Ambulatory Patient Care Tech - Orthopedics

Children's National Hospital

4d•$21 - $42•Onsite

About The Position

The Ambulatory Patient Care Tech works with the multidisciplinary health care delivery team under the direction of a Registered Nurse. The role performs basic nursing care, helps maintain a safe, clean, and stocked patient-care setting, assists staff members, and helps direct patient flow in the Orthopedics Clinic. The position includes collecting and documenting patient information; obtaining vital signs and measurements; recognizing and escalating clinical concerns; providing basic patient care; maintaining equipment and supplies; collecting and processing specimens; and supporting laboratory testing and quality-control activities. The tech also helps prepare exam rooms, monitors waiting areas, communicates with families, and completes required documentation, education, and certification activities.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Current certification as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), or Certified Patient Care Technician (CPCT).
Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Provider certification.
Follow directions precisely and maintain confidentiality.
Complete Occupational Health requirements and maintain BLS and any certification or licensure required by the applicable practice jurisdiction.

Nice To Haves

One year of experience in an acute health care setting, preferably pediatrics.

Responsibilities

Collect and accurately document patient information, including chief complaint, medications, allergies, tobacco and smoke-exposure history, vital signs, height, weight, and head circumference.
Orient families to the clinic environment and visit paperwork.
Recognize and report abnormalities, pain-screening results, potential indicators of abuse or neglect, and other positive screens to a Registered Nurse or Provider.
Remain with children in distress and initiate Basic Life Support procedures when necessary.
Provide basic nursing care, including offering nourishment, assisting with ambulation, and escorting patients at discharge.
Check patient-care equipment for proper operation, take corrective action as needed, and report repair needs.
Collect specimens and perform assigned testing according to policy and clinic assignment, including point-of-care testing and applicable lab draws.
Explain specimen collection processes to patients or guardians and inform families about clinical resources and relevant brochures.
Meet Joint Commission and Department of Health documentation requirements and complete the weekly clean sweep tool.
Maintain an orderly environment and prepare exam rooms for patients.
Prioritize tasks and requests, complete assigned work, or report when a task cannot be completed.
Obtain equipment and supplies and maintain PAR levels.
Monitor the waiting room, inform families about delays, and direct them to services such as the lab, radiology, and cafeteria.
Identify children and families with special needs, including stretcher use, oxygen use, or isolation requirements.
Contribute to a positive work environment and confer with appropriate personnel about unfamiliar or unexpected problems.
Greet patients and families, adapt communication to their needs and emotional state, and report concerns or complaints to the Clinic Manager.
Maintain a courteous, calm, comforting, and professional demeanor with patients, guardians, team members, and clinic personnel.
Perform, evaluate, and report laboratory quality-control protocols; identify and resolve failures, document resolutions, and report problems to the main lab or supervisory staff.
Participate in continuing education and complete competency and proficiency challenges on time.
Process specimens by centrifugation, sorting and allocating them for testing or storage, and coordinating pickup and delivery to Children’s Hospital, Quest, or other reference labs.
Troubleshoot specimen-processing procedures and investigate improperly labeled, inadequate, or requisition-problem specimens.
Answer general information and specimen-requirement questions and route technical questions to the appropriate area.
Monitor and maintain laboratory-equipment records, maintain simple laboratory equipment, report unresolved problems, and order routine laboratory and point-of-care testing inventory and supplies.
Collect blood specimens by venipuncture and capillary methods and perform assigned routine laboratory tests, such as urine dipstick, glucose, and A1C.
Follow directions precisely and maintain confidentiality.
Attend in-services, participate in personal educational development, develop annual goals and an education program with the Supervisor, and complete CHEX requirements.
Maintain satisfactory time and attendance and complete Occupational Health requirements.
Maintain Basic Life Support certification and any certification or licensure required by the applicable practice jurisdiction.