Licensed Practical Nurse

Facility: Northwest Georgia Oncology Centers Wellstar

Job Summary: The LPN works under the direction of the direction of a Registered Nurse or Nurse Manager and functions within the LPN Scope of Practice. In this role the LPN is responsible for additional duties to include but not limited to navigating patient care in collaboration with the provider, managing narcotic inquiries and oral oncolytics in collaboration with the provider, and verbal triaging patient concerns with plan of care. Additionally, the triage LPN plays a consultative role to the patients in collaboration with the provider. This includes age-appropriate interventions that meet physical, emotional, developmental, psychosocial, and educational needs. The LPN is responsible for coordination and delivery of high-quality care. Includes preparing patient for exams, assisting during treatments, coordinating tests and follow-up care, and recording treatment in medical record. The Triage LPN role serves to field patient calls, receive, and enter written orders, send refill requests, administer injections, and acts as the frequent communication person between providers and patients. Assists with patient and family education. They are responsible for attending and participating in staff meetings, in-services, special projects, and continued education. Performs other duties as necessary. In this role they can serve as a preceptor for newly hired LPN colleagues. Core Responsibilities and Essential Functions: DIRECT PATIENT CARE - Assesses and assists with managing patients total needs following physician orders with RN oversight and utilization of nursing process - Responsible for nurse visits and triage schedule. The triage nurse is responsible for the assessment and patient evaluation related to lab values, administers medications and treatments in accordance with the patient's plan of care. Including but not limited to lab draws, subcutaneous and IM injections, central line care, nadir checks, and PT INR follow up visits. Reports assessment and coordinates with physician or midlevel regarding patient status and received orders to follow. - Trained to provide PICC line care and responsible for the weekly and as needed dressing changes for patients that require PICC line care. - Performs routine nursing procedures to meet the need of the patient under the supervision of RN - Meets established productivity standards. - Demonstrates knowledge and skill in accessing de-accessing ports including flushing the line and sterile technique - Demonstrates knowledge and skill in medication administration as defined within scope for WHS - Seeks training, supervision or direction from leadership as needed - May delegate tasks to unlicensed staff, as appropriate and within their scope of practice. - Provides relationship-based patient centered care that is consistent with population specific characteristics (e.g. age, gender, disease, etc.) in a culturally sensitive manner. - Always partners with the patient, significant others and/or family (as appropriate) to promote a comfortable and safe environment for the delivery of care, making the patients goals the focus of the plan of care. - Sends in refill medication requests which are either sent to the medical team via in-basket cue or phone calls. COORDINATION OF SERVICES FOR EPISODE OF CARE - Coordinates care and services with RN and other team members - Informs RN, physician, midlevel and/or clinical supervisor or manager of changes in patients condition, as appropriate - Collaborates with RN to develop and revise individual plan of care based on patient need and physician order - Communicates significant findings, abnormal test results called in, problems, or changes in patient condition to the physician or midlevel provider of the medical oncology care team. - Coordinate completion of all non-chemotherapy free drug program documents and fax accordingly. - Handles referrals and inquiries for services, rapidly identifies the caller's needs, and takes proper action to assure the caller's needs are handled. - Organize, route to provider, and ensure completion of all non-chemo medication prior authorization documents and forms. Complete prior authorization online documents and follow up to ensure approval or denial. PATIENT / CAREGIVER EDUCATION - Serves as patient educator to foster self- care or caregiver support for the patient - Utilizes teach back to ensure patient and/or caregiver understand self-care - Communicates information received from providers and midlevel to the patients via phone calls. STAFF EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT - Participates in the orientation and education of new employees and nursing students as appropriate - Responsible for attending continuing education and in-services as directed and needed - Accepts responsibility to remain current in clinical knowledge for the care of the oncology patient COMMUNICATION AND DOCUMENTATION - Responsible for accurate completion of required documentation within established timeframe - Demonstrates knowledge and appropriate application of regulatory guidelines - Responsible for checking voice mail box when working as triage, returning patient phone calls, and follow up calls as appropriate. - Responsible for checking work email daily - Manages the oral oncolytic refills for patients that are on oral chemotherapeutics. Triage nurse is responsible for making sure medication is released, sends these refill request to specialty pharmacies to get orders appropriately managed. Follows up to ensure that these are approved and if not follow up with business office and provider. - Manages the prior authorization for certain medications excluding chemotherapy medications. Triage nurse manages Cover my Meds cue and collaborates with insurance providers to obtain approval of medications. - Manages the delivery of sample medications for patients. Makes sure that appropriate paperwork is filled out to get the patient qualified to receive samples and schedules pick up for the patient. - Assist patients with filling out paperwork regarding leave of absence, free drug programs, and financial assistance programs as needed. - The triage nurse is responsible for managing the following EPIC in baskets cues: - Result notes. Follows up with the provider and provides information to the patient as directed. - Prescription Requests from pharmacy and patient request. Orders the refills and sends to pharmacy. - Patient calls. Messages from providers regarding information needed to be provided to the patient. The triage nurse is then responsible for following up with the patient as directed by the provider. - Staff messages, CCd charts, and Lab result notes. Sent to the triage nurse from the provider to follow up with patient regarding results. - INR reminders. This cue is set to provide reminders for the triage nurse to follow up with the patients regarding getting an INR nurse visit scheduled and completed. - Order Information cue. Once the oral oncolytic treatments are approved by the business office this is forwarded to the triage nurse via the oral information cue. The triage nurse then forwards these oral oncolytic orders to the appropriate pharmacy. - Patient advice request. Online messages sent by the patient. Triage nurse is responsible for the acknowledging receipt of the message, following up with provider as needed, and responding to the patient either via my chart message or phone call. - Oncolytic treatment status. Cue used to communicate with triage nurses and providers to provide updates on approval status for new treatment plans placed. Required Minimum Education: Graduate from a practical Required or vocational nursing program. Required Required Minimum License(s) and Certification(s): All certifications are required upon hire unless otherwise stated.

• Lic Practical Nurse
• Basic Life Support or BLS - Instructor
  
  

Additional License(s) and Certification(s): Required Minimum Experience: Minimum 1 year LPN experience Required Required Minimum Skills: Positive leadership, problem solving skills, strong organizational and time management skills. Strong assessment and clinical skills. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Use of Windows based computer, utilizing home health patient software, email, internet, computer-based learning modules, etc.

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