Licensed Practical Nurse (36 Hour)

State of Connecticut • Bridgeport, CT

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The State of Connecticut Department of Correction is hiring Licensed Practical Nurses to provide bedside care or mental health services to individuals with physical disabilities and/or intellectual disabilities when registered-nurse services are not required. Positions are full-time and scheduled for 36 hours per week at correctional facilities throughout Connecticut. Assignments may be in any unit or location and may include first, second, or third shifts, with rotating weekends and holidays. Some facilities offer limited 12-hour shift schedules, which may not always be available. The LPN classification is designated Hazardous Duty.

LPNs support doctors and nurses in providing general care and treatment. Duties include administering and documenting medications, monitoring individuals’ health and behavior, performing nursing treatments, maintaining a safe and healthy unit, and completing related care tasks as needed.

The State offers health coverage, retirement benefits, paid time off, professional development, and opportunities for career advancement and educational support. Additional LPN benefits include shift differentials for second and third shifts and weekends, licensure reimbursement, and access to a Hazardous Duty pension plan.

Requirements

• A license or temporary permit to practice nursing in Connecticut issued by the State Board of Examiners for Nursing, or a Multistate or Compact Licensed Practical Nurse license.
• Knowledge of practical nursing specialties and bedside care.
• Knowledge of medications used in caring for individuals with physical disabilities and/or intellectual disabilities.
• Knowledge of infection-control practices, nutrition and diets, and medical and laboratory sciences.
• Considerable interpersonal, oral communication, and written communication skills.
• Ability to keep records and lead staff.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with correctional or forensic populations.
• Experience utilizing Electronic Health Records.
• Experience with barcode scanning for medication administration.
• Experience administering medications to more than 50 patients in a given medication pass.

Responsibilities

• Assist doctors and nurses in the general care and treatment of individuals.
• Measure doses and administer medications, including insulin injections; document medications using appropriate forms.
• Perform narcotic counts.
• Check and may administer intravenous medications.
• Report changes in individuals’ conditions to doctors.
• Ensure restraints are applied correctly.
• Transcribe doctors’ medication orders and dispense certain medications in a doctor’s absence.
• Apply topical medication.
• Take and chart temperatures, pulses, and respirations.
• Perform simple nursing treatments.
• Monitor individuals’ general needs, including personal hygiene, and report on their conditions and behavior.
• Help keep the unit safe and healthy.
• Administer enemas or suppositories and provide Foley catheterization care.
• Orient individuals concerning medications and their use.
• May perform emergency first aid.
• May drive individuals to necessary appointments or outings.
• Perform related duties as required.

Benefits

• Industry-leading medical and dental coverage.
• Extensive pension plan and supplemental retirement offerings.
• Paid time off, including 13 paid holidays per calendar year.
• Professional growth and paid professional development opportunities.
• Second- and third-shift and weekend differentials.
• Licensure reimbursement.
• Hazardous Duty pension plan through State Employees Retirement System Tier IV, with retirement eligibility after 25 years and pension and healthcare benefits.
• Career advancement and educational support, including tuition reimbursement programs after six months of employment and paid opportunities to attend school.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: No Education Listed