Registered Practical Nurse (Community Alzheimer Program)

The Role

Delivers safe, efficient, cost effective, and professional nursing care for clients in the Community Alzheimer Program, including administering medications according to College of Nurses Standards and the Regulated Health Professions Act. 

Duties/Responsibilities

• Assesses clients physically and cognitively, including need for multidisciplinary assessment, safety risks, and health teaching needs. Completes and documents assessment per policy, provides information to supervisor, makes referrals to other disciplines as appropriate, and provides directions for care, including client activities. Assesses clients for transferring, in compliance with care plan. Maintains client confidentiality. 
• Participates in the development of client care plans, in collaboration with a multidisciplinary health care team (e.g., recreation staff, physiotherapist, speech/language pathologist), clients, and their families. Maintains, monitors, and evaluates care plan, including multidisciplinary action items and goals. Communicates care plan (including changes) to health care team and auxiliary staff.
• Prepares client information for transfer (e.g., current medication record, care plan, progress notes). Notifies family, updates supervisor or RN, and documents. 
• Dispenses medications, including narcotics; administers insulin injections, as ordered; and tests Visual Blood Glucose (VBG), per College of Nurses medication standards. Dispenses “as necessary” (PRN) medications to clients; documents per policy. Signs Medication Administration Record (MAR) upon dispensing medications. Conducts monthly MAR audits. Consults with supervisor (or designate) if client condition is unstable prior to administering medications and reports changes in condition including Medical Directives per policy. Informs family of medication administered, including details to communicate with family physician, as needed.
• Processes physician orders (including medications), per policy and standards. Orders, receives and checks medications for overnight stay clients; ensures proper labelling; and documents in MAR. Maintains day program drug records for clients and documents nursing and client information, per College of Nurses standards and policy. Ensures drug cart is secure, clean, stocked, and orderly.
• Collects specimens from clients, per physician orders.
• Provides and documents dressings and other treatments (e.g., oxygen therapy, prescription creams) in the Treatment Administration Record (TAR), per policy. Administers prescriptions or delegates administration of prescription creams to Personal Support Workers per policy.
• Admits and discharges clients for the overnight stay program. Prepares and files client information sheets (e.g., bowel records, bath sheets, diet requests) and communicates client information to staff. Ensures clients’ belongings are labelled and packed/unpacked.
• Plans for and completes weekly food orders for program meals (e.g., day, dinner club, overnight stay).
• Assists with recreational programming. Promotes client participation in recreational, restorative, and other program activities. Porters clients to programs, meals, church, and events within the Home as needed. 
• Conducts regular rounds for safety, assessments, and general overseeing of care. Participates in narcotic counts as needed per policy.

Additional Duties/Responsibilities

• Prepares for and leads shift reports with multi-disciplinary team.
• Provides personal care for clients (e.g., nail care, bathing, enemas and suppository, dressing and toileting) and ensures adherence to continence care program. 
• Assists with serving meals and feeding, as required; and monitors the dining room, ensuring adherence to client diet plan. Documents client diet issues and makes referrals to community partners, as needed. 
• Provides client and family health teaching, education, and support incorporating the restorative care model and philosophy.
• Assists to complete infection surveillance line listings, per policy. Maintains infection control precautions and provides leadership in ensuring infection control precautions are in place per policy or direction.
• Performs clerical duties (e.g., filing, faxing, photocopying, answering phone, booking appointments and transportation). 
• Assists in student and volunteer orientation. Acts as a preceptor to nursing students. 
• Maintains professional competence by participating in in-service programs, staff meetings, care conferences, and seminars. Reads and stays current with communications distributed. 
• Participates in quality assurance programs such as data collection and a variety of audits for performance indicators, as required.
• Provides assistance, guidance, and support to Supportive Living Assistant staff during weekends and off-business hours.
• Performs related duties, as assigned within the scope practice set out by the College of Nurses.
• Ensures the safekeeping of medication, nursing/medical supplies, and the medications cart while dispensing medication to clients. Ensures nursing equipment (e.g., mechanical lifts, pagers, phones, glucometers) are properly maintained and secured. Ensures medical supplies are ordered according to quotas. Ensures medications and supplies are properly dated and medications left by clients are disposed.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of the nursing process and nursing theory. Must possess a current Certificate of Registration as a Registered Practical Nurse with the College of Nurses of Ontario. Must have recent related gerentological nursing experience, and recent related experience working with individuals living with advanced dementias in a community or designated setting. 
• Must have certification in medication administration from an approved community college. Must have current CPR certification, tuberculosis (TB) test, and annual influenza immunization.
• Ability to work to support a Restorative Care Philosophy with a focus on team work.
• Knowledge of Regional policies and procedures, legislation, and standards (e.g., College of Nurses Standards, Regulated Health Professionals Act). Knowledge of best practices in care for individuals with physical and cognitive/mental health needs, such as current training in PIECES, Montessori, and/or Gentle Persuasive Approach. 
• Human relations and communication skills to respond pleasantly and professionally to demands; communicate effectively with staff, clients and families; interact with and understand the geriatric population; and participate as an effective team member. Ability to provide non-judgmental inclusive service to clients.
• Organizational, problem solving, and time management skills to plan client care, handle and resolve issues presented (e.g., behaviour); organize supplies and schedule; and meet strict timelines.
• Ability to operate medical equipment including oxygen administration, mechanical lifts and transfer devices per policy and ensure others use same per policy.