Licensed Vocational Nurse

Job Code: LVN - 112
Revision Date: November 15, 2022

Starting Salary: $19.52 hourly; $40,606 annually
FLSA: Non-Exempt

Overview

We are an agency committed to innovative behavioral health services in trauma-informed care that promote healing and recovery to instill a sense of empowerment and foster a lifelong sense of resilience.

General Description

The purpose of this job is to collaborate closely with Registered Nurse to plan, implement, and evaluate psychiatric and medical needs of consumers. This class works independently, under limited supervision, reporting major activities through periodic meetings.

Duties and Responsibilities

The functions listed below are those that represent the majority of the time spent working in this position. Management may assign additional functions related to the type of work of the position as necessary.

• Provides direct care to patients within discipline Scope of Practice and performs functions in accordance with current accepted practice, licensure, certification, credentialing and or granted privileges.
• Provides treatment of persons throughout the life span as appropriate to discipline and setting.
• May be expected to respond to and or coordinate response to emergency needs of patients. Must appropriately document patient encounters electronically according to current standards of care using electronic health records.
• Assess, evaluates and monitors the health care needs of patients using data relating to the patient as applicable within scope of practice.
• Obtains patients' medical histories and appropriately refers abnormal findings or responses or stated medical problems to the physician and/ or mid-level provider.
• Adheres to professional nursing principals, procedures and techniques for appropriate patient care and take direction from onsite administrative personnel.
• Adheres to medication administration guidelines, understand pharmaceutical agents and their desired effects recognize adverse effects and take appropriate corrective measures as needed.
• Provide patient health education as appropriate.
• Participates as member of inter-professional team to ensure that equipment, supplies and logs are available, correct and updated.
• Ensures all equipment is functional and appropriately maintained according to manufacturer's requirements.
• May serve as clinic coordinator to ensure effective and efficient clinical operations.
• May participate in peer reviews, Quality Improvement/Quality Assurance activities, Infection Control activities, investigations or other clinically significant activities.
• Performs record keeping functions in accordance with program policies and position.
• Maintains functional proficiency and ease of use utilizing electronic health records as required by, and appropriate to, position.
• Completes and passes all discipline specific competencies testing, initially and annually.
• Completes all initial, annual and ad hoc training as required/assigned.
• Maintains patient confidentiality, and confidentiality of medical records, in compliance with the Privacy Act and HIPAA regulations in all work activities.
• Adheres to, and maintains awareness of organizational policies, procedures, directives, and accreditation standards.
• Adheres to, and participates in, organizational Safety, Prevention, Infection and Control, Quality Improvement, Patient Education and other programs and collateral duties as appropriate to position.
• Attends and participates in general/medical staff meetings.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

Requires a Vocational Nurse Degree supplemented by two (2) years of experience in a mental health clinical care setting; or possession of any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Experience with trauma-informed services; cognitive behavioral therapies, including DBT; and motivational therapies including the use of incentives, preferred.

Required Knowledge and Abilities

Knowledge of trauma-informed theories, principals, and practices (includes multi-faceted understanding of concepts such as community trauma, intergenerational and historical trauma, parallel processes, and universal precautions), preferred.

Physical Demands

Performs medium work that involves walking, standing, stooping, jumping, dancing, stretching, or lifting all of the time and also involves exerting between 20 and 50 pounds of force on a regular and recurring basis or exceptional skill, adeptness and speed in the use of the fingers, hands or limbs in tasks involving very close tolerances or limits of accuracy.

Unavoidable Hazards (Work Environment)

• Involves routine and frequent exposure to:
  • Bright/dim light; Dusts and pollen.
  • Extreme heat and/or cold; Wet or humid conditions.
  • Extreme noise levels, Animals/wildlife.
  • Vibration; Fumes and/or noxious odors.
  • Traffic; Moving machinery.
  • Electrical shock; Heights.
  • Radiation; Disease/pathogens.
  • Toxic/caustic chemicals; Explosives; Violence.
  • Other extreme hazards not listed above.

Special Certifications and Licenses

• Requires License to practice as a Vocational Nurse in the state of Texas by the Board of Nurse Examiners.
• Must possess and maintain a valid state Driver's License with an acceptable driving record.
• Must be able to pass a TB, criminal background and drug screen.

Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance (ADA)

Emergence Health Network is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires Emergence Health Network to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are encouraged to discuss ADA accommodations with management.

Other Job Characteristics

• Staffing requirements, including criteria that staff have diverse disciplinary backgrounds, have necessary State required license and accreditation, and are culturally and linguistically trained to serve the needs of the clinic's patient population.
• Credentialed, certified, and licensed professionals with adequate training in person-centered, family centered, trauma informed, culturally-competent and recovery-oriented care.

Note: This Class Description does not constitute an employment agreement between the Emergence Health Network and an employee and is subject to change by the Emergence Health Network as its needs change.