Reporting directly to the Director of Nursing, this licensed, compassionate and technically savvy individual delivers the best possible patient care by assessing patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management. Licensing or registration is required. May include advance practice nursing by RNs who have specialized formal, post-basic education and who function in highly autonomous and specialized roles.
Position Functions
- Assess Home health patients to identify the physical psychosocial and environmental needs by documentation, clinical record, case conference team report and evaluations.
- Develop, implement, and document the plan of care ensuring quality and continuity of care.
- Observe infection control measures protecting both patient, and staff (OSHA).
- Monitor vital signs, diet, physical activity, record and report symptoms and changes in patients’ conditions as appropriate.
- Maintain accurate, detailed reports, records and submit complete reports in a timely fashion.
- Provide direction to the LVN/ HHA to ensure plan of care individually designed for each patient is followed and quality care is delivered.
- Order, interpret, evaluate report/ results of diagnostic tests to identify and assess patients’ condition.
- Monitor all aspects of patient care, modify patient care plans as needed and ensure compliance with requirements of third party payor.
- Collaborate with health care team members to assess, plan, implement, evaluate effectiveness of interventions and modify patient care plans as needed.
- Instruct individuals, families and other groups on topics such as health improvement programs.
- Prepare patients for and assist with examinations tests and treatments.
- Provide skills necessary to perform treatment and procedures according to agency policy in the home setting.
- Administer medications; recommend drugs, medical devices or other forms of treatment, such as physical occupational or speech therapy, inhalation therapy, or related therapeutic procedures.
- Provide effective communication to patient, family, team members and other healthcare professionals.
- Meet mandatory continuing education requirements of the agency/licensing board.
- Demonstrate commitment, professional growth and competency.
- Perform on-call responsibilities and provide on-call service to patients and families as assigned.
- Promote Agency philosophy and administrative policies to ensure quality of care.
Qualifications:
- Bachelors Degree
- Nursing License for the state of Texas
- Experience using required equipment like hypodermic needles, nebulizers and accessories, patient care beds and accessories for specialty care, fall prevention devices and accessories, Spiro meters and accessories/supplies
- 2+ years of experience dealing with disabled or elder care
- Knowledge and experience of relevant software applications for scheduling and reporting requirements
- Proficient in spelling, punctuation, grammar and other English language skills
- Bi-lingual in Spanish a plus
- Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
- Compassionate and caring attitude and the ability to deal with people from a wide range of backgrounds, ages and temperament
- Ability to use discretion concerning sensitive information and adhere to HIPAA
- Ability to work on own initiative within clearly defined parameters
- Ability to carry out designated tasks including reporting outcome of actions taken
- Must possess critical thinking skills, decisive judgment and ability to work with minimal supervision
- Customer service abilities including effective listening skills
- Team player with good organizational and time-management skills