Charge Nurse

PRIMARY DUTY

The primary purpose of the Charge Nurse (LPN) position is to participate in and oversee the provision of resident care as prescribed by the attending physician, consistent with accepted standards of care, and within the scope of LPN training and licensure. At times, this position will be responsible for providing care directly to the residents and/or overseeing the care by a Certified Nursing Assistant to ensure that the highest practical well- being is maintained by the resident.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS include the following. Other duties may be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Assures resident care is delivered in accordance with accepted standards of practice
  
  • Makes rounds to inspect facilities and evaluate resident needs
  • Assists in collection and documentation of data relevant to resident assessment and evaluation
  • Maintains appropriate quality assurance logs for any equipment necessary for the delivery of quality nursing care
  • Maintains accurate medication/narcotic count/records
  • Identifies and secures equipment and supplies
• Implements and evaluates a resident's care plan, making recommendations as needed to the Director of Nursing
• Performs routine and technical nursing care as needed, including, but not limited to:
  
  • Completes assignment sheet for aides
  • Receives reports from aides on resident conditions
  • Prepares, administers and records medications in accordance with facility policy
  • Monitors and records vital signs
  • Collects lab sample and performs simple lab tests on samples per facility policy
  • Prepares residents for medical treatments, examinations and tests, explaining the procedures and their purpose
  • Administers prescribed emergency care
  • Answers residents' call-lights and determines how to assist them as needed
  • Monitors, records and reports symptoms and changes in residents' conditions
  • Provides input for the development of individualized care plans and implements accordingly
• Maintains accurate, detailed reports and records
  • Record residents' medical information and vital signs
  • Documents nursing history and gathers data with regard to physical condition for assigned residents
• Assures that any resident's accident or incident is fully documented and reported in accordance with Facility Policy and State/Federal guidelines and regulations
• Assures that each resident's attending physician and family or responsible party is promptly notified of any significant change in the residents health condition
• Represents facility in communication with families and referral agencies in person and using the telephone
• Facilitates and coordinates resident admissions/discharges and transfers
• May be required to be "on-call" periodically or as specifically needed by facility
• Understands and reviews the facility's Healthcare Clinical Policies and Procedures and Safety Guidelines
• Reports any issues or problems that may arise to the Director of Nursing and/or Administrator
• Complies with state, federal, and all other applicable health care and safety standards
• Assists families and other visitors as needed
• Attends/completes required in-services and other required meetings
• Performs other duties as directed

EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE an equivalent combination of education, training and experience will be considered.

• Graduate from an accredited nursing program; minimum of 5 years of previous long-term care experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Must be licensed in the applicable state as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)

SUPERVISORY REQUIREMENTS of this position are generally as follows:

• Oversees the activities of non-licensed nursing employees under the direction of the Director of Nursing and/or Assistant Director of Nursing
• Carries out supervisory responsibilities, including, but not limited to, interviewing and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; rewarding employees; and addressing complaints and resolving problems; may provide recommendations of particular weight in hiring, appraising performance, discipline and termination decisions

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES which may be representative but not all inclusive of those commonly associated with this position.

• Language Ability - Reads and interprets documents. Ability to write complex reports and correspondence
  • Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; able to read and interpret written information
  • Verbal Communication - Talks to others to convey information effectively
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar
• Math Ability: Knowledge of mathematics, statistics and their applications
• Reasoning Ability: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving complex variables
• Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job
• Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles for providing customer and personal services. This includes needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction
• Medicine - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to assess and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems
• Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem
• Delegation - Sets expectations and monitors delegated activities
• Quality Management - Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness
• Organizational Support - Follows policies and procedures; completes tasks correctly and on time
• Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; changes approach or method to best fit the situation; Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events
• Planning/Organizing - Prioritizes and plans work activities; advises for additional resources
• Attendance/Punctuality - Ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; arrives at meetings and appointments on time
• Dependability - Commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals; completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan
• Professionalism - Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; accepts responsibility for own actions

COMPUTER SKILLS/EQUIPMENT USED TO PERFORM THE JOB which may be representative but not all inclusive of those commonly associated with this position.

• Desktop/Notebook computers
• MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
• Various medical equipment

WORK ENVIRONMENT environmental or atmospheric conditions commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job.

• The employee is occasionally required to wear protective clothing
• The employee may be exposed to blood, bodily fluids, odors, airborne particles, dust or fumes, and toxic or caustic chemicals
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate

PHYSICAL ABILITIES commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to talk or hear, stand, walk, sit, stoop, kneel or crouch, use hands to use hands to grasp, manipulate or feel objects and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to taste or smell
• The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds unassisted. May be required to lift and/or move up to 150 pounds with assistance
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust and focus

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