Licensed Practical Nurse (40 Hour)

State of Connecticut - Department of Children & Families; Middletown (CT); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

View State Employee Benefits Overview

Professional development opportunities

Healthy work-life balance

Public Service Loan Forgiveness elig.

Job summary

State of Connecticut - Department of Children & Families is hiring Licensed Practical Nurses for full-time shifts at John Dempsey Hospital in Middletown, CT. You will join an interdisciplinary team to administer medications, monitor health conditions, and support care plans for children and families.

The roles offer rotating shifts (first, second, and third) and opportunities for professional development, with a retention bonus for second/third shifts and a strong emphasis on patient-centered

Qualifications

• Current License Practical Nurse (LPN) in CT or eligible for CT endorsement.
• Experience in pediatric or clinical nursing is preferred.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills required.

Responsibilities

• Administer medications and treatments as ordered.
• Monitor and document health conditions and responses to care.
• Collaborate with doctors and nurses to ensure quality care.
• Assist with nursing assessments and care planning.
• Provide safe, compassionate, person-centered care to children and families.

Skills

Bedside care

Medication administration

Record keeping

Interdisciplinary teamwork

Education

LPN license

Job description

Introduction

Are you a Licensed Practical Nurse looking to make a difference in the lives of children and their families? If so, we invite you to take this opportunity to join the Department of Children and Families! The State of Connecticut, Department of Children and Families (DCF) – is accepting applications for multiple full-time first, second and third shift Licensed Practical Nurse positions at John Dempsey Hospital in Middletown, CT.

In this rewarding role, you will provide essential nursing care and support to individuals while working as a valued member of an interdisciplinary team. You will have the opportunity to use your clinical knowledge and skills to administer medications and treatments, monitor and document individual health conditions, respond to changes in health and behavior, and collaborate with doctors and nurses to ensure quality care. If you are a compassionate and dedicated nursing professional who takes pride in providing safe, attentive, and person-centered care, we invite you to join our team and help improve outcomes for the children and families we serve.

Position Highlights

Full-time | 8 hours per day | 40 Hours per week | Rotating Weekends

Compensation

FOR SECOND AND THIRD SHIFT POSITIONS - YOU MAY BE APPROVED FOR AN ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION BONUS: Each Licensed Practical Nurse who is permanently assigned to second and third shift shall receive a yearly “retention” bonus of six hundred ($600). This bonus shall be paid in two (2) installments: In July and December. In order to be eligible for this bonus, the Employee must have completed one year of service in the classification.

Available Shifts

• First | 7:00 am – 3:30 pm
• Second | 2:45 pm – 11:15 pm
• Third | 11:10 pm – 7:10 am

Work schedule flexibility is required to meet the needs of the agency.

NOTE: Current DCF employees wishing to be considered for a lateral transfer should apply.

What we can offer you

• View our State Employee Benefits Overview page!
• Professional growth and paid professional development opportunities.
• A healthy work-life balance to all employees!
• The State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after 10 years of service.

DCF Mission Statement

Partnering with communities and empowering families to raise resilient children who thrive.

About the State of Connecticut

Living in Connecticut allows you to live with mountains, forests, ocean fronts, rivers, and a wonderful green countryside right at your doorstep. The state has charm, elegance, and a high standard of living. Our school systems offer an outstanding education, and our communities are among the safest in the country. Connecticut experiences all four seasons and gives you the option to choose living in sophisticated country-life or living in the center of a lively city.

We encourage you to come see all that Connecticut has to offer by joining the DCF team!

Selection Plan

FOR THOSE WHO HOLD A PRATICAL NURSE LICENSE IN A STATE OTHER THAN CONNECTICUT AND WISH TO APPLY FOR A CONNECTICUT LICENSE, PLEASE:

Review the eligibility and documentation requirements for CT license by endorsement of an out-of-state license;

Complete a CT DPH online application online (expand the ‘Public Health Practitioners’ grouping, select ‘Licensed Practical Nurse’ and then ‘Start’;

Request verification of your out-of-state license(s) electronically through the National Council of State Boards of Nursing’s: Nursys System. To send verification of your license(s) to CT, read and agree to the terms, enter your biographic information, select your license type (PN for Practical Nurse) and select ‘SEARCH’. Review the results and select the ‘Next’ button. Check the box next to ‘Connecticut’ and complete the transaction. Once the transaction is completed, you will receive a confirmation email from Nursys and the verification will be available to the DPH. Note that PA and MI verifications are not provided through Nursys. Please contact those state boards for information on obtaining verification.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In a state facility this class is accountable for rendering 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.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

• Assists doctors and nurses in the general care and treatment of individuals;
• 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 individual to necessary appointments/outings;
• Performs related duties as required.

DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES:

Performs the full range of duties as described in the class specification for the Lead Developmental Services Worker.

DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION SERVICES:

Performs the full range of duties as described in class specifications for the Mental Health Assistant 1 or Mental Health Assistant 2.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

• Knowledge of practical nursing specialties and bedside care;
• various medications used in conjunction for the care of individuals who have physical disabilities and/or an intellectual disability;
• infection control practices;
• nutrition and diets;
• medical and lab sciences;
• Considerable interpersonal skills;
• oral communication and written skills;
• Ability to keep records;
• lead staff.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

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.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Experience in a psychiatric setting

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES: Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Connecticut Motor Vehicle Operator's license, Public Passenger Endorsement or Commercial Driver's license for designated positions.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Incumbents in this class may be required to lift/restrain individuals; may have some exposure to communicable/infectious diseases and to some risk of injury from assaultive/abusive individuals; may be exposed to disagreeable conditions.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.