Licensed Vocational Nurse

Kaweah Health is a publicly owned, community healthcare organization that provides comprehensive health services to the greater Visalia area in central California. With more than 5,000 employees, Kaweah Health provides state-of-the-art medicine and high-quality preventive services in our acute care hospital, specialized health centers and clinics. Our eight-campus healthcare district has 613 beds and offers comprehensive health services across a broad continuum of care.

It takes a special person to work for Kaweah Health. We serve a region where the needs are great, which makes the rewards even greater. Every day, we care for people facing unique challenges and in need of healing. Throughout it all, our focus is to make a difference, and we do - in the health of our patients, our loved ones, and our community.

Benefits Eligible
Full-Time Benefit Eligible

Work Shift
Day - 12 Hour Shift (United States of America)

Department
6172 Medical/Surgical-3N

Under the direction of the registered nurse or other licensed independent practitioner, and within the LVN scope of practice, the purpose of this position is to protect and promote health, prevent illness and injury, and alleviate suffering by providing holistic care to patients and families served.

QUALIFICATIONS

License /Certification

Required:

CA Licensed Vocational Nurse

BLS
Intravenous therapy certification and Blood withdrawal certification within six months of hire/transfer.

Experience
Preferred: Hospital experience

Testing
For Chronic Disease Management Center: Requires successful completion of the Language Resource Assistant (LRA) test at a General level. LRA is a language assessment test that demonstrates written and oral interpretation/translation technique skills. Test will be administered if selected.

Department Specific Requirements

For SRCC and Float pool: requires Intravenous therapy certification and Blood withdrawal certification upon hire/transfer.

For Sub Acute: requires six months experience within the past two years working in a general acute care facility, or an acquired equivalent experience appropriate to the type of subacute patient the facility provides care for.

For Chronic Disease Management Center: requires bilingual in Spanish.

For Clinical Education/DSD: requires a minimum of one year experience in long term care. Prefer current State designation as a DSD.

For Kaweah Health Exeter Health Clinic: prefer bilingual in Spanish.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Essential

Practice is guided by the practice outlined by the LVN Board for State of California and as delegated by the RN.

Uses the results of quality of care/performance improvement activities to initiate changes in nursing practice.

Collects clinical data for the RN to monitor quality and effectiveness of nursing care.

Identifies aspects of care that are important for quality monitoring.

Acts as a patient/resident advocate under the direction of the RN.

Collaborates and communicates with the patient/resident, family, and other health care providers.

Makes referrals, including provisions for continuity of care, as needed.

Assists in development and implementation of policies, procedures, and practice guidelines to improve quality of care and nursing practice.

Participates on interdisciplinary teams.

Actions on behalf of patients/residents are determined in an ethical manner.

Maintains patient confidentiality and privacy within legal and regulatory parameters.

Delivers care in a nonjudgmental and nondiscriminatory manner that preserves patient autonomy, dignity and rights.

Addendum (essential for specific dept)

ENDOSCOPY ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR:

Assists in the management of patient undergoing endoscopic examination and/or treatment. Participates in preprocedural patient preparation. Gathers data pertinent to preprocedural assessment. Provides preprocedural explanation and education. Under direction of the physician, administers preprocedural and topical medications within the scope of practice. Assists physician during endoscopic procedure. Sets up appropriate equipment and instrumentation. Provides suctioning as appropriate. Assists in the monitoring of patient's vital signs. Handles all patient specimens safely. Assists in obtaining specimens. Accurately labels specimen with patient and tissue information. Delivers specimen to clinical laboratory. Manages equipment, instrumentation, and supplies to optimize patient safety and physician support. Makes sure appropriate supplies will be available to support patient care and physician need. Orders and restocks endoscopy supplies daily. Ensures appropriate tracking of inventory for turnover and charging. Assists in the maintenance of accurate documentation of all endoscopic activity.

KAWEAH HEALTH RURAL HEALTH CLINICS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR:

Verifies and signs off Medical Assistant calculation for approved medications to be administered by Medical Assistant. Responsible for refill authorization requisitions and prior authorization medication requests by submitting documentation to appropriate provider. Screens daily lab results by placing normal results in provider's box. Abnormal are given to provider with Medical Record immediately. Receives critical lab values over phone and notifies provider immediately and follows up per provider instruction. Obtains information from patient/caregiver and presents to provider for assessment. Orders medical supplies, medications, and vaccines from appropriate resources. Assists/performs in procedures under the guidelines of the LVN Board for State of California and in compliance with Kaweah Health policy. Maintain logs and generate reports as assigned (Q/A, Q/C & PI). Provides patient education. Documents on all required forms. Administers medications as directed by the physician under the guidelines of the California State Board of Nursing and in compliance with Kaweah Health Policy.

MENTAL HEALTH LIAISON:

Responds to inquiries about services within one working day. Provides program information in a professional and thorough manner. Develops a positive working relationship with all physicians and staff involved in the referral and patient transfer process. Upon receiving patient referrals, performs a site visit within 24 hours. Reviews medical information, and assesses patient based on relevant program admission criteria. Documents observations on appropriate forms. Discusses program and patient needs with patient, family, physicians and staff to obtain a complete patient profile. Involves all parties, but particularly the patient and/or family in the decision making process regarding transfer. Communicates with psychiatrists to make final determination regarding appropriateness of admission. Establishes the availability of funds for the services required. Communicates with patient and appropriate administrative and patient accounting personnel throughout the process. Communicates with patient, family, referral source, physician, and/or others as appropriate regarding admission process and date. Provides information regarding other options if admission is not possible. Communicates with unit staff and leadership concerning the admission date, bed needs, and special needs/equipment of patient to be admitted. Represents and markets the program(s) to the community.

CLINICAL EDUCATION/DSD:

Collaborates with Clinical Educator and department leadership to ensure competency of CNA staff members. Accurately maintains individual CNA and other staff member education files. Submits timely and accurate paperwork to the State for maintenance of CNA Continuing In-service Education. Provides ongoing education to staff based upon annual and ongoing written assessment. Identifies need for in-service and continued education through staff observation, information from Quality and Risk Management Departments, individual staff member performance improvement plan, professional practice standards and performance evaluations. In collaboration with Clinical Education and management, plans, implements and evaluates continuing education courses and in-service education for the CNAs and others as directed. Is knowledgeable of State and Federal regulations relating to orientation, in-service and ongoing training requirements for CNAs. Designs, develops, reviews and revises orientation tools and processes for newly hired/transferred staff as appropriate. Organizes, develops and evaluates orientation plans for newly hired staff members.

SEQUOIA REGIONAL CANCER CENTER (SRCC):

Sets up procedure areas appropriately based on patient visit needs.

Performs initial nursing intake.

Prepares patients for examination reviewing current medications and documents in the medical record.

Provides basic patient care and treatments such as taking vital signs, phlebotomy and specimen collection.

Collaborates with the interdisciplinary team on patient's plan of care.

Accesses or deaccesses patient's Port-a-Cath for treatment.

Administers oncological medications and provides intravenous hydration.

Additional

Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care and services appropriate to the population served on the assigned unit or work area. Knowledgeable of growth and development for all patient/family cultural, linguistic, spiritual, gender, and age specific needs. Able to effectively communicate and care for patient and family as reflected in the Plan for Provision of Care.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Pay Range
$30.17 -$45.26

If you want to use your talents alongside people who face each day with courage and purpose, in an environment that empowers you to do your absolute best, this is where you belong.

---