Description
The Registered Nurse coordinates all aspects of the client’s home care and interacts with other disciplines as needed. He/she provides professional care to the client, as indicated by Agency policies, State and Federal laws/ regulations. In-home, admission visits and eligibility determinations are part of the RN’ duties, as is the development of the Care Plan. The RN also prepares paperwork necessary for Agency policies and federal/state laws and assists with the training and supervision of Care Aides.
Reporting Relationship
- Reports to Agency Manager/Administrator.
Qualification/Prerequisites:
- Is a graduate of an accredited school of professional nursing, and is currently licensed as an RN through the State Board of Nursing.
- Has a minimum of one year’s nursing experience, preferably with home care experience
- Possesses and maintains good physical stamina and mental health and can present a pre-employment health clearance.
- Must be a licensed driver with at least one year clean driving record.
- Has a vehicle that is insured in accordance with state and/or Agency requirements and is in good working order.
- Has excellent writing and charting skills.
- Can pass a background check and drug screen.
Responsibilities/Activities
- Assesses the home environment and determines needs of clients.
- Records the health needs of the client.
- Initiates Nursing or Care Aide’s Care Plan and/or Homemaker/Companion Service Plan and associated paperwork, in accordance with Agency policy.
- Evaluates the effects of the care given and regularly re-evaluates the client’s nursing needs.
- Evaluates and revises the Care Plan, as necessary.
- Makes referrals to other agencies or services as needed.
- Coordinates the care of all assigned clients.
- Prepares written instructions for the Care Aide.
- Supervises the Care Aide in the home.
- Instruct Care Aides in the proper use of practices, procedures and equipment.
- Participates in in-service training programs and staff meetings.
- Serve as liaisons between clients and other health care professionals.
- Teaches, counsels, and demonstrates skills to clients and their families.
- Administers medications, monitor clients, and instruct clients on appropriate home care.
- Provides services based on the physician’s orders such as, urinary catheter insertion and care, venipuncture and administration of IV fluids or medications and changing dressings.
- Initiates appropriate preventive and rehabilitative nursing procedures.
- Counsels the client and his/her family in meeting nursing and related needs.
- Acts as the coordinator of the health care team.
- Provides reports to the client’s physician when the client’s condition changes or there are deviations from the Care Plan.
- Prepares clinical and progress notes on relevant and specialized nursing services he/she provides.
- Maintains a clinical record for each client receiving care.
- Submits documentation, as per Agency policy.
- Participates in Clinical Record Reviews.
- Directs the activities of the Licensed Practical Nurse, if relevant.
- Complies with Homecare Agency Compliance Plan.
- Complies with Homecare Agency’s Infection Control Policies.
- Complies with Homecare Agency’s HIPAA Policies.
- Complies with the Homecare Agency dress code.
- Complies with all state and local regulations and accreditation standards.
- Works weekends, holidays, and occasional overtime, when requested.
- Assumes rotational on-call responsibilities for client care during non-office hours.
- Projects a professional attitude toward self, clients, and other staff members;
- Follows Agency public relation policies regarding outside speaking and professional affiliations, and clears all related requests with Agency Manager/Administrator.
- Assumes other duties, as requested by the Agency Manager/Administrator or Governing Board.
Required Working Knowledge
- Medical issues and nursing procedures.
- Professional standards and principles.
- Other health care disciplines and their role in client and family care.
- Home safety for situations, including physical and psychological dangers, for self, clients, and other Agency staff.
- Case Management practices.
- Clerical procedures such as maintaining records and completing forms.
- English language.
Required Skills/Abilities
- Adheres to practice standards, as they apply to client care.
- Establishes and maintains harmonious relations with clients/families/co-workers.
- Makes initial nursing assessment visits.
- Assesses both physical and psychological needs of clients and applies the appropriate nursing interventions.
- Initiates, coordinates & revises treatment plans.
- Evaluates clients’ needs continually.
- Observes and recognizes changes in clients.
- Gives considerations to client’s past experiences, finances and other resources.
- Render nursing care and perform treatments, such as iv administration, as ordered by the physician
- Maintain confidentiality of information relating to client.
- Copes effectively with clients, families and all others with varying backgrounds, socioeconomic conditions, and value judgments.
- Applies well-developed communication skills.
- Observes accurately and make decisions accordingly.
- Honors the wishes of clients
- Works with a team and is a good team member.
- Can supervise others.
- Displays emotional stability and has a sympathetic disposition.
- Maintains objectivity in coping with the stress of working with acute, chronic and terminally ill clients.
- Uses cognizant approaches to problem solving in delivering client care.
- Possesses ingenuity to handle medical and situational emergencies.
- Works alone without usual support systems immediately available.
- Deals with abrupt schedule changes.
- Participates in the quality assurance/quality improvement process.
- Prepares accurate, timely and orderly reports & documentation.
- Complies with accepted professional standards and principles.
- Provides satisfactory references from previous (or current) employers and/or nursing school, and professional peers.
- Uses excellent observation, good clinical judgment, and good oral and written communication skills.
- Is self-directed with the ability to work with little supervision; has good organizational skills.
- Is flexible and cooperative in fulfilling role obligation.
Physical & Mental Demands:
- Must be able to complete all physical & mental demands of the job, which may include, but not be limited to the ability to :
- lift and transfer clients and carry supplies;
- stand, walk, use hands and fingers, reach, stoop, kneel, crouch, talk, hear & see;
- read normal typewritten print;.
- have corrected vision and hearing within normal range;
- have manual dexterity with normal range of motion of all extremities;
- has the mental fortitude and stability to handle stress;
- is physically and mentally able to drive a vehicle.