Where compassion meets innovation and technology and our employees are family.

General Purpose of Job:

The staff nurse (LVN) is a Licensed Vocational Nurse who provides direct nursing care to assigned patient/patient population.  The staff nurse utilizing the nursing process, delivers effective patient care within the framework of Driscoll Children's Hospital vision of excellence and integrated care delivery.  The staff nurse complies within the established standards and clinical guidelines reflective of evidence-based best practice.  The practice of the staff nurse contributes to creating an environment that is patient-focused-family centered and designed to provide continuation of care and patient self-care competencies across the continuum.

Essential Functions and Behavioral Expectations:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; employees will perform other reasonably related business duties as assigned by the immediate supervisor and/or hospital administration as required.

• Maintains utmost level of confidentiality at all times.
• Adheres to hospital policies and procedures.
• Demonstrates business practices and personal actions that are ethical and adhere to corporate compliance and integrity guidelines. 

Quality of Care:

• Collects QA data as delegated.
• Reports changes in patient care outcomes.
• Follows research protocols as ordered.
• Ensure safe care by using chain of command.

Assessment and Monitoring:

• Performs focused assessments.
• Recognizes and reports actual health problems.
• Reports pertinent patient response to interventions.
• Recommends modification for plan of care to RN on focused assessment..
• Uses chain of command to obtain appropriate health care response as an advocate for the patient.

Professional Work Role:

• Demonstrates flexibility in staffing and scheduling to meet unit needs.
• Prioritizes and organizes care of assigned patients.
• Identifies team conflict and helps to initiate resolution.
• Recognizes own limitations and seeks guidance.
• Supports goals through participation and compliance in unit activities and decision-making.

Therapeutic Interventions:

• Administers medications per clinical guidelines, recognizes abnormal responses to medication therapy, and  reports.
• Implements plan of care to meet patient needs and diagnoses.
• Collaborates with team to correlate clinical picture to therapeutic treatment plan.
• Collaborates in the section of appropriate equipment, devices and supplies based on patient needs and treatment plan.

Crisis Management:

• Identifies critical changes in patient’s condition and follows through with appropriate actions.
• Ensures the correct functioning of emergency equipment identifies deficits and follows up.
• Assists with changes in unit needs during a crisis situation.
• Assists in the re-establishment of unit function after a crisis situation.
• Participates in review of unit response to crisis situation.

Helping/Teaching:

• Identifies barrier to learning and participates in the implementation of the discharge plan based on patient/family needs.
• Incorporates cultural aspects of illness/hospitalization for patient/family into daily care of patient.
• Establishes and maintains a therapeutic relationship with patient and family.
• Decreases apprehension and anxiety using individualized interventions to ensure patient comfort dignity.
• Functions as a patient/family advocate seeking direction as needed to provide safe, effective, efficient, and timely care.

PRINCIPAL GENETICS LVN RESONSIBLITY:

• Oversees the genetics lab results and ensures results are received, reviewed and scanned into patient chart timely.
• Reviews patient referrals to ensure they are being appropriately scheduled if the diagnosis is outside the norm.
• May triage patients for genetic providers in advance of the appointment with professionalism and courtesy, providing patient education, chart review, intake health history.
• Works collaboratively to provide family-centered care as a member of a multidisciplinary team, which includes Physicians, CMA and administrative MOS support staff.
• Will travel to satellite clinics as needed when CMA is unable to travel.
• Spanish speaking preferred.

Education and/or Experience:

• Graduate from and accredited school of nursing.
• Current LVN license in the State of Texas.