Licensed Vocational Nurse

Description

MISSION STATEMENT: Leading adolescents to a new legacy.

The mission of CLEARFORK ACADEMY is to offer the highest quality and professional, substance abuse and mental health treatment across a full continuum of care. 

We are committed to treating patients and their families with the highest regard and respect as clients work toward reaching their highest growth potential in their recovery process. This is accomplished through the strict adherence to the highest ethical standards of care and policies and procedures set forth by the Texas Department of State of Health Services and the Joint Commission.

SUMMARY

The Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) at CLEARFORK ACADEMY is responsible for assessing clients in an inpatient drug and alcohol treatment program and administering medication according to state, accreditation, and facility policies and procedures. The LVN works directly with Recovery Coaches and other clinical staff and medical staff to ensure nursing components of the organization are appropriately coordinated. The LVN is also responsible for performing advanced indirect and selected direct patient care duties in support of the clinical process in a competent manner and completing any associated clerical functions.

AGE/PATIENT POPULATION(S) SERVED

Age of Patient Population Served: Adolescent and Young Adult Males/Females

Population Served: Persons meeting DSM 5 criteria for substance use disorders with or without co-occurring psychiatric illness.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Delivers appropriate indirect and selected direct patient care at a competent level as directed by the milieu manager and/or director, physician, or registered nurse within the scope of approved LVN skills inventory according to the needs/age of the patient/population served; collaborates with other members of the healthcare team to plan, expedite, and promote quality patient care; employs critical thinking skills when identifying and responding to patient needs.
• Performs, monitors, and documents vital signs. Collects urine drug screens on all admissions and random UDS on all RTC, PHP and IOP patients, as appropriate. Attends facility/community meetings and groups, conducts Program Orientation, searches belongings, collects unauthorized items to be placed in a secured area; conducts patient rounds and perimeter checks to ensure the safety of all patients. 
• Ensures safe care to patients adhering to policies, procedures, and standards of care.
• Performs basic housekeeping duties during course of shift, including but not limited to, cleaning rooms and bathrooms, microwaves, utility rooms, assisting with laundry, sweeping, and mopping floors, trash collection, etc. 
• Performing, completing, and validating assessments, utilizing proper grammar, spelling, and complete sentences without using unapproved abbreviations.
• Administering and documenting vital signs, CIWAs, COWS, fall assessments/precautions, seizure precautions, suicidal/homicidal assessments, nutritional assessments, pain scales, anxiety scales, craving scales, standard and infection control precautions.
• Observation, documentation, audit functions, education, and record keeping of all observed/inventoried/destroyed/prescribed medications.
• Provides general assistance to the Registered Nurse by ascertaining clinical medication management. 
• Administering medications via oral, sublingual, inhalation, auricular, topical, vaginal, and rectal routes and performing scheduled and PRN vitals as appropriate.
• Entering medication orders into the electronic medical record.
• Manages the Medication Administration Record, documenting administration, efficacy, and first response.
• Collaborates with staff in assessing patient, family age-specific nursing needs and assists medical team with creating plans of care for complex high-risk patients.
• Executes teaching programs for patients/families and provides assistance to staff in program implementation.
• Work closely with physicians to provide education and counseling for clients and other organizational health care providers on optimal use of medicines (e.g., proper use, avoidance of over medication).
• Provide nursing care adapted to the individual patient needs based on the nursing process, which includes assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
• Direct patient care, including the reporting of observed changes in mental status and/or physical condition, response to emergencies, safety risks.
• Documents nursing incidents and medication errors. 
• Ensures to use the utmost of care in protecting the confidentiality of client records in accordance with state and federal laws.
• Performs other duties and tasks as required.

AGE SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES (ADOLESCENT AND YOUNG ADULT MALES/FEMALE