CDHS - OAADS/RIFLE VCLC - Nurse II

Applicants for this position must be current Colorado residents.

Please note: This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.

Office of Adult, Aging and Disability Services

Colorado Veterans Community Living Center at Rifle

The Colorado State Veterans Community Living Center at Rifle is located on Colorado's western slope in the scenic Colorado River valley. Rifle offers a mild climate, with plenty of clean mountain air and beautiful blue skies. Amidst this setting, the State Veterans Community Living Center at Rifle provides 89 beds of skilled nursing care, including a 18-bed Special Care Unit for residents with Alzheimer's Disease or related conditions. Serving veterans, their spouse and eligible "Gold Star" parents, we are committed to caring for the whole person by addressing the personal and social needs of each resident, as well as their physical and medical requirements. All staff members of Rifle are committed to providing a life of qualify and dignity for every resident. At the Colorado State Veterans Community Living Center at Rifle, our staff is known for showing love and compassion to our residents. Giving residents a hug, holding their hand or sitting next to them on them on the arm of a chair are just a few of the ways we give care that comes from the heart.

Most State of Colorado employees are eligible for a great benefit package! Please see the Supplemental Information section below for details!

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Summary of Position:

This position exists to provide professional services to the facility residents, which include assessment and specialized nursing care consistent with the standards of the profession and legal and regulatory requirements.

Duties of the position:

Standard Assessments

Brief Duty Description: Performs both admission and daily assessments during clinical stay, identifying critical incidents, emergencies, acute illnesses, and behavior changes. Identifies and implements appropriate nursing interventions, treatment care plans, and physician referrals. Documents current, accurate, and pertinent information regarding care and treatment provided to individual residents in Electronic Health records and paper documentation as per policies. Indicates specific change in status, medications, and physicians' orders. Detects abnormality in resident’s health status indicated by symptoms, vital signs, and laboratory results and reports information to physician. This position will be required to drive a State vehicle to do off-site pre-admission assessments, or take a resident to the doctor or hospital (if not taken by ambulance).

Regulatory Compliance

Directs and implements nursing care to residents by assuring compliance with accepted standards of nursing care, departmental and facility policies and procedures, and VA and State of Colorado regulatory requirements. Directs subordinates to ensure these standards are met. Reviews and audits physician orders, MARS, CNA flow sheets, bathing schedules, and BM sheets to determine compliance with policies and standards of care as part of a department quality assurance activity.

Medication and Treatment Administration

Performs prescribed, specialized treatments and ensures safe and accurate medication administration.

Safety Identification and Intervention

Monitors the clinical, physical and environmental safety of all residents through assessments and regularly scheduled rounds. Identifies and implements appropriate clinical, physical and environmental interventions, performs necessary documentation for regulatory compliance and makes appropriate notification to family, physician, NHA and DON.

Training, Resource Team Member and Delegation

Serves as resource to subordinate staff to assure timely and proper care of residents. Trains subordinate staff and assures that competencies are completed and submitted. Provides input to management on the direct care performance, documentation, attendance and interpersonal skills of subordinates for the purpose of evaluation. Evaluates daily workload and prioritizes assignments with available staff. Delegates duties to provide the most effective coverage to ensure quality and continuity of care. 

Communication

Provides active listening and communication, support and encouragement to residents and families regarding their concerns by both phone and personal contact.

Education/Licensure/Certification/Experience:

Current, valid licensure as a Registered Nurse from the Colorado Board of Nursing or

any state participating in the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC)

AND

Two (2) years of professional experience in an occupational field related to the work

assigned to the position

Substitutions

Appropriate education will substitute for up to two (2) years of the required

experience on a year-for-year basis

Special Qualifications: 

This position must maintain a current CPR Card and perform CPR to provide adequate compressions and ventilations per CPR Guidelines. 

Conditions of Employment:

• Must complete a full background check to include, CBI name check and fingerprint check, ICON Colorado court database, Medicare fraud database, Reference Checks, Professional License verification (licensure requirements), Drug Screen, PREA (Division of Youth Services), Trails check (direct contact with children), CAPS (direct contact with adults – Mental Health Institutes, Regional Centers, Veterans Community Living Centers.
• Pre-employment Physical/Tests: TB Test
• Shift Work: Day, evening, and night shifts to include holiday & weekends as needed
• Must possess a valid Registered Nurse License (RN) from the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies or any state participating in the Nurse Licensure Compact in good standing. Qualification cannot be obtained during probationary/trial service period. A Colorado RN license is necessary to perform the essential functions of the job. 
• Must maintain a current CPR Card and perform CPR adequate compressions and ventilations per CPR guidelines.
• "Essential Service Designation": you will be required to report without delay or interruption to provide essential or emergency services to ensure health, safety, and welfare.
• This is a 24/7 facility. Must be able to work any and all shifts: day, evening and night shifts to include holiday and weekends as needed.
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application and provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify the applicant from the current position. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.
• Must be 18 or older

Appeal Rights: 

If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.

An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email (dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action.

For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board; go to spb.colorado.gov; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at (303) 866-3300; or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.

How to Apply

The Assessment Process

For additional recruiting questions, please contact jazzma.gamboa@state.co.us. 

About Us: 

If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS). Our professionals strive to design and deliver high quality human and health services that improve the safety, independence, and well-being of the people of Colorado. In addition to a great location and rewarding and meaningful work, we offer:

• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan www.copera.org 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
• BenefitHub state employee discount program
• Employee Wellness program MotivateMe
• 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. For more

information, go to https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dhr/student-loan-forgiveness-programs.

Our Values:

We believe in a people-first approach: To serve the people of Colorado, we develop a culture and work environment that creates an energized, inspired, and healthy team capable of giving their best to Coloradans.

Balance creates quality of life: We want our team to be resilient through a supportive workplace that values flexibility, health and wellness, and employee engagement.

We hold ourselves accountable: We take responsibility through our actions, programs, and results for the state of health and human services in Colorado.

Transparency matters: We are open and honest with employees, our partners, the Coloradans we serve, and the public.

We are ethical: We abide by what is best for those we serve by doing what is right, not what is easy.

Collaboration helps us rise together: We work together with all partners, employees, and clients to achieve the best outcomes for Coloradans.

We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of diverse backgrounds and abilities. 

ADAA Accommodations: CDHS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Coordinator, Nancy Schmelzer, at cdhs_ada@state.co.us or call 1-800-929-0791.

~THE STATE OF COLORADO IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER~

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