Licensed Practical Nurse

Job Summary

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.

As appropriate to the LPNs scope of practice, the LPN is expected to have competent focused/limited nursing assessment and triage skills on routine or self‑limiting health conditions, critical thinking, communication, problem‑solving and decision‑making skills in order to meet patient needs and contribute to a positive care experience and work environment. Performs clinical tasks and procedures under the direction of a clinician, within the scope of the LPNs professional training and individual competency.

Works under the clinical supervision of the clinician or registered nurse and under the general direction of the designated supervisor.

• Clinical Tasks: Prepares and organizes patient office visits for known reasons/procedures 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 alert clinician when required. Recognizes signs and symptoms of common and routine medical conditions/illnesses, 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 the 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. Utilizes standardized tools to determine patients’ level of engagement in self‑care. Uses KP Health Connect and other information systems to document all pertinent data and outcomes of nursing care according to standardized procedures and policies such as SBAR, SOAP or APIE, KP Health Connect smart tools, etc.
  
  Updates demographic/historical clinical data gathered in electronic medical record.
• Clinical Procedures: Performs diagnostic tests, therapies and procedures within scope of practice competently and maintains proficiency according to department standards, patient safety, aseptic and sterile techniques and infection control. Examples include screening tests (vital signs, vision, hearing, developmental, LOPS, pain, etc.), diagnostic tests (urine dips, spirometry/PFT, bladder scan, O2 saturation, allergy skin testing, treadmill assist, etc.), medication administration via various routes, wound care, therapies (photo, laser, foot care, etc.),
  
  orthopedic appliance application/removal, tube insertions/care, minor surgical procedures assist, medical procedures assist, lab specimen collection/labeling, irrigations, instrument/equipment set‑up, cleaning and processing, and patient ambulation/transfer.
• Practice Management
  
  Activities:
  
  Maintains and adjusts clinicians’ patient schedule for efficient patient flow and overbooking management. Answers and responds to incoming messages/requests via telephone, mail or kp.org. Facilitates follow‑up duties on patient’s plan of care, including processing prescriptions and forms, reminders for screenings/tests, scheduling/staging of procedures, referrals, and collecting data…