Licensed Practical Nurse

Job Summary

The Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) performs a wide variety of patient care activities and accommodative services for patients in the patient care unit under the direction and supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN). The LPN practices within the guidelines set forth by S. C. State Board of Nursing and LCHD policies and procedures.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Education: None.
Minimum Years of Experience: None.
Substitutable Education & Experience: None.
Required Certifications/Licensure: Licensed in South Carolina as an LPN;
**Refer to Mandatory Certification Requirements P&P for required education / certification for various nursing specialties.
Required Training: Completes yearly safety training and other mandatory classes.

Essential Functions

• Works in a cooperative manner, which fosters relations between employees and patients, patients’ families, visitors, fellow employees, and the medical staff. Accepts chain of command, supervision, and constructive criticism.
• Exhibits commitment and pride through personal example by speaking positively about LMC, the department employees, and guests.
• Contributes to teamwork and creates harmonious, effective and positive working relationships with others by: Responding to requests in a cooperative and responsive manner; Speaking respectfully of/to other employees and guests by minimizing criticism and adversarial behaviors; Assuming responsibility without making excuses, offering assistance whenever possible without being asked.
• Respects, understands, and responds with sensitivity to employees and guests by treating others as one would wish to be treated.
• Resolves conflicts and problem-solves by: Remaining calm when confronted; Listening carefully; Acknowledging that the problem is valid to the other person’s perception; Attempting to identify solutions and/or referring person to the appropriate authority; Attempting to deliver more than is expected.
• Exhibits telephone courtesy by: Answering promptly with proper name and department; Speaking with a pleasant tone while focusing attention to caller; Transferring calls correctly and promptly; Attending to calls on hold in a timely manner.
• Maintains confidentiality by: Discouraging gossip; Using discretion when discussing patient, work or LMC related information with others.
• Utilizes the service recovery process to resolve complaints (GIFT).
• Collects and records data related to patient’s physical, psychosocial, and spiritual condition and reports findings to RN.
• Collaborates with RN to develop and update Plan of Care as needed.
• Assists with reinforcement of patient and family education.
• Administers care and treatment as outline din the Plan of Care and in accordance with LCHD’s Policies and Procedures.
• Documents and reports to RN patients’ response to care and treatments rendered.
• Demonstrates ability to provide comfort measures: Provides for personal hygiene needs; Assists patient with nutrition and elimination needs; Provides nonpharmacological and pharmacological interventions to enhance comfort.
• Demonstrates ability to provide safe patient care environment: Orients patient to environment; Recognizes need to implement safety measures i.e., Spot the Dot, Derm Alert; Follows Policies and Procedures for lifting; Properly uses minimal lift equipment; Follows Infection Control Policies and Procedures.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Establishes and maintains positive interpersonal relationships and promotes effective teamwork with patients, families, customers, and the community.
• Promotes team spirit, a willingness to collaborate and voluntary assistance to all members of the health care team.
• Demonstrates knowledge of service-line and organizational initiatives by attending or reading minutes of staff meetings and/or process improvement meetings.
• Reports ethical concerns to the RN.
• Abides by LMC’s Code of Conduct and respects the Patient Bill of Rights.
• In pursuit of excellence and service, demonstrates desire and effort to be a continuous learner as evidenced by the following: Identifies self-development opportunities; Earns 6 hours of continuing education annually.
• Maintains professional appearance by adhering to dress code.
• Accepts work assignments readily.
• Participates actively in change process by adopting new methods.
• Participates in performance improvement/patient safety initiatives.
• Incorporates QA/PI findings into the delivery of patient care services as directed by RN.
• Supports shared governance activities at unit level.
• Presents positive image to enhance recruitment and retention of staff.
• Shares knowledge/expertise with co-workers and assists in orientation of new employees.
• The nurse promotes the effective and efficient allocation, distribution and use of unit, service-line and organizational resources for the delivery of safe, cost-effective patient care services.
• Monitors supply use and returns unused materials to the appropriate place.
• Demonstrates knowledge of use and care of equipment: Displays appropriate skills in the use and maintenance of assigned equipment; Recognizes and reports malfunctioning or unsafe equipment to appropriate persons; Follows through with appropriate disposition of used equipment.
• Is accountable for the supplies and equipment assigned to the work unit and charges for them appropriately.
• Identifies product needs and reports to the appropriate person.
• Provides care in a cost-effective manner, attentive to expiration dates, eliminates waste.
• Discharges patients promptly.
• Participates in peer review as requested.
• Demonstrates initiative to complete assigned and unassigned tasks.
• Assists in performing and documenting environmental checks as required by LMC policy and regulatory agencies.
• Effectively uses electronic, verbal, non-verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills in a clear and concise manner to ensure appropriate understanding and response.
• Clearly expresses self orally and/or in writing.
• Provides ongoing report of patient progress as well as status of completion of work assignment to the RN.
• Demonstrates direct open communication with co-workers by resolving issues on a peer-to-peer basis.
• Identifies need for conflict resolution and works toward solution. Uses chain of command appropriately.
• Demonstrates timely communication of unexpected patient events/issues to appropriate persons.
• Assists in keeping patient/family informed related to tests, treatments, progress, and discharge plans as well as teaching them self/family supported care in an understandable manner.
• Completes employee health workup
• Performs all other duties as assigned.