Practical Nurse

Summary

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) are technically proficient in initiating, performing, and completing a broad range of practical nursing care assignments to acutely and chronically ill patients with medical and psychiatric illnesses that usually change within a predicable range.

Duties

Functions/Activities

• Provides direct patient/resident care in a variety of settings, including acute medical and mental health units, community living center, residential rehabilitation and ambulatory care under the direction of a licensed physician or Registered Nurse.
• Provides basic practical nursing care to patients with uncomplicated medical and psychiatric illnesses.

Clinical Responsibilities

• Accurately collects, reports, and records appropriate patient care data to contribute to the nursing assessment.
• Serves as a member of the interdisciplinary team; understands patients' biopsychosocial needs for the purpose of providing care and input to treatment plans.
• Identifies and reports signs and symptoms of deviation from normal health status and changes in patient condition. Is able to identify potential suicide risks in patients and reports to RN or provider.
• Prepares and administers prescribed medications in accordance with established policy and procedure and observes, reports, and documents patients' response to medications.
• Establishes effective and therapeutic relations with and proves nursing care to acute and chronically ill patients with both medical and mental health conditions.
• Recognizes expected outcomes of interventions and reports, records, and exchanges information with members of the treatment team.
• Reinforces and reiterates instructions previously presented by a Registered Nurse or physicians.
• Promotes environmental safety, security, and patient confidentiality. Recognizes and reports unsafe equipment or situations and follows policy and procedure to assure personal and patient safety during patient care activities.
• Maintains therapeutic interpersonal relationships with patients and co-workers.
• Demonstrates flexibility and willingness to participate in and adapt to an everchanging health care environment.
• Conducts reassessments and inspections according to policy, such as skin, pain fall and PRN, without waiting for RN to direct.
• Performs Foley catheter insertions, maintaining sterile technique, manages supra
• pubic urinary catheters appropriately and performs IV site management to include
• dressing change. With valid state certification, LPN will perform IV insertions
• utilizing aseptic techniques. Manages IV medication administration appropriately.
• Performs patient suctions when directed.
• Performs PEG tube management.
• Serves as a resource for lower grade LPNs.

Administrative Responsibilities

• Enters specific information into the patient's electronic record using appropriate formats, medical terminology, and templates. This information must be entered in a complete, confidential, and professional manner to insure information on the patient is shared with other VA staff. This information is to be reviewed on a regular basis.
• Establishes and maintains positive working relationships with employees, volunteers, consumers and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies. Attendance of all appropriate staff meetings (interdisciplinary treatment team meetings, other committees as appropriate, etc.) is necessary.
• Identifies process and quality improvement opportunities and contributes to changes in processes through data collection.
• Additional duties may be required to be performed, as needed.

Work Schedule: Mon-Wed 08:00-4:30pm, Thu 08:00-2:30pm

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 51602-A, 51603-A, 51604-A, 51605-A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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