Licensed Practical Nurse (35 Hour)

DDS West Region • Norwalk, CT

4d • Onsite

About The Position

Are you a Licensed Practical Nurse looking to start your career in State Service? The State of Connecticut, Department of Developmental Services (DDS) – West Region Public Programs – is accepting applications for a full-time second shift Licensed Practical Nurse position located at the Lower Fairfield Center (LFC) Norwalk, CT. This role is for a compassionate and dedicated nursing professional committed to supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. As a Licensed Practical Nurse, you will play an essential role in delivering quality health care, promoting individual well-being, and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to ensure safe and effective treatment. In this position, you will assist physicians and registered nurses in providing comprehensive care, administer medications and treatments, monitor and document individual health status, and respond to changing medical needs. You will help maintain a safe and healthy living environment, support individuals in understanding their medications and care, perform a variety of nursing procedures, and contribute to emergency response efforts when needed. This is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference every day by providing skilled, person-centered care that enhances the health, dignity, and quality of life of the individuals we serve.

Requirements

• License or temporary permit to practice nursing in Connecticut by the State Board of Examiners for Nursing OR hold a Multistate or Compact Licensed Practical Nurse license.

Nice To Haves

• One (1) year LPN experience.
• Experience providing nursing services to both children and adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities and autism spectrum disorder.
• Experience communicating with non-verbal individuals.
• Experience supporting individuals that may exhibit mild to severe challenging behaviors.
• Experience with basic nursing skills including, but not limited to administering medication and nutrition via G-Tube or J-Tube; glucose monitoring, insulin administration; respiratory treatments, colostomy; cecostomy; urostomy care; wound care; and catheterization.
• Experience with infection control practices.
• Experience communicating with interdisciplinary teams and medical providers both over the telephone and in written correspondence.
• Experience using Microsoft applications including Outlook, Excel, Teams, and Word.

Responsibilities

• Assist physicians and registered nurses in providing comprehensive care.
• Administer medications and treatments.
• Monitor and document individual health status.
• Respond to changing medical needs.
• Help maintain a safe and healthy living environment.
• Support individuals in understanding their medications and care.
• Perform a variety of nursing procedures.
• Contribute to emergency response efforts when needed.
• Render bedside care or mental health services to individuals with physical disabilities and/or an intellectual disability in instances where the services of a registered nurse are not required.
• Measures doses and administers medications including insulin injections.
• Documents medications using appropriate forms.
• Performs narcotic counts.
• Checks and may administer intravenous medications.
• Reports changes in individuals to doctors.
• Ensures that restraints are applied correctly.
• Transcribes doctors medication orders.
• Dispenses certain medications in doctor’s absence.
• Applies topical medication.
• Takes and charts temperatures, pulses and respirations.
• Performs simple nursing treatments.
• Monitors general individual needs including personal hygiene.
• Reports on individual conditions and behavior.
• Keeps the unit safe and healthy.
• Administers enemas or suppositories.
• Performs Foley catheterization care.
• Orients individuals concerning medications and their use.
• May perform emergency first aid.
• May drive individuals to necessary appointments/outings.
• Performs related duties as required.
• Performs the full range of duties as described in the class specification for the Lead Developmental Services Worker.
• Performs the full range of duties as described in class specifications for the Mental Health Assistant 1 or Mental Health Assistant 2.

Benefits

• Professional growth and paid professional development opportunities.
• A healthy work-life balance to all employees!
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer
• Yearly retention bonus of six hundred ($600) for second and third shift Licensed Practical Nurses after one year of service, paid in two installments (July and December).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree