Clinical Associate - O-P Prep

Carilion Medical Center•Roanoke, VA

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The Clinical Associate performs clinical and clerical support, providing basic technical clinical services and clerical support in the delivery of quality patient care as directed by licensed staff, physician, or mid-level practitioner. They perform basic clinical services relating to the care, cleanliness, safety, and comfort of patients. The Clinical Associate may be approved for phlebotomy tasks with proper certification, department need, and leadership consent. The pre-anesthesia preparation unit is a fast-paced department focused on quality presurgical care that fosters patient safety and successful surgical outcomes. It is a 25-bed unit serving the main OR, endoscopy, and other procedural areas. The preoperative phase of care includes patient assessment, physical preparation (labs, diagnostic studies, IV insertion, medication administration), and psychological preparation to reduce anxiety. Communication and interdisciplinary teamwork are essential for safe and quality patient care. This position is full-time, working day/evening/night shifts with every other weekend and rotating holidays. The Clinical Associate exhibits competent knowledge of EMR and assists with chart audits, reviews medical records and provider orders, updates demographics and insurances, answers phones, schedules appointments, inputs refill requests, and assists with referrals and authorizations. They order and stock department supplies, collect patient assessment data, process equipment between patients, operate general office equipment, monitor cleanliness of waiting and break rooms, perform safety/environmental rounds, and transport patients. They assist with maintaining regulatory compliance and provide basic nursing care and advanced technical skills according to established standards. They act as clerical support, receptionist, and unit resource. On monitored units, they function as a nursing assistant and monitor technician. Clinical Associates assigned to Clinical Transport provide basic patient care and function as a monitor technician. On non-monitored units, they may be approved for decentralized phlebotomy or removal of femoral arterial sheaths and nursing assistant duties based on patient population and VP consent. They provide support for staff scheduling and may review medical records for outstanding orders. As competencies are appropriate, they manage admissions, transfers, and discharges, coordinate patient flow, and schedule therapeutic and diagnostic procedures. They welcome and assist patients and visitors, serve as the unit's "face," adhere to dress code, exhibit service excellence, demonstrate excellent telephone etiquette, and receive/screen calls. Clinical Associates in Clinical Transport may monitor EKG rhythms and utilize the transportation algorithm. Competencies may include unit-based patient care tasks, sitter process participation, nursing assistant duties, monitor technician duties (observing cardiac monitors, interpreting rhythms, reporting changes, applying equipment), epilepsy monitoring, and phlebotomy (obtaining blood specimens, processing specimens).

Requirements

High school graduate or equivalent.
If employee is working in a Critical Access Area, a Certified Nursing Assistant (N.A.) is required.
Must have successfully completed a N.A. course or successfully completed N.A. course with Carilion.
Successful completion of Monitor Technician courses through Carilion required if working in a monitored area.
Successful completion of phlebotomy and sheath courses through Carilion required if working in areas where the skill set is required.
AHA BLS-HCP required.
Effective interpersonal, communication, and team-working skills required.
Must be organized and self-motivated.
Must have knowledge of office procedure and equipment.

Responsibilities

Performs clinical and clerical support.
Provides basic technical clinical services and clerical support in the delivery of quality patient care as directed by licensed staff, physician or mid-level practitioner.
Performs basic clinical services relating to the care, cleanliness, safety, and comfort of patients.
May be approved with phlebotomy tasks with the proper certification, department need and leadership consent.
Performs other department/unit specific tasks.
Exhibits competent knowledge of EMR and assists with chart audits.
Reviews medical record and provider orders.
Updates demographics, insurances, answers phones, schedules appointments, receives/relays messages and inputs refill requests.
Assists with referrals, authorizations, and pre-authorization as directed by licensed staff, provider or mid-level practitioner.
Orders department/unit supplies and equipment and stocks/organizes supplies.
Collects patient assessment data to include height, weight, vital signs, chief complaint/symptoms, current medications, etc. for assessment by licensed staff.
Processes equipment between patients as needed (cleans unit based equipment and gathers supplies needed to operate equipment).
Operates and maintains general office equipment.
Monitors cleanliness of the waiting and break rooms, and performs safety/environmental rounds.
Transports patients through office.
Assists with maintaining regulatory compliance (refrigerator, code cart checks, glucose meters, equipment room storage, etc.).
Provides basic nursing care and performs advanced technical skills according to established standards.
Acts as clerical support, receptionist, and unit resource in support of members of the unit health-care team.
On monitored units, functions as a nursing assistant and a monitor technician.
Clinical Associates assigned to Clinical Transport provide basic patient care and function as a monitor technician.
On non-Monitored units, may be approved with de-centralized phlebotomy or removal of femoral arterial sheaths and nursing assistant based upon patient population and VP consent.
Provides support for department/unit staff scheduling, including lunch assignments.
May review medical record for outstanding orders and notifies nurse of stat orders and medication changes.
As competencies are appropriate, will manage admissions, transfers, and discharges.
Coordinates patient flow into/out of area using department/unit specific software and Intranet.
Schedules patient therapeutic and diagnostic procedures.
Welcomes and assists patients and visitors and assists with registration.
Serves as “face” of the unit, adheres to dress code and exhibits service excellence behaviors at all times.
Demonstrates excellent telephone etiquette and interpersonal skills when answering phones and interacting with patients, visitors, physicians, and other health professionals.
Receives and screens incoming calls via telephone and patient call system.
Routes calls to appropriate individuals and takes messages accurately.
Serves as a resource for department/unit software system.
Clinical Associates in Clinical Transport may be assigned to transports patients independently monitoring the patient's condition in route and during procedures.
May monitor and interpret EKG rhythms.
Utilizes transportation algorithm to determine appropriate follow-up for emergent and /or urgent patient needs.
Competencies appropriate for nursing assistant: Transports patients, supplies specimens and equipment within the facility.
Competencies appropriate for transport tech: Collaborates with the RN, physician, and other clinical disciplines to meet the needs of the patient who requires transportation between area of care within the hospital.
Continuously observes EKG monitors and patient status.
Maintains thorough knowledge of Clinical information systems for data entry and retrieval.
Inputs, maintains, and updates monitoring transport database.
Competencies appropriate for monitor tech: Observes cardiac monitors as assigned.
Interprets and documents rhythm patterns on a routine basis.
Reports arrhythmias and significant rate and rhythm changes to the RN.
Completes documentation/placement on monitor flowsheet and files in paper chart.
Applies monitoring equipment to patients and ensures correct functioning.
Observes epilepsy monitoring video and reports the following: responsibilities include keeping camera focused on patient, notifying nurse of event alarms, new fidgeting or restlessness, tremor like motions, repetitive motions, if patient attempting to get out of bed without staff presence as well as if patient seen sleeping on stomach.
Competencies appropriate for phlebotomy: Obtains blood specimens using methods appropriate to the age and condition of the patient. (Venipuncture, finger puncture, or heel puncture).
Reviews physician's order for medical necessity and/or ABN information.
Verifies questionable nomenclature or ordered lab tests.
Processes specimens and prepares for delivery to laboratory.
Contributes to the orientation and career development of others.
As a team member, demonstrate respect, dignity, kindness, and empathy in each encounter with patients, families, visitors, and other employees.
Champions Carilion's mission, vision, and values; comply with the policies and procedures, ethical standards and code of conduct set forth by the company.