Patient Care Technician: Co-Op, 4W

Works under direction and general supervision of the Nurse Manager, Charge Nurse, or Registered Nurse as required and according to established hospital policies and procedures. Performs various duties to assist the professional nursing staff with routine patient care needs, communication, comfort, safety, documentation, and treatments. The role encompasses the provision of direct clinical and support services to patients and families across the health care continuum, ensuring quality and safe delivery of care to patients.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Works under direction and general supervision of the Nurse Manager, Charge Nurse, or Registered Nurse as required and according to established hospital policies and procedures. Performs various duties to assist the professional nursing staff with routine patient care needs, communication, comfort, safety, documentation, and treatments. The role encompasses the provision of direct clinical and support services to patients and families across the health care continuum, ensuring quality and safe delivery of care to patients.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES:

Under the direction of the registered nurse (RN), performs a variety of appropriately delegated patient care interventions for patients and their families.

• Collaborates with the RN throughout the shift to determine the appropriate work assignment and priorities and communicates the status of delegated task completion and outcomes of patient data findings to the RN throughout the shift.
• Maintains timely ongoing verbal communication with RN throughout the shift regarding patient condition. Notifies RN immediately of any significant change in a patient’s condition and/or monitoring alarms (for example: change in vital signs, change in patient’s mental status, abnormal blood sugar, patient fall, patient concerns with care).
• Upon initial contact with patients, visitors, and staff, identifies self as a Patient Care Technician and introduces self to patient by name.  Wears appropriate name badge which identifies self as a Patient Care Technician.
• Accurately collects and records patient data (vital signs, intake and output, blood sugar, weights, restraint care/monitoring, other) and complies with hospital documentation standards to ensure a complete and accurate patient record.
• Interprets & utilizes medical abbreviations and terminology in accordance with hospital policy.
• Initiates a prompt response to all patient call lights and seeks assistance from staff members as appropriate.
• Makes routine patient room rounds to address patient needs.
• Provides and/or assists with basic patient hygiene including but not limited to: basic oral suctioning, bathing, dressing, mouth care, shaving, whirlpool baths, perineal and bowel care, foley care, application of condom catheters, emptying urinals and ostomy bags and other associated hygiene tasks.
• Provides basic skin care including but not limited to:, back rubs, routine diabetic foot care, application of non-medicated ointments, application of elastic stockings, ace wraps, and venodynes, turning and repositioning patients every two hours, and other associated tasks.
• Sets up patients for meals and assists them with feeding and opening food containers; maintaining calorie counts and recording intake/output measures (I and Os).
• Assists nurse/health team members during simple and complex treatments or procedures.
• Provides basic preoperative care and readies the patient for the Operating Room in conjunction with the RN.
• Collects, labels, and sends/transports specimens with the appropriate lab slips/requisitions.
• When ambulating patients using safe and proper technique, applies safety devices using hydraulic lifts or bed scale as needed.
• Identifies emergency / crisis situations and initiates appropriate response as directed, including immediate communication of such events to the registered nurse.
• Performs basic patient testing, including but not limited to: EKGs and phlebotomy services, tests for guaiac, sugar and acetone, urine pH, glucose finger stick, O2 saturation, leg/girth measurements, visual acuity tests, peak flow tests, etc.
• Maintains competence in relation to a variety of other technical skills which may include, but are not limited to:
  • PD cycler set up
  • Cast / splint care
  • Application of external monitors
  • GU irrigation set up
  • Chest tube set up
  • Arterial line set up
  • Basic ostomy care.
  • Quad coughing
• Addresses patient comfort and information needs by providing informative, non-clinical information to patients and families, orienting patients/visitors to the hospital, unit, patient room services, distributing patient mail/flowers, arranging room to ensure necessary personal care items are available & accessible (includes call lights), distributes nourishments, changes linens & clothing, refill ice packs, run patient errands or other duties as assigned by the RN.
• Answers the telephone identifying unit, self & role; responds to caller’s need within the scope of role, or takes and delivers messages in a timely manner.
• Works cooperatively with all staff members and takes appropriate steps to resolve interpersonal conflicts. Seeks assistance from RN or supervisor as needed.
• Participates in staff meetings and appropriate in-services. Responsible for reading and reviewing minutes and clinical updates on the unit.  Maintains accurate education record in Healthstream. Maintains competencies required to perform the role.
• Complies with established practice standards, policies, procedures, protocols, guidelines, and regulations, (for example: DPH, JCAHO, Boston fire codes, OSHA).
• Dresses appropriately according to dress code requirements, including wearing visible hospital I.D. badge that identifies self as a Patient Care Technician.
• Adapts to changing patient and unit needs including but not limited to offering assistance to other team members, floating to other units, adjusting assignments, etc., as needed.
• Communicates with charge nurse/supervisor to coordinate break periods with unit activities. Maintains visibility on the unit and does not leave work area without appropriate notification to the charge nurse/staff nurse.
• Delivers care in a non-judgmental, non-discriminatory manner that is sensitive to and demonstrates respect for patient diversity.
• Acts in a manner that protects confidentiality of patient, employee and hospital information at all times.
• Maintains a safe, clean and a appropriately equipped environment; performs spot and spill cleaning as needed, including biological spills. Assists with locating and transporting equipment for periodic sonic cleaning.
• Identifies broken/expired equipment/supplies; removes from service, and notifies charge RN/staff nurse. Provides equipment delivery to appropriate repair sites as requested.

 (The above statements in this job description are intended to depict the general nature and level of work assigned to the employee(s) in this job.  The above is not intended to represent an exhaustive list of accountable duties and responsibilities required).

JOB REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION:

Currently enrolled in an accredited Nursing program

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS REQUIRED:

Current Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and basic life support (BLS) certifications.

EXPERIENCE:

None required

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Ability to effectively speak, read and write using the English language.  Multilingual skills (beyond that of English) in languages appropriate to the patient populations served by the Medical Center is highly desirable.
• Ability to perform basic math and quantitative measurements, e.g., obtain height and weight, abdominal girths, measure urine output, calorie counts, etc
• Ability to accurately interpret and utilize basic medical terminology and abbreviations.
• Ability to enter and retrieve computerized information/data.
• Ability to pass clinical competency testing and basic math and abbreviation test.
• Physical ability to push, transfer, and pull heavy loads (e.g. independently transport average-sized patient via wheelchair and stretcher, etc.) throughout assigned shift.
• Physical ability to meet core job requirements in accordance with practice setting demands for the patient populations regularly served.
• Effective interpersonal skills to interact appropriately with nursing staff, patients, families/visitors, physicians, and other hospital staff.
• Organizational skills to set priorities and efficiently complete assigned work.
• Ability to manage stress related to patient care issues, and changing organizational climate and personnel issues.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Disabled/Veterans