LPN Primary Care (Longview/Kelso / 27 Hr)

About the role

Participates with the Health Care Team in delivering quality and customer-focused care to patients in a manner which reflects Kaiser Permanente’s organizational and nursing mission, vision, and values. Provides nursing and administrative support to clinicians and other health care team members to offer a variety of health care services to patients. Clinical duties involve both direct (in person) and indirect (via phone or online) patient care activities requiring both simple to complex nursing knowledge and skills.

Responsibilities

Clinical Tasks

• Prepares and organizes patient office visits for known reasons/procedures by ensuring all appropriate tests, clinical information, and order entries are ready for clinician review prior to appointment time.
• Performs focused/limited nursing assessment and triage on routine or self-limiting medical conditions as directed by RN/clinician.
• Recognizes when to defer to and/or assist with comprehensive assessment for complex medical conditions by RN/clinician.
• Utilizes standardized tools (e.g., PST, health maintenance alerts) to identify and address health maintenance/care gaps with patient and alerts clinician on those requiring attention.
• Recognizes signs and symptoms of common and routine medical conditions/illnesses, distinguishes abnormal versus new/existing, and implements planned nursing and medical interventions as delegated by RN/clinician.
• Contributes to the development, implementation, or modification of the individualized patient’s plan of care under the direction of the RN/clinician.
• Prepares patient for actual visit/procedure prior to clinician’s exam during rooming-in process.
• Assures exam/procedure room contains appropriate supplies, equipment, forms, and educational materials and cleans room after use.
• Provides health teaching/education or advice on routine or self-limiting medical conditions, procedures, tests, surgeries, self-injections, etc.
• Uses KP HealthConnect and other information systems to document all pertinent data and outcomes of nursing care according to standardized procedures and policies (e.g., SBAR, SOAP, APIE, KP HealthConnect smarttools).
• Updates demographic/historical clinical data gathered in the electronic medical record.

Clinical Procedures

• Performs diagnostic tests, therapies, and procedures within scope of practice competently and with maintenance of proficiency according to department standards, developmental age of patient, and established policies (e.g., patient safety, aseptic and sterile techniques, infection control).
• Examples of clinical tasks include:
  • Screening tests: vital signs, vision, hearing, developmental, LOPS, pain, etc.
  • Diagnostic tests: urine dips and drug screens, spirometry/PFT, bladder scan, O2 saturation rate, allergy skin testing, treadmill assist, etc.
  • Medication administration via oral, topical, otic, rectal, vaginal, IM, SubQ, intradermal, IV (includes insertion & discontinuation of peripheral line, use of pump), ophthalmic, bladder, inhalation, and nasal routes.
  • Wound care: routine and complex dressing changes, staple/suture removal, ostomy care, drain management, etc.
  • Therapies: photo, laser, foot care, etc.
  • Application and/or removal of orthopedic appliances and other devices: splints, slings, orthotics, casts, crutch management, anti-embolic stockings measurement, procedural safety restraints, etc.
  • Tube insertions/care: urinary catheterization, NG tube, suctioning, tracheotomy care, etc.
  • Minor surgical procedure assistance: biopsies, excisions, insertion of devices, D&C, etc.
  • Medical procedure assistance: PAP, colonoscopies, sigmoidoscopies, colposcopies, joint aspirations, lumbar puncture, etc.
  • Lab specimen collection and labeling: nasopharyngeal, wound, throat, etc.
  • Irrigations: eye, ear, bladder, wound.
  • Instrument/equipment set-up, cleaning, and processing (sterile and non-sterile): scopes, cryogun, O2 tank, procedural trays, etc.
  • Ambulate/transfer of patient using lift equipment.

Practice Management Activities

• Maintains and adjusts clinician’s patient schedule for efficient patient flow that facilitates appointed visits and overbooks as needed.
• Answers and responds to incoming messages/requests via telephone, mail, or kp.org from patient or other department(s) by collecting and communicating pertinent data requiring clinician review and input.
• Responds to messages on routine medical concerns that can be addressed by giving advice or health instructions.
• Facilitates and completes follow-up duties on patient’s plan of care as directed by clinician, including processing prescriptions and forms, reminding patients of due screenings/tests, scheduling procedures/tests/referrals/return appointments, and obtaining and inputting patient data to monitor progress in the electronic medical record.
• Assists in coordinating patient care to support patients with complex health needs in navigating the health care system as directed by clinician/RN.
• Sorts and prioritizes mail containing patient and/or clinical information requiring clinician review and attention.
• Provides population-based care outreach activities, including health maintenance screening as directed by clinician.

Teamwork, Leadership, and Professional Development Activities

• Performs appropriate daily activities to start workflow in work area per team agreements and procedures.
• Demonstrates flexibility and ability to reprioritize workflow to handle urgent/emergent demands of the team effectively.
• Responds and assists with medical emergencies as directed by clinician/RN.
• Serves as a clinic resource for other team members and assists with mentoring, coaching, or training peers.
• Reports errors, near misses, or other hazards in a timely manner per established procedures.
• Obtains instruction, supervision, and consultation as necessary before implementing new or unfamiliar procedures or techniques within scope of practice.
• Completes annual competency assessments and trainings by meeting organizational standards and expectations.
• Demonstrates and maintains clinical knowledge and skills related to department’s clinical area and contributes new ideas to assist team in achieving departmental/regional quality and service goals/initiatives.

Requirements

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.
• Practical Nurse License (Washington) within 6 months of hire OR Compact License: Practical Nurse within 6 months of hire.
• Practical Nurse License (Oregon) within 6 months of hire.
• Basic Life Support certification.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated clinical nursing skills.
• Demonstrated interpersonal and customer service skills (assessment required for external candidates).
• Demonstrated communication (written and oral) skills.
• Demonstrated literacy in using computers and keyboarding.
• Skills in problem-solving, setting priorities, and using good judgment for decisions.
• Ability to work independently and efficiently under pressure.

Preferred Qualifications

• Two (2+) years of nursing experience in assigned department’s clinical area (e.g., Pediatrics, FP/IM, OB/Gyn, Surgery, Allergy, Dermatology, Urology, etc.) within an ambulatory care setting.
• IV therapy experience or recent certification.
• Familiarity in documenting in an electronic medical record system.
• Current working knowledge and clinical skills in providing routine care, education, and advice in assigned department’s clinical area OR successful completion of appropriate competencies for assigned primary/specialty care department.