LVN-Crocker

Location: Skid Row, Downtown Los Angeles, CA 

Classification: Per Diem

JWCH Mission Statement: The Mission of JWCH Institute is to improve the health status and well-being of under-served segments of the population of Los Angeles Area through the direct provision or coordination of health care, health education, services, and research.

Position Purpose:

The Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) plays a vital role in delivering compassionate, patient-centered care in a non-traditional setting that prioritizes harm reduction and trauma-informed care. Under the supervision of the Program Director and RN, the LVN provides direct patient care, performing routine clinical procedures, technical tasks, and essential patient support functions at the Crocker Care Campus. This role requires a flexible, adaptable approach to healthcare, meeting patients where they are—including non-clinical spaces such as drop-in centers, outdoor parklets, and community areas.

About the Crocker Care Campus & Harm Reduction Model:

The Crocker Care Campus is a radical, patient-centered space designed as a welcoming drop-in site for people who use drugs and those experiencing homelessness. It provides a safe, accessible environment focused on hospitality, community, and comprehensive care. Unlike traditional clinics, Crocker operates with flexibility, prioritizing low-barrier engagement and participant autonomy over rigid structures.

Our approach acknowledges the complex medical and psychosocial histories of our participants, including individuals who use drugs, engage in sex work, have been incarcerated, or have faced structural racism, poverty, and trauma. We view unhealthy drug use as a multifaceted issue shaped by systemic barriers—not simply as an individual choice. At Crocker, we are committed to nonjudgmental, compassionate care rooted in social justice.

Principal Responsibilities:

1. Perform routine patient care procedures and technical functions within the LVN scope of practice.
2. Conduct basic assessments, collect data, and document patient information following JWCH policies and LVN practice standards.
3. Contribute to individualized treatment plans and interventions.
4. Support harm reduction strategies, including safer use practices, overdose prevention, and risk reduction counseling.
5. Provide wound care, medication reconciliation/management, phlebotomy for challenging venous access, and patient education.
6. Assist patients with routine hygiene needs (e.g., changing clothes, wound cleaning).
7. Navigate patients through addiction medicine services, ensuring follow-up and retention in care.
8. Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team, including LCSWs, case managers, harm reduction specialists, primary care providers, and behavioral health clinicians.
9. Assist in administering vaccinations, monitoring vitals, and performing other standard nursing duties.
10. Maintain a clean and well-stocked work environment in both clinical and non-traditional settings.
11. Ensure documentation is accurate, timely, and HIPAA-compliant.
12. Participate in staff training, program evaluation, and quality improvement initiatives.
13. Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

1. Current and valid California LVN License.
2. Current BLS certification (American Heart Association).
3. At least one year of experience in an ambulatory care or community health setting.
4. Familiarity with or willingness to learn harm reduction, drug user health, and addiction medicine.
5. Commitment to patient-centered care with unconditional positive regard, particularly for individuals experiencing homelessness, drug use, sex work, and incarceration.
6. Understanding of the unique healthcare needs of the populations served, including the chronic and acute sequelae of homelessness, drug use, and incarceration.
7. Ability to work in a non-traditional clinical setting (e.g., outdoor parklets, drop-in spaces).
8. Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively within an interdisciplinary team.
9. Strong communication and documentation skills.
10. Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.
11. Flexibility to work both morning and evening shifts as needed.

Preferred Experience & Skills:

1. Experience working with marginalized populations in a community health or harm reduction setting.
2. Proficiency in evidence-based behavioral health interventions, such as motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, and relapse prevention.
3. Experience with nurse-only visits for wound care, medication management, and phlebotomy for patients with difficult venous access
   

*All JWCH, Wesley Health Centers workforce members are recommended to be fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19.

Become part of a team where your work matters. Apply today and help us change lives, one patient at a time.

JWCH Institute, Inc + Wesley Health Centers is an Equal Opportunity and Fair Chance Employer.