Registered Nurse

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.

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