Patient Care Technician

PRN. Days/hours vary.

The Patient Care Technician in the Medical/Surgical Department delivers direct and indirect nursing care to assigned patients within the nursing assistant’s scope of practice in collaboration with other members of the health team. This position is responsible for assisting in the delivery of routine nursing care to patients in the department and communicating changes in patient status and responses to the nurse assigned to the patient, in addition to other duties.

Knowledge & Experience

Skills-

• Demonstrates responsible and accountable attention to patient safety and patient care. 
• Demonstrates effective interpersonal skills necessary to interact with various levels of health care personnel
• Demonstrates ability to give and follow instructions accurately.

Education-

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Completion of an approved course of study for nursing assistants or current registration as a Certified Nursing Assistant with the State of Indiana Health Professions Bureau preferred.

Experience-

• A minimum of 1 year of experience required if not registered as a Certified Nursing Assistant (C.N.A.).
• Phlebotomy experience preferred, however, not required.
• Hospital experience preferred, however, not required.

Authority and Accountability

• Extensive exposure to confidential information or matters.
• Frequent contact with various persons or groups within and outside of the hospital including employees, department managers, physicians, patients, volunteers, visitors and outside agency personnel.
• Must be able to work with and communicate with different types of people.

Aptitudes

• Must be able to prioritize, utilize critical thinking, and adjust to change.
• Must be able to reason and use logical problem-solving skills.
• Performs duties that require some latitude for independent judgment and initiative in handling situations out of the ordinary.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL EFFORT

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Regular requirement to walk, stand, use hands, reach with hands or arms, talk, and hear.
• Frequent requirement to stoop, crouch, kneel, bend, sit.
• Regular requirement to lift and/or move up to 25 lbs., frequently lift and/or move up to 50 lbs. and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 lbs.
• Specific vision requirements include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to focus.
• Speaking and listening skills are essential.
• Time management and multiple task management skills are essential.
• Must be able to work under moderate amount of stress.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND WORKING CONDITIONS

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• The noise level in this work environment is usually moderate.
• Work is performed in a clean, well-lighted and ventilated building.
• Could be subject to infectious diseases, cuts, abrasions, burns, and punctures.
• Work schedule may vary.

ACCOUNTABILITY

• Reports to the Department Director.
• Reports to the designated Charge Nurse during shift hours.

QUALITY ASSURANCE-KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Dressing (according to patients’ needs, ranging from minimal assistance to totally dependent).
2. Bathing (according to patients’ needs, ranging from minimal assistance to complete bed bath; including hair care and shave if necessary).
3. Oral care (according to patients’ needs, ranging from minimal assistance to complete oral and denture care).
4. Feeding (serving meals, physically feeding patients who are unable to do so themselves); includes preparing patients for meals within 5 minutes of arrival of food cart).
5. Toileting (assisting with bedpans and urinals, help to the bathroom, providing incontinent care for patients who need it).
6. Performs glucometer checks on patients as directed.
7. Routinely obtains patient vital signs as directed and when patient condition changes and reports findings to nurse assigned to the patient.
8. Provides catheter care when applicable.
9. Maintains upkeep of Intake and Output sheets during shift; tallies and records I/O at the end of the 8 hour shift.
10. Answers patient call lights in a timely fashion (preferably within 3 minutes).
11. Assists patients with ambulation when necessary and/or as directed.
12. Assists patients with transfer needs (i.e. chair to bed, bed to bedside commode, etc.).
13. Keeps patient rooms and belongings neat and organized.
14. Provides bed linen changes when necessary.
15. Ensures that bedridden patients are repositioned or turned a timely fashion.
16. Reports all patient changes to the patient’s assigned nurse.
17. Provides post-mortem care as necessary.
18. Provides safety awareness for patients – keeps an eye on wanderers and watches for potentially dangerous situations; maintains occupied patient beds in low position.
19. Assists in the admissions, transfers and discharges of patients to and from the department.
20. Accompanies patients who are newly admitted to their room and orients them to their surroundings.
21. Obtains vital signs, height and weight for newly admitted patients within 10 minutes of arrival to department; applies identification bracelet to patient at this time.
22. Distributes ice water and nourishments on a timely basis.
23. Makes hourly rounds on patients to assess and anticipate patient needs and as needed.
24. Collects specimens of stool, urine and sputum and transports to laboratory according to policy and procedure.
25. Performs “Daily Duties” as posted / directed and initials by name when duties are completed.
26. After a patient has been discharged or transferred from the department, removes all equipment from the department – stores it after cleaning; disposes of oxygen tubing, suction equipment and IV supplies in appropriate manner.
27. Assists physicians and nurses with procedures and performs services requiring skills within scope of practice.
28. Communicates appropriately and clearly with department director, Charge Nurse, co-workers, physicians and other members of the healthcare team.
29. Demonstrates team attitude; offers assistance to co-workers to provide optimal patient care; solicits assistance from co-workers when necessary.
30. Demonstrates efforts to maintain patient confidentiality as appropriate and per policy.
31. Assists in orientation process for nursing staff members as patient care allows; assists in volunteer program as patient care allows.
32. Serves as a change agent, assisting all staff in understanding the importance, necessity, impact, and process of change.
33. Performs other duties as assigned.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

• Maintains effective channels of communication with other employees and patients.
• Takes appropriate action in problem situations to offset adverse effects.
• Projects a professional and positive attitude regarding the hospital.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES

• Attends 70% of departmental meetings held during the year.
• Attends mandatory in-service and educational offerings.
• Observes hospital dress guidelines and wears ID badge.
• Provides proper notification for absence and tardiness and is punctual for start of scheduled work time.
• Maintains equipment assigned to department and reports malfunctions appropriately.
• Participates in emergency procedures, fire drills, evacuation procedures and internal/external disaster plans and procedures in accordance with departmental responsibilities.

CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

• Participates in the Continuous Quality Improvement Program (CQI) under the direction of Nursing Leadership to meet stated goals and objectives of the CQI Program by:
• Bringing potential problems to nursing leader’s attention.
• Assisting in data collection.
• Suggesting solutions to problems.
• Emphasizing, supporting and committing to CQI practices and processes.
• Taking action to assure CQI within areas of responsibility.