The Registered Nurse is responsible to the Sr. Executive Director for the nursing needs of Berry Family Services. The RN works with the LVN's, Foster Providers and attendants to ensure the health and safety of each consumer. The focus of this position is to monitor the overall health care of the consumers, provide supervision and guidance to the LVNs and ensure the quality of all documentation. The RN reports to the Sr. Executive Director.

Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITiES: include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Adhere to the guidelines set forth by the Board of Nursing (BON) and the HCS Principles;
• Complete Initial Comprehensive Nursing Assessments on all new consumers;
• Complete Annual Physical Assessments, as needed;
• Complete Delegations when it is determined it is needed and ensures the delegated staff receives the appropriate training and skills are regularly monitored;
• Ensure tasks that cannot be delegated are completed by a licensed nurse;
• Ensure first dose of new medication is given by a nurse when medication administration is delegated;
• Complete Medication Training and Delegation for all Direct Care Staff and Foster Providers, as needed;
• Make a determination of a Consumer's Responsible Adult (CRA);
• Provide supervision of LVNs;
• Administer and monitor consumer's medications;
• Monitor the consumers' health data and information;
• Assist the consumers to secure emergency medical services;
• Make referrals for appropriate medical services;
•  Perform health care procedures as ordered/prescribed by a physician/medical practitioner and required by standards of professional practice or law to be performed by licensed nursing personnel; Orders medications as needed for the Group Homes'
• Ensures a 72 hour supply of all medications are on hand at the Group Homes;
• Participate in Annual and Special Planning Conferences, as needed;
• Agrees to be on call after office hours, as needed to assist the consumers;
• Responds appropriately to all consumer crises;
• Complete monthly progress notes by the 3rd of the following month;
• Turn in billing to the Billing Department by the 3rd of each month;
• Participate in scheduled department and all staff meetings; 

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Provide supervision of LVNs. Provide medical supervision of unlicensed Direct Care Staff and Foster Providers.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily: The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Applicant must not possess a criminal record.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:
Have current certification from Texas Board of Nurses. One year experience I home health. One year
experience working with people with disabilities. Must have working knowledge of accepted nursing procedures for individuals with disabilities. Certification in CPR and First Aid is required and maintain license. Must be familiar with HCS regulations and contract standards of the program. Must have team building skills in order to effectively work with others to provide quality services. Must exhibit good relationship building skills with consumers and their families. Must be computer literate in word processing.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret medical reports and standards. Ability to write reports and business
correspondence. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of consumers and employees of the agency

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:
Ability to perform basic math skills as they relate to the job.

REASONING ABILITY:
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, and diagram or schedule form.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:
Current Texas driver's license, liability insurance, dependable transportation and recent TB test required.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Must have good health in order to maintain an acceptable attendance record as established by the agency. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop; kneel, crouch or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee must be able to lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to^.enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.