Registered Nurse - Long Island

About the role

Under the supervision of the Nursing Supervisor or other designated manager, and at the direction of appropriate program leadership team(s), the Registered Nurse at YAI provides compassionate, person-centered nursing care to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) or to other persons supported in assigned program(s) and/or systems through assessment, creation and monitoring of plans of nursing care and related medical support plans.

YAI's mission is to create opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live, love, work, and learn in their communities. Join us in making a real difference in people's lives by supporting others, creatively finding solutions to life's challenges, and building a more inclusive community.

Positions available between and throughout Long Island, including Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Responsibilities

• Provide nursing services for persons supported in assigned program(s) and/or system(s), collaborating with direct support or other applicable staff, including program leadership, to obtain information or updates on persons supported. Regularly report on-site to engage with persons supported and staff, conducting observations, assessments, and trainings.
• Develop and maintain an understanding of regulations applicable to assigned program(s) and/or system(s) as they relate to medical and nursing care, including needs or care for specific medical and related conditions of persons supported and scopes and standards of nursing practice applicable to state(s) of assignment.
• Utilize the nursing process with each person supported, assessing their condition, establishing person-centered goals, implementing appropriate nursing interventions, and evaluating overall progress, including responses to treatment, to inform updates or changes and improve effectiveness of care.
• Assess the learning needs of persons supported as it relates to their health care and provide education regarding treatments, special diets, medications, follow-up diagnostic tests, and healthy lifestyle information in collaboration with medical providers, if needed.
• Collect data to support assessments of persons supported including taking vital signs, social history, chief complaint(s), and current concerns.
• Triage phone calls from program staff, leadership, and/or persons supported during and outside of regular working hours, as applicable to assignment, and recommend appropriate actions or destinations (e.g., Urgent Care, Emergency Room, etc.), documenting according to protocols. May participate in nursing call list for assigned system(s).
• Observe, record, and report overall condition, reaction to drugs and treatments, or complaints received by persons supported to appropriate external medical providers. Document all calls, correspondence, and encounters with people supported in accordance with established guidelines and within appropriate timelines in electronic systems or on paper, as required by applicable regulations.
• Write, review, and/or update plans of nursing care, including Plans of Nursing Service (PONS) and other individualized plans of care applicable to assigned program(s) or system(s), for persons supported. Regularly complete reports, forms, and/or other summary documents in appropriate formats and systems in accordance with all applicable requirements.
• Review and document medical records including diagnostic tests, labs, evaluations, or other pertinent clinical information and reports. Take appropriate actions to address health, wellness, or medical concerns, sharing medical information with appropriate external providers and interfacing with internal and external parties to support coordination of care in accordance with all established protocols, including during hospitalizations.
• Present information and respond to inquiries regarding health, conditions, and/or status of persons supported in assigned program(s) or system(s) in regularly recurring team or person-specific meetings or as otherwise needed. Assist with nursing-related needs in other service settings or systems as requested, which may include participating in meetings, planning, assessments, and/or education.
• Provide oversight of medical care, documentation, and systems, including electronic health record (EHR) and medication administration record (eMAR) for assigned caseload through regular training of direct care staff and management regarding individual medical needs including medication information or administration, chronic or other conditions, and/or specific care due to current conditions or short-term needs, such as diet or fluid restrictions.
• Provide in-service training and education related to medical treatment and certifications, as well as ongoing oversight of direct care and other staff performing medication administration and assisting with support of complex or specialized medical needs, such as enteral feeding or modified diets, colostomy, ostomy, catheterization, positioning, turning, and/or using lifts, for electronic medical record (eMAR) and other nursing-related supports, as required by assigned caseload.
• Participate in intake assessments during the referral process, reviewing medical records and documentation, performing direct observations and/or assessments with the individual, and making recommendations to program and/or nursing leadership, as requested.
• Assist in addressing complaints regarding care or incidents reported by or involving staff or providers in community settings (e.g., urgent care, ER, psychiatric wards) in collaboration with appropriate internal and external parties to address and resolve concerns or to coordinate appointments, assessments, observations, and supports with addressing audit findings and other issues or concerns for assigned program(s) or system(s), participating in resolution of deficiencies as directed by leadership.
• Participate in residential nursing on-call system on a regularly scheduled, rotational basis or as applicable for assignment to ensure appropriate nursing coverage and response to incidents, inquiries, or emergencies including on a 24/7 basis within 30 minutes in accordance with OPWDD guidelines and/or as prescribed for other program, system, or agency requirements.
• Keep abreast of applicable Federal, State, and/or Local government regulations and standards, including those applicable to oversight agencies for assigned setting(s), infection control, and/or nursing care. Complete and maintain all necessary trainings based on assigned system(s) to ensure compliance with all applicable regulations and internal policies or procedures.
• Assist with oversight of Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) assigned to programs and/or systems where applicable, which may include supporting with clinical issues or insights, directing activities including facilitation of specialized or ad hoc trainings to address corrective actions, and/or reviewing or signing off on documentation prepared for persons supported.
• Support training and mentorship of less experienced or newly hired nursing staff, providing guidance, feedback, and education on systems, processes, procedures, and specific conditions or specialized care.
• Participate in committees or special projects requiring nursing support or feedback, which may include programs outside of current system(s) or region(s), as requested.
• Lead or participate in the development of medical in-service trainings or assessments for specific content areas such as AMAP, choking, and diabetes and/or for specialized programs including START, OMH, etc.
• Comply with all Federal, State, Local, and other relevant regulatory agency requirements, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Valid, active Registered Nursing (RN) license and/or registration to practice as an RN in assigned state of operations (NY or NJ).
• Hold (or obtain within 90 days of appointment) Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification for Healthcare Providers and maintain for duration of assignment.
• Demonstrate sound clinical judgment in selecting methods and techniques to resolve medical concerns.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, along with the ability to effectively interact with and communicate medical information to persons supported, staff at all levels, circles of support, including external medical providers.
• Ability and willingness to lead, direct, and teach program staff on appropriate medical support for persons supported, including medication administration and specialty care for complex or specialized needs, both on-the-job and through formal training in group or individual settings.
• Proficiency with computers and electronic systems, including ability to use or to quickly learn to use applicable equipment, software, and/or electronic programs, specifically the electronic medical record, billing, and other I/DD-related electronic systems (e.g., Digital Agency), email, Microsoft Office Suite, and Workday.
• Highly organized and flexible with the ability to effectively manage multiple priorities and meet all applicable requirements and deadlines.
• Obtain and maintain any additional certifications as required for assigned programs, systems, and/or persons supported, which may include Strategies for Crisis Intervention and Prevention – Revised (SCIP-R), Diabetes Care, or Train-the-Trainer trainings.
• Ability to regularly report to assigned program(s) and to travel to, from, and/or between assigned program(s) as required by regulations and more regularly, if needed based on the needs of persons supported and/or program(s).
• Ability to respond to and/or triage calls regarding medical concerns or emergencies for persons supported in assigned program(s) outside of regularly scheduled working hours and to be on-call, as needed.
• Meet essential physical demands of position including frequent walking, sitting, standing, bending, twisting, stooping, kneeling, crouching, pushing, pulling, and reaching with hands and arms; use hands to handle, finger, or feel objects, tools, or controls; assist with lifting/moving individuals of any weight with assistance of mechanical lifts or other equipment and/or pushing individuals in wheelchairs; lift and/or move up to 25 pounds on occasion; have the physical capacity to work with and implement emergency interventions as per the person’s Behavior Support Plan if/as needed, including lifting/moving individuals of any weight with or without assistance of equipment and/or other staff.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous nursing experience in any setting (hospital, clinic, etc.).
• Two (2) years of experience supporting people with I/DD, mental health, or related needs and/or individuals in crisis in any capacity including in a nursing home, assisted living facility, rehabilitation center, and/or setting applicable to assigned caseload.
• Working knowledge of I/DD, related diagnoses, and applicable regulations in state of assignment (OPWDD, DDD, etc.).

Pay

$85,000 to $95,000 annually

Benefits

• Tuition reimbursement
• Medical, dental, vision - with options for family and more extensive medical plans, as well as vision along with option to contribute toward a Health Savings Account