Patient Care Technician

Patient Care Technician - Med-Surg * Days - 36hrs/wk

Shift: Days

General Summary

The Nurse Aide, under the direction and supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN), provides basic nursing care to patients and performs related tasks necessary to the functioning of the unit.

Requirements:

1. High School Diploma or GED required.
2. Current CNA certification required, or current enrollment (and continued progression) in a nursing program in which a nursing fundamentals course and at least one clinical rotation have been completed.
3. Current Basic Life Support (BLS/CPR) provider required.
4. Experience in acute care or extended care facility preferred.
5. Capable of continuous monitoring of up to 15 patients on one screen at one time and remaining alert at all times while on duty.
6. Basic computer skills.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

1. ACTIVITY/COMFORT—Assist patients with activity and provide for patient comfort. This responsibility includes making occupied and unoccupied beds; making beds of patients in traction; turning and positioning patients in bed; ambulating and dangling patients; transferring patients using chairs, wheelchairs, slideboards, stretchers, cardiac chairs and lifts; transporting patients using wheelchairs and stretchers; positioning/transferring patients with hip precautions, traction or CPM machines; performing passive and assisting with active range-of-motion exercises.
2. HYGIENE—Assist patients with hygiene activities. This responsibility includes giving patients complete, partial, shower or tub baths; shaving beards; shampooing hair; providing oral care, including denture care; performing perineal care and indwelling urinary catheter care (excluding insertion, removal and irrigation); providing back care and bedtime care; changing non-sterile dressings; providing ileostomy/colostomy care; and assisting with postmortem care.
3. NUTRITION—Assist patients with nutrition. This responsibility includes passing trays, snacks and drinking water; feeding patients; and measuring and recording intake from dietary trays.
4. ELIMINATION—Assist patients with elimination needs. This responsibility includes placing and removing bedpans, fracture pans and urinals; assisting patients with using bedsides commodes; emptying, measuring and recording drainage from urinary drainage bags, Jackson Pratt drains, Hemovacs, and bile bags; administering cleansing and retention enemas; removing fecal impactions; inserting and removing rectal tubes; and applying and removing fecal incontinence bags.
5. SPECIMEN COLLECTION—Collect specimens. This responsibility includes collecting and labeling sputum, urine, and stool specimens for laboratory testing; testing urine for sugar, acetone, blood or pH; straining urine for kidney stones; and using the glucometer to test blood glucose levels.
6. VITAL SIGNS/MEASUREMENT—Measure and record accurate vital signs and weight. This includes measuring oral and tympanic temperature, radial and apical pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate; and using standing, chair, sling and bed scales to measure weight.
7. EQUIPMENT—Use equipment and supplies safely and appropriately. This responsibility includes operating electronic blood pressure cuffs; assisting patients with incentive spirometry; setting up oxygen flow meters; setting up suction equipment and disposing of suction canisters; and applying and removing ice bags, moist or dry heat, ace bandages, arm slings, binders, supports, antiembolism stockings, sequential compression devices (SCDs), soft limb (wrist and ankle) restraints, mitt restraints, jacket/vest restraints, and leather restraints.
8. INFECTION CONTROL—Function to control the spread of infection. This responsibility includes using aseptic technique; adhering to universal/standard precautions; caring appropriately for patients with special isolation precautions; passing clean linen and bagging and disposing of soiled linen; replacing full sharps containers; cleaning equipment between patients’ use; and cleaning equipment prior to return to the Central Processing Department (CPD).
9. DOCUMENTATION—Document care given and other as directed by the RN.
10. COMMUNICATION—Communicate effectively. This responsibility includes using the intercom, unit paging system, telephone system and pneumatic tube system; answering patient call lights; reporting observations to the RN; keeping the RN informed of care delivered; maintaining patient confidentiality.
11. ORIENTATION-Successful completion of unit-specific core competencies as defined in the orientation check-list.
12. Other duties as assigned.
13. MISCELLANEOUS
    1. Perform other tasks appropriate to scope of practice as delegated by the RN.
    2. Actively participate in maintaining a clean, safe, and efficient work environment.
    3. Attend and participate in inservices and meetings related to job description.
    4. Demonstrate flexibility in staffing patterns and resolution of staffing conflicts.
    5. Participate in temporary assignment measures.

#RN

Category: Nurse

Requisition #: req10450