• Participate in inservices/seminars and other meetings, to increase involvement and awareness of regulations.
• Involve self in the education of other disciplines regarding Nursing department regulations.
• Participate in Hospital committees, performance improvement team meetings and team projects, as directed.
• Demonstrate punctuality and preparedness.
• Demonstrate effective communication and organizational skills, if applicable.
• Contribute in a positive, solution-focused manner.
• Contribute to the Hospital and Nursing department's performance improvement plans.
• Conduct self in a professional manner.
• Demonstrate organizational skills that promote timely response to all inquiries and to task completion.
• Communicate with all individuals in a positive and professional manner.
• Attempt to resolve individual issues with peers in a positive, calm manner, with a focus on solution.
• Communicate concerns and provide solutions for same.
• Attend outside seminars to promote professional growth.
• Demonstrate a positive and professional attitude toward parties outside the Hospital (patient families, visitors, vendors, etc.).
• Comply with the Hospital's policies and procedures, including Human Resources, Infection Control and Employee Health policies and programs.
• Project a professional image by wearing appropriate, professional attire.

Education/Training Requirements

• Licensed Practical Nurse licensed by Wisconsin State Board of Nursing or the State of the Rogers clinical facility.
• License must be in 'good standing' with the Wisconsin State Board of Nursing or the State they practice.
• American Heart Association Healthcare Provider CPR certification or American Red Cross Professional Rescue is required within thirty (30) days of date-of-hire. Annual re-certification is required.
• Formal training in management of the aggressive patient within sixty (60) days of date-of-hire. Annual re-certification is required.
• Previous psychiatric experience with children, adolescents and adults is preferred.