Job Description
Provide patient care under the direction or supervision of a licensed medical practitioner, a professional registered nurse, or other licensed health professional, as authorized by the Health Regulatory Boards. The LPN coordinates and manages the care provided to assigned patients of all ages based on the unit care delivery model, requiring professional knowledge and consideration of specific patient conditions and treatment. This role collaborates with the interdisciplinary team to deliver high-quality patient care, adheres to a culture reflective of Centra's best practices for quality and service, creates and maintains a safe patient environment, and coordinates various care processes that are necessary to achieve desired outcomes. The practice of the LPN reflects the American Nurse Association's Code of Ethics for Nurse, the Nurse Practice Act of Virginia, and the ANA Principles of Nurse Staffing.
Responsibilities
Clinical - Assessment

• Conduct initial assessment in collaboration with RN to co-sign.
• Conduct ongoing individualized patient assessments as determined by patient condition and/or policies, procedures, protocols, and/or RN direction and reprioritize and implement proper patient care accordingly.
• Integrates nursing interventions into the multidisciplinary plan of care, incorporating appropriate standards of care and practice patient outcomes.

Clinical - Intervention

• Performs appropriate treatments as ordered by provider in an accurate and timely manner.
• Performs therapeutic nursing interventions as established by individualized plan of care for the patient and his/her family.
• Recognizes potential problems and responds to general information/data indicating urgent and/or emergent risk to the patient.
• Initiates emergency resuscitative measures as appropriate.
• Provides care in a non-judgmental, non-discriminatory manner that is culturally sensitive to the patient and family, preserving their autonomy, dignity, and rights.
• Collaborates with interdisciplinary team members to ensure patient care interventions are appropriate.
• Provides medication administration following Centra policy for scope of practice.

Clinical - Evaluation

• Evaluates patient's responses to care based on effectiveness of nursing interventions/actions in relationship to established goals.
• Initiates changes in the interdisciplinary care plan based on this evaluation. Problem solves with the specialty team to improve patient outcomes.
• Documents patient assessment findings, physical/psychosocial responses to nursing intervention and progress towards problem resolution.
• Reinforces patient education.

Clinical - Self and Peer Learning

• Maintains current competency in nursing specialty and requirements for department; attends required educational program and may attend additional educational workshops; reviews nursing professional publications; established personal networks and participate in professional societies.

Resource Utilization and Stewardship

• Supports organizational efforts regarding appropriate resource utilization.
• Serves as a preceptor/mentor and works directly with employees to fulfill planned orientation to the department. Assists in the orientation, instruction, direction, and evaluation or students assigned to the unit.

Quality Assurance and Safety Practices

• Participates in data collection for quality assurance activities if assigned by department leader.
• Identifies and communicates recurring practice concerns in specialty areas and their impact on care.
  Participates in initiatives resulting from nurse-sensitivity, quality, and other specialty indicators and/or unit-based quality metrics.
• Demonstrates the utilization of Centra's safety behaviors (I.e. Speak up for Safety)

Research/Evidence Based Practice/Quality Improvement Projects

• May participate in Research or Evidence Based Practice projects.
• Able to communicate research and quality improvement data/findings to peers.
• Able to interpret quality improvement data relevant to the clinical specialty and communicate this data to peers.
• Contributes to the development or implementation of methods to improve quality care in areas identified as deficient by quality improvement data studies.

Ethics

• Maintains confidentiality in matters as outlined in Centra policies.
• Delivers care in a manner that protects patient autonomy, dignity, and rights.
• Serves as a patient advocate.
• Maintains patient-nurse relationships with professional role boundaries.

Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Education Minimum:
Completion of accredited LPN training program.
Work Experience Minimum:
At least one year of Nursing (LPN) experience
Operating and monitoring of basic and specialized medical equipment (ex: Accu check machines, IV pumps, EKG machines, etc.)
Work Experience Preferred:
Prior experience in a similar setting.
Licenses & Certifications Minimum:
A valid, current, full and unrestricted LPN license in the State of Virginia.
BLS Certification