Licensed Vocational Nurse

(FULL-TIME & PART-TIME)

Sonoma Specialty Hospital, as the county's only Long-Term Acute Care Hospital, is dedicated to caring for patients that require an extended acute care stay due to severe illness or catastrophic injury. We accept patients from the ICU, Step-Down and Telemetry units of partner hospitals and continue their care for as long as 45 days. This care focuses on the challenges of getting patients off of ventilator support, healing severe wounds, aiding their recovery following surgical procedures, and providing rehabilitation to speed their return to daily life. Our Hospital provides ICU, Surgical, and Step-Down care with dialysis, multi-specialty therapies and ongoing planning for the patient's transition back home or into a lower level of care. Please contact us with any questions, and welcome to Sonoma Specialty Hospital.

Job Summary :

Using independent and interdependent judgment, the Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) maintains the delivery of quality care by assuring the nursing care plan is followed. In collaboration with the physician, the LVN assures implementation of the assessment plan, evaluation, and follows up of the plan of care for the patient population.

Education and / or Experience :

• A valid temporary or permanent CA State Practical / Vocational Nurse License.
• BLS certification required.
• ACLS certification required.

Experience Required :

• One year of experience as an LVN in an acute care facility is preferred.
• The individual must have strong interpersonal skills, the ability to manage multiple priorities, be dedicated to providing quality patient care, and use sound judgment in decision-making.

Duties and Responsibilities (include, but are not limited to the following) :

RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE PATIENT

• Participates in an ongoing systematic assessment of the physical, emotional, social, educational, and functional needs of the patient / family through interview, observation, and physical examination.

Provides plans, coordinates, or manages nursing care, services, and health education to patients / residents.

• Interprets assessment data and information to develop a nursing care plan, which contains problem identification, nursing diagnosis, nursing orders, approaches, interventions, short / long term goals, and discharge planning.

Develops nursing care plan utilizing nursing diagnosis

• Assesses safety and fall risk levels for patients
• Assures that medical orders are transcribed and processed accurately and integrates the medical care plan into the provision of nursing care.
• Assures medication is correct and according to the established nursing policies and procedures.

Look up unfamiliar medications

• Processes medication orders
• Administers medications as ordered
• Evaluate the effectiveness of PRN medications
• Verbalizes process for self-administered medications
• Provides for personal and environmental safety in accordance with hospital and nursing policies and procedures
• Demonstrates skills in handling emergency and life-threatening situations

Locates and uses crash cart items

• Calls Code Blue and Medical Emergency
• Initiates CPR
• Follows P&P and POLST
• Assures that documents in the medical record are complete, factual, accurate, and timely.

Documents, materials, and equipment used.

• Verbalizes method to noting orders.
• Documents discharge in chart.
• Initiates and updates care plan as appropriate.
• Provides discharge instructions.
• Completes interagency transfer form.
• Provides nursing care to meet patient needs

Performs a complete head-to-toe assessment of each assigned patient per shift using proper documentation tools.

• Acts promptly on changes in patient condition, utilizing the SBAR method.
• Review lab and test results, notifying physicians of abnormal and critical results.
• Performs wound care following policy, utilizing proper documentation tools.
• Performs basic ventilator management and troubleshooting.

RESPONSIBILITIES TO UNIT STAFF

• Provides direction and leadership in patient care to assigned personnel.

Acts as a team leader and guides unlicensed personnel.

• Makes assignments for the team.
• Prioritizes activities and plans for effective use of time for patient needs.
• Communicates the nursing care plan for each patient through reports, conferences, rounds, and patient care records.

Shift to shift report and shift huddle with aides.

• Delegates tasks to aides; monitors to ensure delegated tasks are completed appropriately.
• Demonstrates responsibility for the teaching of nursing assistants in areas of new techniques, policies, and procedures.

Preceptor

• Participates in the quality improvement activities of nursing.

Attends appropriate meetings.

• Communicates identified learning needs of self and others to the DON.
• Assists the DON in the orientation of new staff.
• Adheres to established policies and procedures of the hospital and Nursing Department.
• Actively participates on nursing committees.
• Performs other duties as assigned or requested.

RESPONSIBILITIES TO SELF

• Evaluate own performance and seek opportunities for growth and expansion of skills.
• Takes initiative in upgrading and maintaining skills necessary to provide quality care to provide quality care to patients and leadership to assigned staff.
• Acquires continuing education sufficient to maintain licensure and certification

Maintains current nursing licensure

• Provides Human Resources and DON with a copy of the current nursing license.
• Maintains required competencies
• Completes assigned program tracks assigned by DON / DSD.
• Completes appropriate level of Clinical Advancement within the established timeframes.
• Membership in appropriate professional organizations.
• Assumes responsibility for maintaining / enhancing physical health and alleviating stress

Attendance

• Demonstrates competency in a variety of nursing skills as demonstrated and evaluated on at least an annual basic.
• Displays a "customer service" attitude toward patients, visitors, and other staff members.

Demonstrates basic telephone skills (how to answer, place on hold, and transfer a call.)

• Utilizes intercom.
• Demonstrates how to page physicians or others on call.
• Abides by all safety, infection control, and other guidelines as required.

Follows guidelines for caring for patients in isolation.

• Utilizes hand-washing techniques.
• Cleans equipment between patient usages.
• Reports personal symptoms of a suspected illness or contagious disease to the Employee Health Nurse.
• Demonstrated knowledge of universal blood and body fluid precautions.
• Promotes an ethic of continuous quality improvement in all matters associated with the position and documents specific quality improvement implementation.
• Performs all other tasks and duties as may be assigned.

Other Skills and Abilities :

• Has initiative in organizing work and completing assignments.
• Cooperates with staff to maintain a well-organized department.
• Demonstrates professional etiquette at all times.
• Is willing to accept direction from the team leader.
• Maintains tactful and cheerful relationships with patients and visitors. Must use tact in dealing with relatives and friends of patients, including respecting patient confidentiality.
• Must read, speak, write, and comprehend English.
• Computer skills required. Basic math knowledge, including addition, subtraction and multiplication.

Supervisory Requirements (if applicable) : None

Safety Requirements :

Employees are responsible for all aspects of the hospital safety and health program, including compliance with safety rules and regulations, remedying unsafe working conditions, and for continuously practicing safety while performing duties. Sonoma Specialty Hospital policy prohibits employees with patient contact or those who prepare products for patient use from wearing artificial nails.

Physical Demands :

The physical demands described here are representative of those that an employee to perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Movement within the hospital complex environment.
• Ability to write by hand and use keyboard and mouse extensively to perform general office functions.
• Ability to communicate by speech and hearing continuously.
• Must have visual acuity near and far (20 inches to 20 feet), depth perception, field of vision, ability to focus on an object, ability to identify and distinguish colors.
• Ability to sit and stand for extended periods.
• Ability to occasionally stoop, kneel, crouch, and walk
• Ability to grasp, hold, pick up, and reach with hands and arms
• Ability to occasionally lift and carry up to 25 pounds (periodic lifting of supplies or equipment)

It is the policy of Sonoma Specialty Hospital not to discriminate against any applicant for employment, or any employee because of age, color, sex, disability, national origin, race, religion, or veteran status.