This is nursing work of limited scope in the care of aged and chronically ill individuals in a skilled nursing care facility on an assigned shift. Employees in this class assist other nursing and medical personnel in providing direct care to patients. Work involves disagreeable conditions and moderate physical effort. An employee in this class works under the supervision of a higher level nurse.

ALLOCATING FACTORS: (The following conditions must be met for a position to be allocated to this class.)

• An employee in this class must work at the Riverview Home.

• Receive patient assignments and makes rounds with higher level nursing personnel; takes and charts temperature, pulse, respiration and blood pressure; charts treatments, food intake, waste elimination, and other actions; performs chart audits; participates in rehabilitative programs of facility by reinforcing new behaviors learned by residents.
• Administers treatments as directed such as changing dressings, decubiti care and applying soaks; drapes patients for various examinations and treatments; collects urine, feces, and sputum specimens; inserts catheters; monitors and records fluid output; removes and reinserts tracheotomy apparati; removes excess mucus from windpipe; removes and flushes nasal gastric tubes; performs finger sticks for blood specimens.
• Bathes bed patients and gives tub baths; gives shampoos and combs hair; makes and cleans beds; feeds patients orally or administers tube feedings; serves between meal nourishments; cleans and changes colostomy bags.
• Administers medications including intramuscular injections and other types of medicines; records administration of medication on appropriate charts; orders medications from pharmacy; transcribes physician's orders on to appropriate records; audits charts for accuracy and completeness.
• Provides post-mortem care; removes all tubes and bathes the body; wraps body and labels body according to procedures; gathers personal belongings of the decedent.
• May be assigned as charge nurse of patient care unit under supervision of registered nurse; gives assignments and direction to lower level patient care personnel.
• Washes instruments, equipment and furnishings; arranges dressings, instrument packs, and treatment trays; cleans and restocks cabinets, closets, and supply room; sets up and arranges trays and charts; notifies nursing superiors of medical emergencies or patient injuries; fills out incident reports pertaining to medical emergencies or patient accidents.
• Performs related work a required.

KNOWLEDGE OF:
• nursing theory and practice.
• the principles and practices of the administration of medication.
• the daily hygienic care of patients.
• geriatric and chronic care nursing

SKILL IN:

• administering medications and treatments.

ABILITY TO:

• follow oral and written instructions in exact detail.
• maintain a sympathetic attitude toward physically ill or infirm patients.
• maintain required records and charts relating to patient care.

EDUCATION
• Education equivalent to completion of the twelfth school grade.

AND

• Completion of an approved one year program in practical nursing which has included or been supplemented by a medication course approved by the State Board of Licensure for practical nurses.

PHYSICAL AND MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in the environmental conditions required of a position in this class.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS AND/OR CERTIFICATES

• Eligibility for licensure by examination as a Licensed Practical Nurse as issued by the State Board of Nurse Examiners of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania at the time of application and possession of such licensee within time limits specified by the department.

PAY RANGE: 13
Class Established: 7/1990
Class Abolished: 1/1996

Class Re-Established:
  CSC - 12/1998 ; Ad Board - 1/1999

RJ/sb