LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE (LPN)

Reports to: Director of Nursing (DON)

Classification: Non-exempt

Position Summary

The LPN provides licensed nursing services to the assisted living residents. This position may be required to supervise other staff positions. The LPN interacts with residents in a manner that displays warmth and promotes a caring environment to ensure the highest quality of living.

Essential Job Duties

• This position is a Safety Sensitive Position. The essential functions, physical demands and mental competencies of this job require the employee maintain the ability to work in a constant state of alertness in a safe manner.

• Administer and document medication and treatments per the physician’s order and accurately record all care provided
• Identify resident problems and emergency situations and initiate immediate “life saving” measures in the absence of a physician.
• Provide direct nursing care and provide clinical supervision of nursing assistants working with residents assigned on your unit to provide direct care.

• Contributes to continuity of care and effective communication by reporting care provided and changes in the resident/patient's condition to the primary nurse or designee in a timely manner. May participate in routine activities of resident’s care activities, including daily living and basic nursing procedures.
• Assisting residents with lifts, moves and transports, using proper body mechanics or lifting devices for accident prevention.
• Responding to inquiries relating to requests from residents, visitors and other personnel promptly and courteously within given time frames and established policy
• Is knowledgeable of the individualized care plan for residents, and provides support to the residents according to their care plan. Contributes to the care planning process by providing the charge nurse or other care planning staff with specific information and observations of the residents’ needs and preferences.
• Communicates and interacts effectively and tactfully with the residents, visitors, families, peers and supervisors promoting a homelike environment.
• Fully understands all aspects of residents’ rights, including the right to be free of restraints and free of abuse. Is responsible for promptly reporting to the charge nurse or administrative staff incidents or evidence of resident abuse or violation of residents’ rights.
• Performs all job responsibilities in accordance with prescribed safety and infection control procedures, including thorough hand washing, use of disposable gloves where indicated and proper disposal of soiled materials. Also providing care that maintains each resident’s skin integrity to prevent pressure ulcers, skin tears and other damage by changing incontinent residents, turning, repositioning immobile residents and by applying moisturizers to fragile skin and other areas.
• Performs various tasks assigned by the charge nurse, including checking vital signs, weighing residents, applying creams/ointments and collecting specimens.
• Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities of this job at any time; therefore, this job description is subject to change at any time.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or general education diploma (GED) is required.
• Current Arkansas State License in Nursing required.
• One year prior nursing experience preferred.
• Must meet all healthcare requirements, including Tuberculosis skin test.
• Must be in positive standing with all healthcare agencies, including the Employment Clearance Registry and Adult Maltreatment Registry.
• Assisted Living Facility experience preferred.

Mental Demands:

Work requires adherence to precise procedures and standards involving a high degree of accuracy in observing, recording and reporting data. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate and exchange information accurately.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Must not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals in the workplace.

This position is very active and requires frequent standing/walking, bending/stooping, lifting/handling, pushing/pulling and occasional carrying. The employee must frequently lift or move objects and patients weighing over 50 pounds and the frequency of treatments may vary from resident to resident. Occasionally the feet and legs are used in the motion to release and lock brakes of wheelchairs and beds.