For those who want to invent the future of health care, here's your opportunity. We're going beyond basic care to health programs integrated across the entire continuum of care. Join us and help people live healthier lives while doing your life's best work.(sm) 

Positions in this family require a current, unrestricted nursing license (i.e. RN, LPN, LVN) in the applicable state, as indicated in the function description and/or job title.

Positions in this function require various nurse licensure and certification based on role and grade level. Licensure includes RN or LPN/LVN, depending on grade level, with current unrestricted licensure in applicable state. Positions this function include RN and LPN/LVN roles responsible for overseeing and participating in day to day clinical care of patients. Employees are involved in direct patient care (in a clinic, in-home care, etc.).

General Job Profile:

• Basic, structured, standard approach to work

Primary Responsibilities: 

• Has basic knowledge of theories, practices and procedures in a function or skill
• Performs routine or structured work
• Responds to routine or standard requests
• Uses existing procedures and facts to solve routine problems or conduct routine analyses
• Depends on others for instruction, guidance or direction

Functional Competencies:

Functional Competency & Description

• HDL_Conduct Clinical Assessment to Initiate the Nursing Process:
  • Determine the appropriate level of clinical assessment needed (e.g., initial comprehensive, episodic updates)
  • Collect objective and subjective data, including reviewing patient history and medical records, to complete or contribute to nursing assessments
  • Interview patient, family members, or other individuals to obtain additional patient history
  • Assess risk of health situation for patient
  • Evaluate patient data throughout the assessment process to identify inconsistencies and adherence to evidence-based guidelines
  • Record patient data in medical records 
• HDL_Develop Plan of Care as Part of Nursing Process:
• Scope of Practice impact: The LPN contributes to the development and modification of the plan of care. The RN identifies the needs and goals, determines, modifies and prioritizes strategies to support the consumer is achieving the goals and expectations 
  • Understand and incorporate evidence-based standards of practice into planning process
  • Analyze and stratify population data based on risk factors or diagnoses to implement recommendations for patient care
  • Utilize clinical judgment to develop plans (e.g., population management, individual patients)
  • Consult with providers regarding assessment findings and intervention results to help formulate additional decision making and diagnoses
  • Leverage critical thinking skills to integrate assessment data from patient support structure and other disciplines
  • Prioritize information, identify the most important data, and anticipate patient needs to develop a viable patient plan of care 
  • Collaborate with patient, family and responsible party to develop and engage in plan of care to enhance patient satisfaction and health outcomes to achieve business results
  • Create and document comprehensive individual plan of care, including specific, measurable goals
  • Communicate plan of care to care team, patients, and families
• HDL_Implement Plan of Care as Part of Nursing Process: 
• Scope of Practice Implications: LPN contributes to the implementation process under the direction of the RN
  • Implement patient plan of care including protocols and direct orders
  • Provide patient centered care that addresses the needs of diverse populations across the life span
  • Minimizes risk of harm to patients and providers by adhering to treatment policies, procedures and evidence-based practice guidelines
  • Apply understanding of individual disease processes to patient care
  • Advocate for patients for services, benefits, or treatment needed as appropriate
  • Connect patient to resources within benefits, community, etc. to help patients become more independent 
  • Educate individual patients/families regarding care (e.g., self care, medication management, disease process) to improve health of populations served
  • Communicate with patients, understand concerns, and solicit ongoing commitment to plan of care
  • Conduct group education classes for patients 
  • Document educational activities and patient teaching
  • Provide oversight for staff to contact patients to implement care recommendations
• HDL_Evaluate Patient's Reponses to Implementation of Plan of Care:
• Scope of practice implications: The LPN can contribute to the evaluation of the plan of care by gathering, observing, communicating consumers responses to interventions. Any modification in plan of care would be in collaboration with the RN
• • Evaluate patients' responses to interventions through reassessment of their response
  • Determine whether patients have met treatment goals
  • Reassess and implement additional interventions based on diagnoses or outcomes
  • Modify plan of care if needed and implement
  • Continue to evaluate, reassess, plan and implement plan of care at appropriate times
  • Measure health outcomes for individuals or populations
  • Evaluate strategies to determine effectiveness and adjust future strategies to improve the health of populations served 
• HDL_Apply Systems-Based Practice to Promote Quality Improvement and Patient Safety:
  • Leverage technology including online resources through external and internal systems to research, communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision making (e.g. identify health plan coverage, navigate websites) and document information
  • Apply knowledge of computer functionality and software applications (e.g., navigating systems, troubleshooting, electronic charting, accessing intranet and record management databases)
  • Document clinical activity and enter data in appropriate systems within required standards
  • Use appropriate technologies in the process of assessing and monitoring patients
  • Incorporate the impact of macrosystem changes on planning, organizing, and delivering of patient care
  • Utilize understanding of interrelationships among the care team, the work unit, and organizational goals to promote patient outcomes
  • Identify and participate in solving work unit and operational gaps that impact patient care, such as those involving supplies, medications, equipment, and information 
  • Use quality improvement processes and tools to make processes of care interdependent and explicit, to assess performance and to identify gaps between local and best practices
  • Identify and use quality indicators and core outcome measures to evaluate the effect of changes in the delivery of care
  • Utilize National Patient Safety Goals (e.g., communication practices to minimize risks associated with transfers between providers during transitions in care delivery)
  • Monitor the care processes, and use improvement methods to design and test changes to continuously improve the quality and safety of health care systems
• HDL_Drive Effective Clinical Decisions within a Business Environment:
  • Ask critical questions to ensure member/customer centric approach to work
  • Identify and consider appropriate options to mitigate issues related to quality, safety or affordability when they are identified, and escalates to ensure optimal outcomes, as needed
  • Utilize evidence-based guidelines (e.g., medical necessity guidelines, practice standards, industry standards, best practices, and contractual requirements) to make clinical decisions, improve clinical outcomes and achieve business results
  • Identify and implement innovative approaches to the practice, in order to achieve or enhance quality outcomes and financial performance
  • Use appropriate business metrics (e.g. member/FTE, length of stay, readmission rates, STAR ratings, member engagement rates) and applicable processes/tools(e.g. cost benefit analysis, return on investment, proforma, staffing calculator) to optimize decisions and clinical outcomes
  • Prioritize work based on business algorithms and established work processes, or in their absence, identifies business priorities and builds consensus to triage and deliver work (e.g. assessments, case/claim loads, previous hospitalizations, acuity, morbidity rates, quality of care follow up.) 
  • Understand and operate effectively/efficiently within legal/regulatory requirements (e.g., HIPAA, ARRA, SOX, CHAP, accreditation, state.)
  • Maintain and apply professional knowledge/Standards of Practice in relevant practice area 

Values Based Competencies:

Employee

• Integrity Value: Act Ethically
  • Comply with Applicable Laws, Regulations and Policies
  • Demonstrate Integrity
• Compassion Value: Focus on Customers
  • Identify and Exceed Customer Expectations
  • Improve the Customer Experience
• Relationships Value: Act as a Team Player
  • Collaborate with Others
  • Demonstrate Diversity Awareness
  • Learn and Develop
• Relationships Value: Communicate Effectively
  • Influence Others
  • Listen Actively
  • Speak and Write Clearly
• Innovation Value: Support Change and Innovation
  • Contribute Innovative Ideas
  • Work Effectively in a Changing Environment
• Performance Value: Make Fact-Based Decisions
  • Apply Business Knowledge
  • Use Sound Judgement
• Performance Value: Deliver Quality Results
  • Drive for Results
  • Manage Time Effectively
  • Produce High-Quality Work

You’ll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in. 

Required Qualifications: 

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent experience
• Current unrestricted LPN licensure in applicable state

Careers at OptumCare. We're on a mission to change the face of health care. As the largest health and wellness business in the US, we help 58 million people navigate the health care system, finance their health care needs and achieve their health and well-being goals. Fortunately, we have a team of the best and brightest minds on the planet to make it happen. Together we're creating the most innovative ideas and comprehensive strategies to help heal the health care system and create a brighter future for us all. Join us and learn why there is no better place to do your life's best work.(sm)  

OptumCare is committed to creating an environment where physicians focus on what they do best: care for their patients. To do so, OptumCare provides administrative and business support services to both owned and affiliated medical practices which are part of OptumCare. Each medical practice part and their physician employees have complete authority with regards to all medical decision-making and patient care. OptumCare’s support services do not interfere with or control the practice of medicine by the medical practices or any of their physicians.

California Residents Only: The hourly range for California residents is $18.80 to $36.78. Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, UnitedHealth Group offers benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). No matter where or when you begin a career with UnitedHealth Group, you’ll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives.  

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone–of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income–deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes — an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.    

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: OptumCare is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employers and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. 

OptumCare is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.