Licensed Practical Nurse; 4413-604-N (Part-time)

at  Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens

LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE (LPN):

Are you looking to join a dynamic team focused on providing high quality health care to communities across Brooklyn & Queens? If so, you’ve come to the right place. For over 125years, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens has been providing quality social services to the neighborhoods of Brooklyn and Queens, and currently offers over 160 programs and services for children, youth, adults, seniors, and those struggling with mental illness. Catholic Charities provides comprehensive care coordination and treatment services to individuals living with serious mental illness, complex medical needs and substance use needs. Our Queens ACT team provides an integrated set of evidence-based treatment, rehabilitation, case management, and support services delivered by a mobile, multidisciplinary mental health treatment team. ACT supports client recovery through a highly individualized approach that provides clients with the tools to obtain and maintain housing, employment, relationships and relief from symptoms and medication side effects. The LPN is part of this multi-disciplinary team and is responsible for delivering intensive in-home and community-based services to individuals living with severe mental illness, whom have a treatment history characterized by frequent use of psychiatric hospitalization and emergency rooms, involvement with the criminal justice system, alcohol/substance abuse, and lack of engagement in traditional outpatient services.

SPECIFICATIONS FOR EDUCATION/LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS

• Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) with current New York State license.
• Associates Degree in Nursing or equivalent
• Bachelor’s Degree Preferred

SPECIFICATIONS FOR EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING

• One-year post LPN licensure clinical nursing experience working with individuals with behavioral health needs preferred.
• Experience providing community-based treatment to individuals living with severe mental illness preferred.
• Bilingual Spanish speaking, preferred.
• Knowledge of professional nursing concepts, principles and practices.
• Knowledge of concepts and principles from the biological sciences that are supportive of nursing practice.
• Knowledge of concepts and principles of health promotion and disease prevention.
• Knowledge of abnormal signs and symptoms relating to physical and mental illness, as well as indicators of wellness.
• Knowledge of medications and drugs, common dosages, their psychological, physical and physiological effects and possible adverse reactions.
• Knowledge of emergency treatments and interventions.
• Knowledge of cultural, ethnic, customs, beliefs, and linguistic needs of clients relating to cultural competence.
• Ability to recognize changes in signs and symptoms that warrant the immediate action of a physician.
• Ability to develop, evaluate, implement, and modify a plan of nursing intervention to meet the needs of individual clients.
• Ability to secure the cooperation of and work effectively with others.
• Ability to prepare accurate and timely reports.
• Excellent oral, writing and communication skills.
• Ability to teach skills to individuals and groups.
• Free from present litigation that could result in loss of licensure.
• Excellent use of technology and Microsoft Office products.
• Ability to perform skillfully, communicates clearly, discuss assessments with clients.

SPECIFICATIONS FOR PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to work flexible hours and days – including weekends/evenings/holidays according to needs of a 24/7 program.
• Regularly required to talk, hear, walk, stand & sit.
• Able to lift up to 10 pounds.
• Able to climb stairs and make home visits.
• Able to stretch and bend to retrieve files.
• Able to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, & office equipment.
• Able to read printed materials and computer screens.
• Able to write.
• Able to sit and work on the computer for long periods of time.
• Able to travel to multiple locations as needed.
• Ability to lift at least up to 30 pounds.
  We offer competitive Salary and excellent benefits including: generous time off, Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement Savings with Agency Match, Transit, life insurance and other additional voluntary benefits. EOE/AA.
  For more information on our organization, please visit our website at:
  www.ccbq.or

The Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) is responsible for working in conjunction with and in support of the RN in conducting health and medical screenings and interventions for clients being served by the ACT Team. This includes assessing physical health needs; making appropriate referrals to community physicians; providing management and administration of medication in conjunction with the psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioner and RN; providing a range of treatment, rehabilitation, and support services. The role will involve delivery of nursing care services, community-based assessment and treatment of clients, and crisis management. The LPN will perform a wide variety of tasks related to the care, support, education, socialization, habilitation, recovery/healing, safety, security, and support of clients served. The LPN will provide interventions supportive to or restorative of life and well-being; and execute medical regimens prescribed by a physician, PNP or another licensed health care provider. Duties of the LPN include, but are not limited to:

• Support the RN in the development of individualized nursing screenings and interventions for clients.
• Conduct intake, physical health assessments, assessing the health needs of clients and make appropriate referrals to community based medical care. Develop/implement nursing care plans.
• During screening obtains information: a) to establish the degree of medical risk, medical care and interventions required to promote positive health outcomes, and b) to support the RN as s/he leads the team in primary care issues.
• Consult and coordinate with healthcare team members to assess, plan, implement, or evaluate care plans. Recommend health objectives for client’s service plans.
• Meet regularly with each client to assess health status- providing care directly to individuals in the home/community.
• Provide health education and connection to primary care to address physical health issues that impact a client’s ability to successfully live in the community.
• Develop short-term person-centered treatment plans to assist clients towards achieving their goals.
• Provide health education for patients and their families for specific medical needs, preventative care, and how to access and utilize healthcare services in the community.
• Administer IM’s and vaccines, plants and reads PPD’s, and performs phlebotomy as per orders.
• Advise clients on health maintenance and disease prevention including effects of diet and physical activity and provide case management.
• Assist in client wellness self-management groups, consumer advisory board meetings and other activities and groups focused on education, health, wellness, smoking cessation and recovery.
• Provide on-site crisis assessment and management of clients during regular work hours, both on-site and over the phone.
• Assist in the determination of medical care needs and other services to support wellness and client health.
• Support the RN to ensure all clients have primary care providers and receive annual physical and dental examinations.
• Advocate on behalf of clients regarding medical treatment; escort/attend appointments with clients as needed.
• Community navigation including accompanying to first behavioral health and medical appointment, travel training, reengagement in community care, referral to services with ability to identify and address potential services and barriers to obtain and maintain such services.
• Act as advocate and liaison for clients in securing medical care, and other community supports that promote integrated physical and mental health wellness.
• Coordinate care with family and other community service providers or collaterals including, but not limited to: hospitals, housing providers, shelter staff, criminal justice personnel, Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT), and primary health care providers.
• Make visits to hospitalized clients to coordinate care. Provide advocacy for hospitalized clients. Assist with follow up care to support discharge planning, transition back to community and promote complete recovery.
• Facilitate client education, activities and groups on prevention, health, wellness, diet, HIV/AIDS education, smoking cessation and recovery.
• Manage medical supplies and equipment.