Vascular Access Technician - PICC

As a patient-focused organization, University of Utah Health exists to enhance the health and well-being of people through patient care, research and education. Success in this mission requires a culture of collaboration, excellence, leadership, and respect. University of Utah Health seeks staff that are committed to the values of compassion, collaboration, innovation, responsibility, integrity, quality and trust that are integral to our mission. EO/AA

This position provides assistive care to patients and facilitates in the efficient delivery of patient care, supports the professional role of the licensed staff, and provides support and assistance directed by licensed staff in rendering basic healthcare to the patient. This position also assists with clerical functions, setting up sterile fields during PICC/ML/difficult PIV insertion, placing peripheral IVs or ultrasound guided (USG) peripheral IVs (PIVs) once competency training has been completed and as a multi-skilled auxiliary worker. This position provides direct patient care and may be required to access and administer medications within their scope of practice and according to state law.

Corporate Overview: The University of Utah is a Level 1 Trauma Center and is nationally ranked and recognized for our academic research, quality standards and overall patient experience. Our five hospitals and eleven clinics provide excellence in our comprehensive services, medical advancement, and overall patient outcomes.

Essential Functions

• Prepares patients for vascular access procedures according to the PICC team guidelines and policies.
• Reports all observed patient concerns and changes in condition to all licensed staff members.
• Performs vascular access specialty skills to include placement of PIVs and USG PIVs and delegated procedures under the direction of a licensed staff member.
• Monitors and cleans assigned equipment used during the insertion after each insertion.
• Reports outdated supplies, stock levels, orders and restocks procedural carts.
• Answers telephones, forwards messages and under the direction of a licensed staff, schedules appointments, procedures and diagnostic tests.
• Assists in routine clerical functions such as helping with copies needed in the team, downloading and storage of ultra sound images, and helping to organize and write information about the measurements, product reference/lot numbers and other details of placement on the billing sheet.
• Attends and completes hospital and vascular access mandatory in-services and staff meetings.
• Completes all assigned mandatory training for employees.
• May assist with in-patient and family education by providing educational material and general health information to patients and family members.
• May assist with transporting patients under the direction of the licensed staff.
• May perform IV access and phlebotomy with or without ultrasound.
• May perform others duties as assigned.
• At the discretion of department operational and patient care needs, this position is required to work rotating schedules, which may include variable hours, weekends, nights, and holidays to meet the staffing and patient care demands of a 24/7 complex health system. Regular, reliable, and punctual attendance during assigned shifts is considered an essential function of the role.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Demonstrated availability to work variable and rotating shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays, in a 24/7 patient care environment.

• Ability to perform the essential functions of the job as outlined above.

• Demonstrated phlebotomy and IV skills.

• Demonstrated human relation and effective communication skills.

• Demonstrated proficiency in the specific PICC team skills within six weeks of hire. *Specialty skills may not be performed until the new hire completes and successfully passes competency testing.*

• Ability to practice work place safety as incumbents face exposure to potentially dangerous contaminated bodily fluids, blood, pathogens, used needles and other contaminants as part of the daily hazards of the job.

• Ability to withstand the physical demand of being on your feet for long periods of time, of moving and helping to position patients in good position for line placement procedures.

Licenses Required

• Current RQI Healthcare Provider eCredential through the University of Utah Health RQI system. The eCredential is to be obtained within 30 days of hire.

• One of the following
  • Current EMT Certification in the State of Utah.
  • Current certification to practice as a Paramedic in the State of Utah.
  • Current Advanced EMT certification with the State of Utah.

Preferred

• Experience as an assistant to the licensed specialty nurses on the Vascular Access team.
• Aseptic technique experience.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

Employee must be able to meet the following requirements with or without an accommodation.

• This position involves intermediate working conditions in a healthcare setting that may exert up to 50 pounds and may consistently require lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, or otherwise moving patients or objects, such as medical equipment, while providing patient care. Workers in this position may be exposed to infectious diseases and may be required to function around prisoners or behavioral health patients.