Care Partner- Acute Care- Ortho Trauma- Augusta

Wellstar Health System

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Care Partner is a support care provider who works under the direction of the Registered Nurse. The role focuses on promoting a positive patient experience by partnering with nurses, physicians, and other healthcare providers to provide patient-centered care, assist with activities of daily living and comfort measures, and perform basic patient-care functions such as ambulation and taking vital signs. Depending on unit needs and approved training, the Care Partner may also perform advanced technical skills such as phlebotomy, simple treatments, dressing changes, oral suctioning, and discontinuing Foley catheters. The position also includes clerical and supply-related duties, including retrieving data, maintaining unit supplies, and transporting supplies or patient medications. The Care Partner must communicate effectively, multitask in a fast-paced environment, work under stressful conditions, and respond compassionately and respectfully to patients and colleagues.

Requirements

Must be 16 years of age or older.
Required BLS certification or an accepted equivalent: ARC-BLS (American Red Cross Basic Life Support) or BLS-I (Basic Life Support Instructor).
Ability to follow detailed directions.
Strong interpersonal skills.
Clear verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to document.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Ability to multitask and work in a fast-paced environment, including under stressful conditions.
Must demonstrate a compassionate, respectful, and service-oriented approach and be able to take direction from a variety of care providers.

Nice To Haves

Rising senior in good standing in a related field, or a high school diploma/GED; listed as preferred.
Graduation from a state-approved Certified Nursing Assistant or Patient Care Technician program; preferred upon hire.
Approved advanced technical training for unit-dependent skills such as phlebotomy, simple treatments, dressing changes, oral suctioning, and discontinuing Foley catheters.

Responsibilities

Partner with the healthcare team, patients, and families to support an excellent patient experience and patient-centered care.
Carry out assigned elements of the plan of care, engage patients and families in the treatment plan, and contribute patient and family input to care planning in collaboration with the healthcare team.
Implement safety interventions and protect patients’ rights, dignity, and confidentiality, including compliance with HIPAA and privacy procedures.
Participate in hourly patient rounding; promptly answer telephones and call lights; offer assistance and comfort measures; and resolve concerns or escalate them to the charge nurse.
Provide care under the direction of the RN, including hygiene, nutrition, elimination, comfort measures, ambulation, vital signs, and unit-specific advanced skills when trained and assigned.
Assist the RN and other healthcare team members with care delivery and direct patient admissions.
Monitor data entry for key patient-safety information, participate in charge reconciliation, and perform audits as requested.
Support healthcare-team initiatives, unit performance-improvement initiatives, shared leadership, evidence-based practice, and ethical accountability.
Transport unit supplies, patient-care supplies, medications, and equipment as assigned.
Communicate effectively with patients, staff, physicians, families, and visitors, including using AIDET and safety communication techniques.
Communicate completed assignments to the RN or charge nurse and report patient-care concerns, problems, or emergencies promptly.
Document completion of patient care in the electronic medical record and maintain knowledge of role-related documentation tools for downtime situations.
Maintain patient-care equipment, and sequester, tag, and report malfunctioning devices to appropriate personnel.
Communicate with patients and update whiteboards with information.
Maintain a safe care environment through hand hygiene, cleanliness, infection-control and PPE practices, universal-precaution education, proper body mechanics, and use of patient-safe handling and assistive devices.
Perform environment-of-care rounds and other duties as assigned.
Comply with Wellstar Health System policies, standards of work, and code of conduct.