LPN Polysomnographic Tech

DEPARTMENT: SLEEP LAB

F ACILITY: Sleep Center

WORK TYPE: PRN

S HIFT: Varied

SUMMARY

The LPN/Polysomnographic Tech performs both the Licensed Practical Nurse and Polysomnographic Tech responsibilities and can function in either capacity as needed by the department. The LPN is responsible for delivering quality nursing care to a varied patient population, observing and documenting patient responses to care, and providing guidance and assistance to non-licensed staff in acute care setting. The LPN is accountable for the caliber of patient care performed by themselves, and the quality of customer service provided to patients, families, visitors, physicians, co-workers and other medical and non-medical persons. The Polysomnographic Technologist provides comprehensive evaluation and treatment of sleep disorders including in center and home sleep apnea testing, diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, comprehensive patient care and direct patient education. Works within the Polysomnographic Technologist scope of practice to provide direct care to assigned patients. A Polysomnographic Technologist will serve as a role model to promote a positive work environment and provide quality patient care.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assures the timely assessment of the health status and need of patients with proper charting.
• Completes all documentation in chart prior to treatment by provider.
• Conducts reassessments on assigned patients (and documents) when the patient’s status changes.
• Initiates orders as incorporated into plan of care.
• Completes nursing interventions and physician’s orders in a timely manner.
• Accurately interprets, requests, and transcribes orders for medications, treatments, procedures, lab work, and other diagnostic procedures and consultants.
• Follows Nursing Practice Guidelines and policies related to medication administration.
• Accurately states patient’s condition to coworkers at shift report, physician on rounds, and to other associates when required.
• Oversees all care on assigned patients, assuring a high caliber of patient care is provided.
• Follows hospital policies and standards of Nursing Care, Nursing Practice Guidelines, and provides care appropriate to patient age.
• Correctly and accurately recognizes respiratory or cardiac arrest and immediately beings CPR and calls 911.
• Reviews patient’s and/or significant other’s knowledge related to treatment; documents patient’s/significant other’s response/level of understanding.
• Assumes responsibility and accountability for individualized judgments and actions.
• Accurately performs point of care testing and other screenings.
• Demonstrates efficient, effective, and prompt responses to any unit/patient crisis situation.
• Protects patients’ rights by knocking before entering the room and properly draping patient prior to procedures.
• Provides service with respect for human dignity and the uniqueness of the patient unrestricted by consideration of socioeconomic status, personal attribute or the nature of health problems.
• Safeguards the patient’s right to privacy by judiciously protecting information of a confidential nature.
• Protects patients’ valuables as directed in hospital policies and procedures.
• Follows policies related to information release, confidentiality, patient rights, chart access, and advance directives.
• Acts to safeguard the patient and the public when health care and safety are affected by the incompetent, unethical or illegal practice of any person.
• Completes Occurrence Reports on any activity deviating from the norm.
• Accepts responsibility to establish and maintain conditions conductive to high quality nursing care.
• Knows emergency codes (i.e., Code Red, Code Blue, etc.) and protocol for outside facilities.
• Maintains cleanliness in the unit area.
• Makes proper charge for procedures completed.
• Assumes responsibility and accountability for individualized judgements and actions.
• Insures patients information is correctly entered into Sleep Software.
• Performs appropriate physiological calibrations to ensure proper signals and makes required adjustments.
• Performs data acquisition while monitoring study-tracing quality to ensure signals are artifact-free. Identify, correct, and document artifact.
• Scores sleep/wake stages & clinical events (such as respiratory events, cardiac events, limb movements, arousals, etc.) utilizing American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) standards.
• Demonstrates the ability to handle confidential information with discretion for the patient, family, and/or coworkers.
• Maintains integrity of medical records.
• Participates in Hospital/Dept. goals related to Patient Satisfactions.
• Keeps supply bins stocked.
• Protects patient’s rights by knocking before entering the room and by properly draping patients prior to a procedure.
• Attends all mandatory in-services.
• Reviews bulletin board and emails for updates.
• Attends 80% of staff meetings or reads and initials minutes.
• Supports and adapts to progressive changes in work environment.
• Follows attendance/punctuality policies and procedures.
• Accepts and acts upon constructive criticism in order to improve abilities.
• Rotates to other departments/areas with a positive attitude.
• Helps co-workers when asked.
• Is flexible with scheduling.
• Completes all assigned task accurately and timely.
• Offers suggestions to supervisors on ways to improve operations of department and reduce costs.
• Careful not to waste supplies and ensures supplies remained stocked.
• Keeps abreast of pertinent federal, and state regulations and laws and Tift Regional Health System, Inc. (“TRHS”) policies as they presently exist and as they change or are modified.
• Understands and adheres to: TRHS’ compliance standards as they appear in TRHS’s Corporate Compliance Policy, Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest Policy; and HIPAA and TRHS policies regarding privacy and security of protected health information.
• Demonstrates the ability to perform tasks that meet the age-specific requirements of the persons, patients, vendors, and staff that the employee is charged to interact with as required by the position.
• Offers suggestions on ways to improve operations of department and reduce costs.
• Attends all mandatory education programs.
• Improves self-knowledge through voluntarily attending continuing education/certification classes.
• Maintains required competency levels as identified in written exams, skills checklists, skills labs, annual safety and health requirements as well as service excellence education hours requirements.
• Cross-trains in order to better assist co-workers and to provide maximum efficiency in the department.
• Volunteers/participates on hospital committees, functions, and department projects.
• Manages resources effectively.
• Reports equipment in need of repair in order to extend life of equipment and removes malfunctioning equipment out of service with timely reporting to the appropriate personnel.
• Makes good use of time so as to not create needless overtime.

EDUCATION

• Technical Certificate or Diploma in Nursing - Practical Nurse

CREDENTIALS

• LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE

OTHER INFORMATION:

Maintaining current Licensure as a LPN in the State of Georgia is required.

Basic Life Support (BLS) certification is required.

Will be trained on polysomnography and will be required to become credentialed as a Polysomnographic Tech

Successful completion of EKG Fundamentals class within 90 days of hire is required.

Southwell/Tift Regional Health System, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.