What are the responsibilities and job description for the Licensed Practical Nurse - PRN position at Brightwell Behavioral Health?
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) provides nursing care to patients in Brightwell’s programs under the supervision and assignment of the Registered Nurse (RN). The LPN ensures that patient care is delivered according to established nursing standards and assists in maintaining a safe and therapeutic environment.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Status as a Licensed Practical Nurse in the State of Michigan.
- Two years of experience in nursing, with oneadditionalyear of experience in psychiatric nursing (preferred).
REQUIREMENTS FOR POSITION:
- Hearing:Hearing acuity sufficient to perform job functions.
- Speaking:Able to articulate goals andobjectivesofTrilliumand effectively present information to management, committees, staff, patients, families, and regulatory agencies.
- Vision:Normal visual acuity.
- Writing:Strong written communication skills for patient documentation, performance improvement activities, and reporting.
- Other:Problem-solving, organizational, leadership, crisis resolution, and patient education skills.
AGE OF PATIENTS SERVED AND AGE-SPECIFIC TECHNOLOGY:
- Adult Population:Age 18 and up
- Sufficient knowledge of growth and development toassistpatients through Development Tasks of Young Adulthood, Middle Adulthood, and Late Adulthood.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The duties listed below describe the general nature and level of work performed by the Licensed Practical Nurse. This list is not exhaustive, and additional duties may be assigned by the supervising Nurse (RN, Charge Nurse, or Nurse Manager) to meet the needs of Brightwell.
- Assumes duties under the direction of the supervising Nurse as outlined in policies and procedures.
- Administers medication to patients and monitors for any side effects or adverse reactions, reporting them to the supervising Nurse.
- Provides patient education related to medications and general health maintenance.
- Identifiesmedical problems and reports them to the supervising Nurse.
- Assistsin procedures and physical exams, providing general nursing care to patients with medical issues.
- Assistswith infection control education and general health maintenance.
- Identifiessensory perceptual issues in patients, including illusions, delusions, and hallucinations, and takes necessary actions to prevent harm, informing the supervising Nurse.
- Observes patient behavior, documenting asrequired, and communicates concerns to the supervising Nurse.
- Assistsin admissions, discharges, and transfers, completing necessary documentationin a timely manner.
- Assistswith applying protective devices as needed and completes proper documentation.
- Assistspatients with activities of daily living and encourages independence whereappropriate.
- Observes patients during meals andreportsconcerns to the supervising Nurse.
- Identifiesand applies de-escalation techniques to manage potential aggression.
- Intervenes in crisis situations tomaintainsafety and de-escalate disturbed patients.
- Participates in staff development programs and keeps the supervising Nurse informed of any challenges.
- Maintains current BLS/CPR certification and Non-Violent Crisis Interventioncertification.
- Attends unit staff meetings and completes mandatory training.
- AssistsBHTs and other non-professional staff whenrequired.
- Performs other duties as requested by the supervising Nurse.