Licensed Practical Nurse

Summary of Duties:

Responsible for contributing to the nursing assessment, patient admissions, participating in the development and modification of the plan of care, participating in the implementation of the plan of care, and contributing to the evaluation of the responses of patients to nursing interventions. Under the direction and supervision of a Registered Nurse, administers nursing care to patients regardless of race, religion, sex, national origin, and handicap.

Essential Job Functions:

• Contributes to nursing assessment by collecting, reporting, and recording objective and subjective data.
• Observes and reports changes in condition of patients and signs and symptoms of deviations from normal health status.
• Participates in the development and modification of the Nursing Care Plan by providing data. Uses data collected to plan and prioritize work.
• Documents the involvement of patient/family/significant other in the medical record.
• Contributes to the identification of appropriate nursing interventions to maintain comfort, support human functions and responses.
• Assists with discharge planning.
• Performs assigned nursing procedures for the comfort and well being of patients.
• Assists patients with ambulation.
• Assists physicians and nurses with special procedures.
• Assists with prescribed exercises, turning, massages, backrubs, and repositioning of patients.
• Monitors and records vital signs, neurological and neurovascular checks, identifies and reports abnormalities.
• Performs 12 lead EKG. Applies electrodes to patients requiring cardiac monitoring and documents appropriately.
• Interprets cardiac rhythm correctly to include: sinus rhythm, bradycardia, tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, ventricular flutter, and ventricular fibrillation.
• Prepares patient for meals and assists or feeds patients as needed. Verifies placement of feeding tubes and administers tube feedings.
• Monitors oxygen therapy for safety and effectiveness.
• Assists with nursing care procedures such as endotracheal or nasopharyngeal suctioning, intubation, extubation, and peritoneal dialysis as appropriate.
• Cares for elimination needs including enemas, irrigations, ostomy care, and urinary catheterizations.
• Collects and properly labels various types of specimens. Delivers appropriately if necessary.
• Monitors and records patient's fluid balance (intake and output).
• Assists with I.V. therapy on hospital policy and Alabama Board of Nursing (ABN) Scope of Practice guidelines. Performs venipunctures. Discontinues I.V. and Heparin lock at peripheral sites. Performs site care and I.V. tubing changes. Maintains nasogastric (NG) tubes per hospital policy and ABN guidelines. Properly labels and hangs peripheral I.V. fluids. Labels all I.V. tubing.
• Administers medications in accordance with policies and legal limitations. Documents according to policy and procedure. Observes patients for reactions to drugs and reports as needed.
• Applies various treatments, dressings, or corrective devices as ordered.
• Assures all restraint orders are properly written and renewed prior to expiration. Assists other staff with identifying alternatives to restraint use and assists with reducing/eliminating restraint use.
• Monitors and records blood glucose accurately via glucometer.
• Transcribes physicians' orders onto MAR Kardex. Implements order following review and verification by Registered Nurse.
• Documents nursing interventions and responses to care (patient progress, medications, treatments, signs and symptoms, intake and output, vital signs, serial blood sugars, ventilator parameters, and other pertinent observations).
• Explains nursing interventions and provides appropriate education (medication, procedures, diagnosis related, equipment, safety, etc.) to patient and/or responsible person, according to their predetermined level of comprehension, and documents on appropriate records.
• Performs phlebotomy and collects laboratory specimens according to established standards.
• Monitors patient's skin integrity, reports abnormal findings, and assists with follow-up orders and wound care.
• Assesses the patient for pain using a 1-10 pain rating scale or other rating method and intervenes promptly and appropriately for any identified pain.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education:

Must be currently licensed as an LPN by the State of Alabama.

Experience:

Minimum of one year experience, hospital experience strongly preferred.