RN (Nurse I) - Veterans Community Living Center Fitzsimons, Aurora

State of Colorado • Denver, CO

7d • Onsite

About The Position

This position exists to provide professional clinical services to facility residents, including assessment, and specialized nursing care consistent with standards of the profession, legal and regulatory requirements and facility and division standards, protocols and policies. The Colorado Veterans Community Living Center (VCLC) at Fitzsimons is a beautiful 180-bed, skilled nursing facility serving Colorado’s veterans. We strive to honor and respect those in our community through companionship and person-centered care while providing a comfortable and safe place to live. At Fitzsimons, we provide long-term care, short-term rehab, and a secure memory care neighborhood, and are conveniently located on the medical campus with UC Hospital and the Aurora VA Medical Center. Fitzsimons celebrates a low 14% staff turnover rate and substantial longevity among staff.

Requirements

• Current, valid licensure as a Registered Nurse from the Colorado Board of Nursing or any state participating in the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC)
• Current BLS CPR card
• Maintain a Colorado RN license in good standing
• State of Colorado residency at the time of application (unless otherwise identified in the posting), and residency within the state throughout the duration of employment in this position.
• Must complete and pass TB test and any other vaccinations as required by the facility.

Nice To Haves

• Two-plus years of long-term care experience
• Prior training with dementia
• Experience with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Experience working with veterans
• Relevant years of state service experience.

Responsibilities

• Plans and coordinates basic nursing care and provides a skilled level of nursing to residents.
• Administers specialized and routine nursing services such as medication and nursing treatments as prescribed within the scope of practice and determines the most effective methods to ensure optimal outcomes.
• Reviews and audits specific care activities to determine compliance with policies and standards of care as part of the department's quality assurance activity.
• Administers IV fluids (If IV certified) as prescribed by a physician.
• Performs both admission and daily assessments during residents' clinical stay.
• Documents current, accurate, and pertinent information regarding care and treatment provided.
• Detects abnormality in the resident’s health status indicated by symptoms, vital signs, assessment, and laboratory results, and reports information to the physician.
• Participates in work teams to establish best practice protocols for common treatments or procedures.
• Explains patient care before, during, and after contacts.
• Provides active listening and communication, support, and encouragement to residents and families regarding their concerns by both phone and personal contact.
• Competently administers medications to residents within the scope of practice while observing the five rights of safe medication administration, resident rights, infection control standards, and appropriate nursing policies.
• Documents all medications given and justification for scheduled medications not given.
• Directs and implements nursing care to residents by ensuring compliance with accepted standards of nursing care, departmental and facility policies and procedures, and VA and State of Colorado regulatory requirements
• Identifies problems with medication administration, interactions, reactions, and compliance.
• Participates in medication/pharmacy work teams to ensure quality improvement and optimal practice, and directs subordinates to ensure these standards are met
• Provides infection control, implementing/using standard precautions, and disposal of waste.
• Cleans equipment, stocks supplies, and completes supply forms.
• Identifies high-risk residents for falls, skin breakdown, or other potentially harmful situations and ensures appropriate interventions are initiated to correct problems.
• Correctly uses safety/positioning devices, side rails, transfer belts, and equipment.
• Maintain updated skills, knowledge, abilities, and competencies necessary to the position through continuing education, clinical supervision, literature review, and participation in discipline and team development.
• Provide input and orientation for new employees.
• Communicates concerns to appropriate staff to prevent further complications and to ensure timely appropriate intervention.
• Attends ongoing staff education programs as required.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan plus 401(k) and 457 plans
• Medical and dental health plans
• Employer-supplemented Health Savings Account
• Paid life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave
• State of Colorado Employee BenefitHub Resource Center
• Employee Wellness program
• Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more
• Remote work arrangements for eligible positions
• Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level