Staff Nurse - Meriden

Job Description

8 hours a week - Thursdays.

The Primary Care Nurse (PCN) provides high quality, comprehensive, professional nursing primary nursing care to individuals and families throughout the lifespan. As part of a clinical team, the PCN works at the top of his or her licensure to enhance the safety, effectiveness, and efficiency of care through both the performance of professional nursing responsibilities and the delegation of technical and clerical functions as appropriate to medical assistants.

Provides patients with both general and focused health education regarding preventive, chronic, and episodic health care issues. Assumes responsibility, in collaboration with primary care providers, to coordinate care, support transitions between levels of care, and counsel, educate, and support patients in improving health status. Applies principles of advanced access, planned care and the chronic care model, and rapid cycle performance improvement using the PDSA approach at CHCI.

• Support primary care of patients under the planned care model, collaborating with PCPs to identify needs for preventive care, evidence‑based chronic disease care, and care coordination.
• Provide general and specific health care education; work with patients to identify and monitor self‑management goals.
• Collaborate with other community‑based providers; follow up on emergency room visits and hospital discharges.
• Assist providers with exams, treatments, and procedures as needed.
• Ensure safe, accurate, clinically appropriate collection, storage, and processing of all biologic specimens.
• Administer medications, including vaccines and immunizations, by the order of the prescribing provider and under standing orders as established by CHCI. Adhere to CHC protocols regarding documentation of medication, route, dosage, and information provided to the patient. Monitor patient response and report any adverse reaction.
• Provide patient education as appropriate for administered medication.
• Perform a wide range of nursing activities as needed and after initial prescription by primary care provider, such as wound care and catheterization.
• Accurately document all aspects of patient care in the medical chart on a timely basis.
• Schedule tests and referrals for specialty care on order of provider.
• Maintain strict infection control standards in accord with CHCI protocols and universal precautions, OSHA, and CLIA standards.
• Act as a resource person for medical assistants regarding patient preparation, needs, and procedures.
• Monitor and ensure follow‑up of all abnormal Pap smear results, STDs, lead screens and other tests and screens performed at CHCI.
• Oversee maintenance of supplies and equipment, ordering supplies as necessary.
• Maintain compliance with agency mandatory annual training (Patient Safety, Abuse, Age‑Based Competencies, EOC, Abuse trainings, etc.).
• Use electronic health record expertise to ensure timely, safe, confidential storage and retrieval of patient information.

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
• Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN)

Community Health Center of Meriden, Meriden, Connecticut.

Part‑time.