Job Summary:
Participates with the Health Care Team in delivering quality and customer focused care to patients in a manner which reflects Kaiser Permanentes organizational and nursing mission, vision and values. Provides nursing and administrative support to clinicians and other health care team members to offer a variety of health care services to patients. Clinical duties involve both direct (in person) and indirect (via phone or on-line) patient care activities requiring both simple to complex nursing knowledge and skills. As appropriate to the LPNs scope of practice, the LPN is expected to have competent focused/limited nursing assessment and triage skills on routine or self-limiting health conditions, critical thinking, communication, problem-solving and decision-making skills in order to meet patient needs and contribute to a positive care experience and work environment. Performs clinical tasks and procedures under the direction of a clinician, within the scope of the LPNs professional training and individual competency. Works under the clinical supervision of the clinician or registered nurse and under the general direction of the designated supervisor.
Essential Responsibilities:
- Clinical Tasks: These job tasks provide patient care and are to be performed competently, consistently, accurately and according to established regional/departmental clinical protocols, policies and procedures and standards. They include:
- Prepares and organizes patients office visit for known reason/procedure by ensuring that all appropriate tests, clinical information (e.g. diagnostic test results, consultation reports, outside reports, etc.) and order entries are ready for clinician review prior to appointment time.
- Performs focused/limited nursing assessment and triage on routine or self-limiting medical conditions as directed by RN/clinician.
- Recognizes when to defer to and/or assist with comprehensive assessment for complex medical conditions by RN/clinician.
- Utilizes standardized tools (e.g. PST, health maintenance alerts) to identify and address health maintenance/care gaps with patient and alerts clinician on those that require his/her attention.
- Recognizes signs and symptoms of common and routine medical conditions/illnesses, abnormal versus new/existing and implements planned nursing and medical interventions as delegated by RN/clinician.
- Contributes to the development, implementation or modification of the individualized patients plan of care under the direction of the RN/clinician.
- Prepares patient for actual visit/procedure prior to clinicians exam during rooming-in process.
- Assures exam/procedure room contains appropriate supplies, equipment, forms and educational materials are available and ready for use during visit/procedure.
- Checks equipment are in safe working order and cleans room after use.
- Provides health teaching/education or advice on routine or self-limiting medical conditions, procedures, tests, surgeries, self-injections, etc.
- Utilizes standardized tools to determine patients level of engagement in self-care as directed by RN.
- Uses KP HealthConnect and other information systems to document all pertinent data and outcomes of nursing care according to standardized procedures and policies.
- Updates demographic/historical clinical data gathered in electronic medical record.
- Clinical Procedures: Performs diagnostic tests, therapies and procedures within scope of practice competently and with maintenance of proficiency according to specific department standards on core clinical tasks. Examples include:
- Screening tests - e.g. vital signs, vision, hearing, developmental, LOPS, pain, etc.
- Diagnostic tests - e.g. urine dips and drug, spirometry/PFT, bladder scan, O2 saturation rate, allergy skin testing, treadmill assist, etc.
- Medication administration via various routes.
- Wound care - e.g. routine and complex dressing changes, staple/suture removal, ostomy, drains management, etc.
- Minor surgical procedures assist.
- Lab specimens collection and labeling.
- Practice Management Activities: These tasks are primarily indirect patient care to be performed competently, accurately and consistently according to established regional/departmental clinical protocols, policies and procedures and standards. They include:
- Maintains and adjusts clinicians patient schedule for efficient patient visits.
- Answers and responds to in-coming messages/requests from patients or other departments.
- Facilitates and completes follow-up duties on patients plan of care as directed by clinician.
- Assists in coordinating patient care for patients with complex health needs.
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