License Vocational Nurse

Description

Summary: Cares for patients in the hospital setting under direction of nursing and medical staff, by performing the following duties.

Role: In June, 2015, Governor Rick Perry signed Senate Bill 1899 and House 2020, which

provided health care facilities with the option to utilize the skills of a paramedic in the

emergency settings. Additionally, Senate Bill 1899 expanded the scope of practice for

Paramedics by allowing them to provide advanced life support under the delegation and

direct supervision of a licensed Physician in a health care facility.

The Paramedic will be working under the delegated authority of the ER Physician, although they will be employees of Connally Memorial Medical Center, assignments and evaluations will be supervised by the Emergency Department Director and Emergency Department Medical Director. The Paramedic will work as a member of the health are team and collaborate with the RN to deliver care to the patients in the Emergency Department.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities to include the following: Other duties may be assigned.

• Answers signal lights, bells, or intercom system to determine patients' needs.
• Bathes, dresses, and undresses patients.
• Serves and collects food trays and feeds patients requiring help.
• Transports patients or assists patients to walk.
• Drapes patients for examinations and treatments, and remains with patients to perform such duties as holding instruments and adjusting lights.
• Turns and repositions bedfast patients, alone or with assistance, to prevent bedsores.
• Changes bed linens, runs errands, directs visitors, and answers telephone.
• Takes and records temperature, blood pressure, pulse and respiration rates, and food and fluid intake and output, as directed.
• Cleans, stores, prepares, and issues dressing packs, treatment trays, and other supplies.
• Cleans patients' rooms.
• Assists Physician with appropriate procedures that may include central line placement, splinting, closed reductions, insertion of sutures, etc. (upon competency)
• Peripheral Intravenous Access (upon competency)
• Phlebotomy
• Foley Catheter insertion with sterile technique (upon competency)
• 12 lead EKG
• Specimen collection under appropriate precautions including blood collection for bedside glucose testing.
• Stocks linen and supplies each shift.
• Utilizes personal protective equipment (PPE) as appropriate following transmission based precaution procedures.
• Address identified hazards in the physical environment of the patient room to avoid fall and prevent falls.
• Uses appropriate hand hygiene and standard precautions.

Advanced Level Skills:

All advanced skills must be validated by Emergency Room Physician and RN prior to being cleared for independent performance.

Medications:

Administration of meds in the Emergency Room as ordered by the ER Physician. Paramedics CANNOT mix, initiate, or titrate vasoactive medications, or drugs for moderate or deep sedation.

• Assist in basic and advanced airway
• Assist and perform Rapid Sequence Intubation
• Endotracheal Intubation
• Managing the Care of the Patient with a Chest tube, assisting ERP with placement
• Intraosseous Vascular Access
• Long Bone Injury and immobilization
• Ultrasound guided Peripheral IV placement
• NG placement
• Needle decompression
• ACLS protocols and resuscitative measures

Education and/or Experience:

1. High School Diploma or Equivalent Education, Paramedic, Critical Care Paramedic

1. Employee must complete initial competency and continue ongoing and training competencies as defined by service line, facility, and department which are specific to the needs of the patient population served.

1. Preferred: Previous PCT, PCA, ER/Critical Care Tech, EMT Basic, Intermediate, or Paramedic

New Employee and Annual Competency:

The Paramedic will attend the same NEO as any other employee. They will perform skills competency check off prior to performing duties. Once the skills are validated by ERP or RN, they will no longer need to be observed. The Paramedic will be mandated to attend the same nursing annual competency.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

CPR must obtain within 30 days

ACLS- must obtain within 60 days

PALS- must obtain within 60 days

Critical Care Certification (CCP-C, FP-C) highly preferred

EMT-P

PHTLS

BTLS

,

Other Qualifications:

The Emergency Department Paramedic assists in patient care throughout nursing areas, and is responsible for the safe transport of patients via wheelchair or stretcher, dispatch services and appropriate documentation of services. Provides the services of an Observer for any patient on a patient care unit who has been assessed to require constant observation in order to maximize his/her safety. Performs general receptionist and clerical duties in order to facilitate efficient functioning of the nursing unit.

Qualifications

Advanced Level Skills:

All advanced skills must be validated by Emergency Room Physician and RN prior to being cleared for independent performance.

Medications:

• Administration of meds in the Emergency Room as ordered by the ER Physician. Paramedics CANNOT mix, initiate, or titrate vasoactive medications, or drugs for moderate or deep sedation.
• Assist in basic and advanced airway
• Assist and perform Rapid Sequence Intubation
• Endotracheal Intubation
• Managing the Care of the Patient with a Chest tube, assisting ERP with placement
• Intraosseous Vascular Access
• Long Bone Injury and immobilization
• Ultrasound guided Peripheral IV placement
• NG placement
• Needle decompression
• ACLS protocols and resuscitative measures

Education and/or Experience: 

• High School Diploma or Equivalent Education, Paramedic, Critical Care Paramedic
• Employee must complete initial competency and continue ongoing and training competencies as   defined by service line, facility, and department which are specific to the needs of the patient population served.
• Preferred: Previous PCT, PCA, ER/Critical Care Tech, EMT Basic, Intermediate, or Paramedic

New Employee and Annual Competency:

The Paramedic will attend the same NEO as any other employee. They will perform skills competency check off prior to performing duties. Once the skills are validated by ERP or RN, they will no longer need to be observed. The Paramedic will be mandated to attend the same nursing annual competency.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

• CPR – must obtain within 30 days
• ACLS- must obtain within 60 days
• PALS- must obtain within 60 days
• Critical Care Certification (CCP-C, FP-C) highly preferred
• EMT-P
• PHTLS
• BTLS

 ,

Other Qualifications:

The Emergency Department Paramedic assists in patient care throughout nursing areas, and is responsible for the safe transport of patients via wheelchair or stretcher, dispatch services and appropriate documentation of services. Provides the services of an Observer for any patient on a patient care unit who has been assessed to require constant observation in order to maximize his/her safety. Performs general receptionist and clerical duties in order to facilitate efficient functioning of the nursing unit.