GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES: To provide professional nursing care and treatment to inmates in the Adult Correctional Institutions; to assess clients’ needs and plan, develop, implement and evaluate nursing care and treatment programs; and to do related work as required.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED: Works under the general supervision; work is subject to review and evaluation for compliance with instructions, professional nursing standards and practices.
SUPERVISION EXERCISED: Plans, monitors and evaluates the activities of licensed practical nurses and ancillary unit personnel engaged in providing nursing and/or health care services to inmates and staff.
Responsibilities:
- Provide professional nursing services within the Department of Corrections.
- Conduct nursing interviews, assess and formulate nursing diagnoses, and set clinical nursing goals for clients.
- Interpret nursing and health care needs of inmates to other members of the interdisciplinary team.
- Provide medical and nursing therapies, health care instructions, and counseling to inmates and families.
- Provide in-service education to departmental health care staff.
- Participate in educational, quality assurance, and research activities.
- Continually monitor the health status of clients and modify their nursing care plans as needed.
- Monitor clients’ mental health status and make referrals to mental health staff as indicated.
- Provide intravenous therapy as directed by the physician, including starting the IV, maintaining an IV infusion pump if appropriate, determining and monitoring the flow rate, administering IV medications, and other clinical actions appropriate to intravenous therapy.
- Administer IV, IV-push, and Z-track medications as ordered by the physician.
- Administer and monitor total parenteral nutrition (TPN).
- Provide suctioning as indicated, including tracheostomy, deep nasal pharyngeal, and oral suctioning.
- Provide routine tracheostomy care.
- Insert GI (Gastrointestinal) tubes as directed by the physician and provide and monitor GI feedings if appropriate (internal feedings, both intermittent and continuous).
- Change dressings on wounds involving multiple tissue layers and irrigate communicating wounds as ordered by the physician.
- Respond to emergency codes anywhere in the institution, assess injuries, and provide first aid to inmates and staff.
- Safeguard institution keys and lock/unlock secured clinical areas including exam rooms, storage areas, medicine closets, and related areas.
- Make observations and report any unusual activities of inmate patients or other inmates in the facility.
- Supervise the feeding of meals to patients and instruct or direct inmates to ensure security is maintained.
- Read and follow instructions, manuals, physician’s orders, the Physician’s Desk Reference, and related material.
- Keep records and make reports.
- Participate in continuing nursing education programs, workshops, seminars, and conferences.
- Perform related work as required.
KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND CAPACITIES:
A thorough knowledge of current approved registered nursing practices, methods, procedures, and techniques; the ability to read and comprehend complex and technical instructions, manuals, and related information; the ability to instruct or direct LPNs or other health service staff; the ability to provide in-service training to health care providers; the ability to follow oral instructions; the ability to maintain records and prepare reports; and related abilities and capacities.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
Education: Graduation from a registered nursing program in an accredited school of nursing.
Experience: Employment as a registered nurse in an institutional hospital or similar care facility providing nursing care and treatment, or any combination of education and experience that shall be substantially equivalent to the above.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Must possess a valid unrestricted license as a Registered Nurse in the State of Rhode Island and maintain such licensure as a condition of employment.
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