LVN, Licensed Vocational Nurse

About the role

Committed to Our Community in the Heart of the Redwoods. Removing Barriers to Healthcare Access

ECHC Eureka Community Health Center

The Licensed Vocational Nurse I (LVN I) at Open Door Community Health Centers (ODCHC) possesses expert understanding and demonstration of Medical Assistant (MA) tasks. They can perform MA tasks independently, describe the purpose of the task and troubleshoot issues, and provide patient instruction and education surrounding the task. A LVN I also possesses basic understanding of LVN scope of practice as determined by the California Board of Vocational Nursing (BVN).

Compensation Range

$34.00-$39.32

All new hires will start at the base wage for the position.

Hmong and Spanish speakers who successfully pass a language exam will receive a minimum of.75 cents added to their wage.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Delivers compassionate assistance to patients in alignment with ODCHC's Model of Care.
• Acts as an expert resource to medical assistants.
• Obtains and records patient medical histories, vitals, test results, and other information for the medical chart while maintaining strict confidentiality in alignment with HIPAA, HITECH, and California regulations.
• Prepares patients for the visit and provider examination by performing preliminary screenings, vital signs, measurements, and other rooming and charting duties.
• Observes patient, records and reports significant conditions and reactions, and notifies supervisor or medical provider of patient's condition and reaction to drugs, treatments, and significant incidents.
• Performs chart preparation and Robust Confirmation Calls before scheduled appointments to ensure the patient visit is smooth and efficient.
• Follows Epic EMR workflows for MA III/ LVN I duties including, standard rooming intake, telephone call documentation, prepping/routing refill encounters, and managing appropriate message inboxes and pools.
• Properly conducts MA procedures in alignment with ODCHC guidelines, such as electrocardiograph (EKG), respiratory testing, vision and hearing tests, ear irrigations, peak flow, nebulizer, etc.
• Administers medications and vaccines as ordered by medical provider or by protocol using the seven rights of administration.
• Sets-up, assists and cleans up for minor procedures in clinic such as; pap smears, mole removals, minor lacerations, incision and drainage (I&Ds), etc.
• Properly obtain specimens and performs point-of-care testing according to laboratory protocols.
• Stocks and cleans exam rooms to remove clutter and ensure patient safety.
• Properly disposes bio-hazard waste.
• Follows standard practices of medical asepsis to clean and disinfect exam rooms and other patient facing areas of the clinic.
• Ensures the proper sterilization and packaging of instruments, as well as the proper maintenance of the autoclave machine.
• Follows guidelines for universal precautions including hand washing and use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as appropriate.
• Schedules appointments and follow up visits per health center procedure.
• Explains procedures and treatments to patients under the direction of an RN or medical provider for the patient to gain cooperation, understanding, and relieve apprehension.
• Identifies areas of improvement of workflows and processes, assists clinic leadership with testing and implementing improvements.
• Floats to other clinics when needed to provide coverage when requested or minimum staffing levels not met.
• As necessary, may be required to support delivery of medications to patients' homes.
• Assists in chronic care management, such as outreach calls, care coordination, etc.
• Assists and/or facilitates routine daily huddles within the team.
• Participates in evaluation of peers and support staff.
• Participates in staff meetings as required.
• Participates in Open Door quality improvement activities, meetings, and initiatives.
• Performs specialized duties, projects and other duties as identified and assigned by supervisor.

Qualifications and Expectations

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to establish constructive professional working relationships among a diverse workforce.
• Ability to work as a member of a team and independently as needed.
• Ability to handle difficult or confrontational situations in a calm, consistent, and equitable manner.
• Ability to exercise sound and responsible judgment.
• Strong computer skills with specific aptitude in Microsoft Office Suite and Electronic Health Records (EHR).
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
• Ability to effectively represent ODCHC's interests in the community and maintain effective working relationships among co-workers, public, private, and professional groups.
• Adheres to ODCHC's policies and procedures.

Education and Experience

• High school diploma or GED.
• Completion of an LVN training program leading to licensing as Licensed Vocational Nurse.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

• Current Licensed Vocational Nurse license for State of California
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS)/CPR Certification
• Successful completion of competency sign off and orientation within 90 days of hire.

Supervisory Responsibilities

The LVN works as a member of the Care Team and may act as a clinical supervisor as needed for MAs on the Care Team.

Supervision and Support

The LVN reports directly to the RN - Clinical Services Manager. The LVN works directly with the RN, medical providers, and support staff assigned to their Care Team and across the clinic.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to communicate via telephone, video, and/or in-person.
• Ability to read documents, computer screens, forms.
• Ability to remain stationary for extended periods.
• Ability to lift, carry, or otherwise move up to 25 pounds.
• Ability to use keyboard and view computer screens for extended periods.
• Ability to travel locally and long-distance as needed.
• Ability to move around offices and clinics as needed.