JOB SUMMARY 

Responsible for the delivery of direct health care services for Daystar Kids Pediatric Complex Care Center. Essential duties include but are not limited to the delivery and oversight of medical care, pursuant to each program enrollees individualized health care plan and developmental needs. Works collaboratively with each classroom team to ensure a safe and supportive environment.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Completes a daily health assessment of all program enrollees in care; completes daily health care tasks; monitors daily attendance and communicates absences to team members.
• Ensures completion of enrollee’s daily intake form, medication record, narrative progress notes, and parent communication reports pursuant to Daystar Kids policies and procedures.
• Communicates with Nurse Manager regarding enrollee’s ongoing needs.
• Makes medical/nursing decisions as related to the delivery of Daystar Kids medical respite services.
• Ensures program enrollees are in compliance with health policies as outlined in Daystar Kids Family Handbook.
• Recognizes significant changes in child health status and responds appropriately.
• Evaluates child/family responses to activities, therapies, and medications, and identifies concerns/issues.
• Assures quality of care by adhering to therapeutic standards; measuring health outcomes against enrollee care goals and standards; making or recommending necessary adjustments; following agency and nursing department’s philosophies and standards of care set by state board of nursing, state nurse practice act, and other governing agency regulations.
• Collaborates with Nurse Manager to resolve enrollee problems and needs by utilizing multidisciplinary team strategies.
• Maintains safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules, and regulations, calling for assistance from direct care team, Nurse Manager, and staff.
• Adheres to infection-control policies and protocols, medication administration and storage procedures, and controlled substance regulations.
• Maintains enrollee confidence and protects operations by keeping information confidential in conformity with HIPAA standards.
• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; participating in professional societies.
• Maintains a clean and welcoming environment, adhering to Daystar Kids disinfecting and sanitizing requirements.

Family & Community Engagement

• Establishes, cultivates, and maintains open two-way communication with parents/guardians and other family members regarding the enrollee’s daily health care status and progress.
• Collaborates with assigned medical personnel and multidisciplinary team members to ensure the well-being of each enrollee in care.
• Attends Parent/Teacher conferences to communicate health care status, needs and goals.

Training & Compliance

• Maintains documents, including Plan of Nursing Services, (PONS), and ensures compliance with Office of Persons with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) and Office of Family and Children Services (OCFS) policies, regulations, and procedures
• Demonstrates basic competency with regard to health and safety standards during the first month of employment.
• Maintains confidentiality of all information related to Daystar Kids, its program enrollees and their family members, volunteers, and employees that may be encountered either formally or informally, during the normal course of business; this includes medical and treatment records, financial, programmatic, and human resource information.

OTHER DUTIES

• Works collaboratively with Daystar Kids multi-disciplinary team to ensure the enrollees are well supervised and appropriately engaged.
• Builds and maintains relationships with enrollees and family members, coworkers, outside providers and volunteers.
• Adheres to Daystar Kids customer service principles and serves as an ambassador for the program.
• Attends all meetings, conferences, program events and professional development activities, as required.
• Fulfills the minimum annual training requirement of 15 hours of approved training pertaining to the protection of the health and safety of children.
• Accomplishes all other duties and tasks as appropriately assigned or requested.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree and two to four years of pediatric or acute care experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Completes a minimum of 15 hours annual training approved by NYS OCFS pertaining to the protection of the health and safety of
• Completes NYS required 30 hours of training every two
• New York State Registered Nurse licensure
• Current infant and child BLS certification
• PEARS certification or completed within one year of hire

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Demonstrated ability to work successfully with children with special health care and/or developmental needs.
• Ability to show care and compassion for others.
• Demonstrated belief in valuing diversity.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with other adults.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficient computer skills.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• The employee must be able to regularly stand for long periods of time, sit, bend, and assume postures in low positions to best engage children and ensure visual contact.
• The employee is regularly required to move from a seated position to a standing position promptly.
• The employee is regularly required to use hands; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually high
• Employee is expected to work on-site in a classroom, clinical/therapeutic environment.