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Job Overview

Purpose; This is to provide direct patient care, supporting the current Out-Patient Nursing staff which includes all specialty clinics and locations, especially in times of staffing shortages. The personnel shall work in an Out-Patient Clinic Nursing Department, but may infrequently be floated to the Emergency Room or Acute Care In-Patient units to act as a patient observer or pass medications or other intermittent care needs as staffing needs arise.

1. Provides direct patient care for Outpatient care patients of all ages with diverse medical and nursing diagnoses.
2. Receives patients, and conducts proper patient identification x 2.
3. Intervention includes but is not limited to: Dressing changes; ambulation; assists with activities of daily living; range of motion - limited physical therapy; administering medications and vaccines as prescribed by the provider including all routes of administration PO, IM, IV, etc); respiratory treatment and oxygen therapy; fitting of assistive devices, splints, or durable medical equipment; patient education adjusted to appropriate level; urinary catheter placement; collection of tissue and biological samples, venipuncture for collection of blood samples; and set-up for minor procedures following aseptic techniques.
4. Performs nursing reassessments independently to evaluate patient response to nursing interventions and updates/revises plan of care based on changes in health status and reassessments.
5. Provides instruction to patients on disease process, procedures, plan of care, use of equipment, specimen's collection of health maintenance, and document per educational plans and policies.
6. Assess the biophysical, psychosocial, emotional, educational, spiritual, and cultural needs of all medical, surgical, and pediatric patients in accordance with established patient care standards. Plan nursing care for patients utilizing the nursing process and in accordance with established unit standards and license scope.
7. Initiate treatments, medications, emergency and resuscitative measures based on appropriate utilization of standing orders and unit protocols. Document observations, nursing interventions, therapeutic measures administered, and patient response to treatment and reevaluation of nursing care according to facility standards.
8. Maintains complete nursing documentation, medical record confidentiality and safeguards medical information. Follows requirements for nursing documentation, utilizes approved forms and participates in the overall monitoring and compliance with these standards.
9. Consult with primary care providers and other healthcare professionals on patients to coordinate diagnostic and therapeutic regimens for patients.
10. Provide patient and family education which includes counseling and assisting the patient/family to understand and accept the implications of care, diagnosis, and treatment.
11. The Licensed Practical Nurse will perform the primary functions of assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating the care of all assigned patients in the Outpatient Department, Specialty Clinic Departments, Mobile Clinic, Kyle Health Center, Wanblee Health Center, and La Creek Health Center. The contract Registered Nurse and Licensed Practical Nurse is responsible for meeting established Unit Standards of Nursing Practice; for managing supplies and equipment on the unit, and promoting teamwork with primary care providers, personnel of other departments, and the patient community.
12. The Licensed Practical Nurse shall generate and maintain appropriate electronic health care information on beneficiaries to whom treatment is provided in accordance with IHS regulations.
13. The Licensed Practical Nurse shall comply with all IHS facility infection control and safety procedures, practices, and standards.
14. Develop a plan of care for individual patients identifying problems, needs of the patient, and patient-driven health goals makes adjustments to the plan of care as needed, and evaluate the plan of care.
15. Personnel must be able to assist in a cardiac arrest situation. This will include knowing CPR and recognizing anaphylaxis and responding to other emergency situations with other staff members. American Heart Association BLS, ACLS, and PALS is required by the Indian Health Service for consideration of a candidate.

• Professional knowledge of Nursing principles, concepts, and methodology sufficient to perform a broad range of routine and complex nursing care.
• Skill and Knowledge sufficient to use and maintain complicated instruments and equipment, knowledge of normal and abnormal physical assessments of all patient ages, knowledge of a wide range of acute and chronic medical conditions and appropriate standard nursing interventions to include appropriate infection control precautions and use of personal protective equipment, knowledge, and interpersonal skills sufficient to provide appropriate patient education related to disease process, nursing care interventions, patient self-management support, and care coordination instructions.
• Should have knowledge of regulatory agency requirements sufficient to ensure work is consistent with the standards of the agency.
• The personnel will handle problems and document corrective actions in accordance with the established policies, procedures, and instructions. Guidelines include hospital policies, instructions for use manuals, handbooks, clinical care guidelines, logs, and procedural manuals.
• Collect, interpret, and record; and communicate pertinent patient data relevant to the patient's care before, during, and after patient visit.
• Accurately review, confirm, and complete orders for each patient as placed by medical provider: admission, transfer, discharge, medication, diagnostic testing, diet, code status, ambulation, infection control precautions, fall risk precautions, and assessment/reassessment orders. Have knowledge of and appropriately utilize facility standing orders.
• Communicate/document the psychosocial health status of the patient to include patients' perception of care, expectations/goals of care, coping mechanisms, knowledge level, ability to understand, philosophical and religious beliefs and cultural practices.
• Respect and maintain the basic rights of patients, to include but not be limited to personal dignity.
• Accurately document according to the Facility's policies and the Nursing Department policies and procedures within EHR, and within other systems as required.
• Ensure the appropriate equipment and supplies are available and based upon patient Nursing needs. Monitor and control the environment to include temperature and humidity, sensory environment, and cleanliness. The Nurse must be able to operate equipment similar to: weight scales, IV pumps, Accucheck glucometers, Vital Signs, EKG and Defibrillator, and other equipment related to regular Nursing duties. Enter appropriate work orders to BIOMED or FACILITIES for proper resolution of downed instruments or other equipment etc. and tag the equipment appropriately.
• Ensure equipment is properly- cleaned and monitored. Ensure preventive maintenance is performed as necessary and as needed.

Work Schedule:

• Regular Schedule: 80 hours per 2-week rotations.
• Clinic Hours: Shifts will be 10 (ten) 8 hour shifts or 8 (eight) 10-hour shifts with a 30-minute lunch break.
• Shift will be assigned by the Supervisor of the department or designee based on the staff needs.
• Potential shifts: Day Shift 0800-1630 (8 hours), 0830 -1900 (10 hours), Evening Shift 1030-1900 (8 hours), Sunday Clinic 1000-1830 (8 hours), and Holiday Clinic 1000-1830 (8 hours).
• The schedule will be maintained and monitored by the Department Nurse Supervisor and will be reassigned as necessary to cover all shifts.
• Flexibility is expected.
• Overtime will be paid as regular hours of work. These are the shifts that will need coverage. However, the scheduling of these shifts will be determined by the Department Nurse Supervisor.
• A thirty (30) minute lunch break is required, is not billable, and is not to adversely affect patient care. If work is performed over the 12:00 pm (Noon) lunch period, a 30-minute lunch may be taken at a more convenient time.

Qualifications

The Personnel shall meet or exceed the following requirements:

• The Licensed Practical Nurse must hold a current, unrestricted state nursing license from any of the 50 United States, District of Columbia, or any US territory and have passed the NCLEX-PN.
• The Licensed Practical Nurse must have current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advance Life Support (PALS).
• The Personnel shall read, understand, speak, and write English well enough to effectively communicate with Native American Patients and other health care workers.
• The Personnel shall possess knowledge of computer operations and have proficiency in the use of word processing, email, and electronic patient records. Hospital information systems, and other similar software as required. The Contractor Personnel shall possess sufficient initiative, interpersonal relationship skills, and social sensitivity such that the Personnel can relate constructively to patients from the Native American community.

Medical Specialty:

• Medical-Surgical
• Pediatrics

Physical Setting:

• Acute care
• Clinic
• Outpatient

Supplemental Pay:

• Overtime pay

Language:

• English (Required)

License/Certification:

• BLS Certification (Required)
• PALS Certification (Required)
• ACLS Certification (Required)
• LPN (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Pine Ridge, SD (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Pine Ridge, SD: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person