Licensed Practical Nurse - Endocrinology

Location: Endocrinology Clinic - Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, VA

Hours of Performance: Services shall be provided Monday through Friday, between the hours of 0700 and 1800 hours. Shifts will normally be scheduled for an eight and half (8.5) or nine (9) hour period, to include an uncompensated thirty (30) minute to sixty (60) minute lunch break, respectively. In no instance will the HCW be required to provide services in excess of eighty (80) hours per two-week period.

Benefits: Vest vacation, sick leave, holiday leave, Life, Accidental Death and Dismemberment, Short Term Disability

Optional Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(K) matching with employee participation in 401(K) plan

• Initiate, perform and complete assigned duties in providing care to variable patient populations.
• Complete assigned patient care based on the patients’ conditions, use judgment in selecting the appropriate order and sequence of procedures and treatments, and accurately recognize, report and record relevant patient information.
• Observe, identify and respond to the patient’s needs for care, including medication, equipment-assisted care and patient/family education.
• Prepare and administer prescribed medications (oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular and/or intravenous) and perform treatments according to established policies/procedures.
• Recognize urgent or emergent patient care situations, seek assistance of the RN and/or MD/DO, and initiate appropriate emergency interventions as directed.
• Perform support duties for complex diagnostic tests and/or specialized practices or procedures, which include preparing the patient, assisting in the diagnostic examination, preparing and handling specialized instruments or other specialized equipment, and monitoring the patient’s condition before, during, and following the procedure.
• Orient peers and ancillary personnel to unit policies and procedures, skills, and standards of practice.
• Integrate healthy work environment principles that result in improved patient healthcare delivery, education of patients and their families and employee satisfaction.

• Monitor and provide nursing care to acutely ill patients awaiting admission to the hospital and/or transport to the Urgent Care Clinic/Emergency Room.

• Assist in check-in and checkout of patients; perform computer end of day processing functions; arrange patient appointments; assist patients in scheduling referrals and consults. Assist in scanning, faxing and processing Prior Authorizations.

• Assist with diabetes classes and make follow-up telephone calls to patients for the purpose of assessing their understanding of their disease and treatment protocols.

• Perform blood sugar testing and teach the proper use of glucometer. Assist with insulin pump and continuous glucose monitoring system programs.

• Attend Diabetes Education Class for nurses (certification not required).

• Attend training and receive certification to perform dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans used to measure bone density. Serves as back up to Dexa Tech.

• Assist providers with diagnostic examinations such as sonographic thyroid exams; perform unscheduled patient blood pressure checks, blood sugar checks and place patient glucose summary information in patient's health record; complete lab requisitions and referral forms as patient need dictates.

• Prepare, administer, and document oral, topical, intradermal, subcutaneous and intramuscular medications in accordance with orders and prescribed method. Provide information to the patient about procedures, reactions, side effects, and possibility of adverse actions. Measure dosage and administer vaccinations and immunizations such as pneumococcal vaccines, influenza vaccines, and injections such as Vitamin B12.

• Perform metabolic testing including placement of intravenous (IV) phlebotomy labeling and transport of specimens and patient monitoring.

• Degree: Certificate.
• Education: Graduate from an accredited community college, junior college, college, university or vocational nursing program approved by the appropriate State agency and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). As an alternative to the education requirements in the basic contract, the HCW may be a graduate of a State Board of Nursing approved LPN/LVN training program OR be a graduate of an accredited LPN program by Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) OR have completed an equivalent military training program.
• Experience: Possess a minimum of 1 year experience as an LPN working in an outpatient acute care (hospital based) or ambulatory care setting within the last two years. Possess a minimum experience of six (6) months within the last two (2) years as an LPN caring for patients with diabetes mellitus.
• Licensure: Current, full, active and unrestricted license as a practical or vocational nurse.
• Certifications: Basic Life Support (BLS)