Clinic Lead LPN

Description

The Clinic Lead is responsible for the operational and personnel leadership of nursing support staff at the health center. This role manages staffing, training, performance, and day-to-day workflow for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and Medical Assistants (MAs), and monitors compliance with clinic policies, quality improvement standards, and safety procedures. The Clinic Lead's primary responsibility is management of clinic support-staff operations; clinical judgment tasks that require independent diagnosis, triage, or treatment decisions remain the responsibility of the Registered Nurse (RN), Clinical Director, or provider.

Supervisor Responsibilities:

• Medical Assistants (MA)
• Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)

Major Duties & Responsibilities

Management & Operations

• Develops and manages the health center's LPN/MA staff schedule to ensure adequate coverage during all hours of operation.
• Supervises and provides day-to-day leadership to LPNs and MAs, ensuring a high standard of patient care and professionalism.
• Interviews and recommends candidates for hire for LPN and MA positions; recommendations are given significant weight in final hiring decisions.
• Facilitates orientation of new LPNs and MAs and conducts ongoing performance evaluations, providing coaching and documented feedback.
• Recommends promotions, merit increases, and disciplinary action, including termination, in consultation with Human Resources and the Clinical Director; addresses routine performance and conduct issues directly.
• Approves timecards, PTO requests, and schedule changes for LPN and MA staff.
• Coordinates and leads nursing in-services, staff meetings, and professional development activities for LPNs and MAs.
• Monitors compliance with clinic policies, quality improvement standards, safety procedures, and applicable Alabama Board of Nursing requirements; reports concerns to the Clinical Director/DON.
• Responsible for procurement, storage, and inventory management of clinical supplies, medications, and vaccines.
• Serves as first point of escalation for patient and staff concerns; resolves routine operational and scheduling disputes and refers clinical or clinical-judgment matters to the RN/Clinical Director or provider.
• Interprets Christ Health Center's services and policies to patients and families; maintains a positive relationship between staff and patients.
• Understands Christ Health Center's relationship with the community and maintains a positive image and relationships.

Direct Patient Care

? Administers medications scope of practice and clinic protocol; documents administration per policy.

? Documents patient phone calls and relevant clinical information; escalates any call requiring clinical assessment, triage, or medical decision-making to an RN or provider per clinic protocol.

? Communicates provider-authorized medication refills to the pharmacy per the clinic's written nursing refill protocol; does not independently authorize new prescriptions.

? Completes patient history and disability forms as directed by the provider.

? Assists in identifying unsafe patient environments and intervenes responsibly, escalating to the RN/provider as needed.

? Assists with initiating, implementing, and documenting patient and family teaching (preventative health teaching; patient/family perceptions of illness and adaptation to care; documentation of phone calls) under the direction of the RN or provider.

? Maintains open communication with MAs, RNs, the Clinical Director, midlevel providers, physicians, and other staff regarding patient progress, abnormal diagnostic/assessment data, and notable health changes.

? Relieves and substitutes for other clinical or clerical staff as needed for clinic operations.

? Performs phlebotomy and specimen collection for laboratory testing, per provider order or standing clinic protocol.

? Trains LPNs and MAs on phlebotomy and specimen collection technique and validates their competency, in accordance with clinic policy.

? Assists with recognizing the needs and concerns of patients within their cultural framework and maintains constructive relationships with patients and families.

? Attends and participates in in-service education, the quality assurance program, and risk-management programs.? Participates in the patient care team and daily huddle when deemed necessary by the Core Care Team.

? Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Required Skills/Abilities

• Ability to assign priorities and coordinates the work to relieve bottlenecks and ensure an even flow of clinic services.
• Ability to intercede with difficult clients, resolve staff or client disputes, and assists with operational or procedural inquiries.
• Ability to plan, schedule and organize work for groups ensuring proper distribution of assignments and efficient utilization of personnel, space and facilities; direct the requisition, care and maintenance of inventory, equipment and supplies.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills.
• Requires effective interpersonal skills
• Requires analytical skills, attention to detail, effective organization skills, ability to work in a fast paced environment and ability to self-direct with minimal supervision.
• Requires the ability to work in a multi-cultural setting (Bi-Lingual in Spanish is preferred)
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook)

Qualification, Education, & Experience

? Graduate of an accredited practical/vocational nursing program.

? Current, active Alabama LPN license (or multistate license under the Nurse Licensure Compact).

? Current CPR certification preferred.

? Prior lead, charge, or supervisory nursing experience preferred.

? One year of ambulatory or public health experience preferred.

Physical/Mental Demands

• Work requires the ability to lift or carry objects weighing up to 25 pounds
• Work requires ability to remain stationary +/- 90% of the time.
• Work requires ability to stoop and bend, to reach, and grab with arms and hands; manual dexterity and to communicate with others.
• Work requires proofreading and checking documents for accuracy.
• Work requires ability to use a keyboard and visualize a computer monitor to enter words or data.
• OSHA personal exposure risk category II (Tasks that involve no exposure to blood, body fluids or tissues, but employment may require performing unplanned category I tasks).
• Airborne personal exposure risk category I (Possible exposure of the healthcare worker to patients capable of transmitting M. tuberculosis). Universal precautions will be adhered to at all times.