State of Maryland

A Licensed Practical Nurse I is the intermediate level of work at Maryland Department of Health (MDH) designated Court Involved (CI) Facilities performing practical nursing duties for the care, treatment, habilitation or rehabilitation of mentally ill, aged, physically ill or physically disabled patients; developmentally disabled clients; or clients attending clinics for preventive or treatment services. Employees in this classification perform work in a team relationship with a Registered Nurse in compliance with the statutes and regulations governing nursing and the Standards of Practice for Licensed Practical Nurses. Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive moderate supervision from a Registered Nurse or other licensed health professional.  Employees may be assigned to day, evening, night or rotating shifts which may include holidays and weekends.  Employees may be subject to call-in and overtime based on staffing needs.  Employees are required to observe infection control precautions in order to prevent contamination and spread of disease.  Employees may be required to physically restrain patients/clients displaying violent aggressive behavior.  The work may require the lifting and positioning of non-ambulatory patients/clients and the lifting of wheelchairs and other heavy equipment.  The work may require long periods of standing, walking, bending and reaching.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Licensed Practical Nurse I and Licensed Practical Nurse II are differentiated on the basis of the degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees.  The Licensed Practical Nurse I performs duties under close supervision at times and with general supervision at other times depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed.   The Licensed Practical Nurse II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Performs nursing procedures such as administering prescribed medications, monitoring patients' vital signs, obtaining specimens for laboratory testing and assisting in physical examinations;

Performs patient medical treatments such as catheterizations, suctioning procedures, tracheotomy care and the application of dressings;

Provides health education counseling to patients and assists patients in performing daily living activities;

Documents and maintains required charts, reports and individual health records on patients and, as directed, keeps Physicians, Registered Nurses and other designated personnel informed of same;

Practices behavior modification techniques designed to assist patients/clients in their treatments; Maintains proper inventories of supplies;

Follows prescribed procedures for cleanliness, sterility and aseptic techniques;

Attends in-service training programs in order to maintain a continual awareness of current nursing practices, procedures and policies;

Provides individual and group health instruction for students and non-nursing staff in the community setting;

May assign, review and approve the work of direct care and other non-licensed staff;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of current practical nursing scope of practice, theories, principles, practices and application;

Knowledge of drug dosages and their effects;

Knowledge of medical terminology and nursing process;

Knowledge of the symptoms of common physical or mental illnesses or developmental disabilities;

Knowledge of community resources and referral procedures in a community setting;

Skill in administering medication;

Skill in applying nursing treatments;

Skill in observing patients and clients;

Skill in documenting nursing intervention;

Ability to work as an effective member of a team of health care providers;

Ability to carry out emergency and routine procedures for the protection and safety of patients, clients, staff and the public;

Ability to lift and position patients and clients.

Education:   Determined by the Maryland Board of Nursing under the licensing requirements for Practical Nurses.

Experience: None.

1. Candidates for positions in this classification must possess a current license as a Practical Nurse from the Maryland Board of Nursing.

2. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be require to possess a motor vehicle operator's license valid in the State of Maryland.

3. Employees in this classification may be required to successfully complete and maintain current certification of cardiopulmonary resuscitation training.

1. Employees in this classification are subject to call-in, and therefore, will be required to provide the facility with a telephone number where they can be reached.

2. Employees in this classification are subject to substance abuse testing in accordance with Code of Maryland Regulations 17.04.09, Testing for Illegal Use of Drugs.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit D- Health and Human Service Nonprofessionals classes.  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining. Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.  An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime, as provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.  NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance level in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series, an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class, as defined by the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification. 

July 1 2021 12:00AM