ED Observation Assistant, 32 Hours, Nights

UMass Memorial Health • San Jose, CA

95d

About The Position

At UMass Memorial Health, everyone is a caregiver – regardless of their title or responsibilities. Exceptional patient care, academic excellence and leading-edge research make UMass Memorial the premier health system of Central Massachusetts, and a place where we can help you build the career you deserve. We are more than 20,000 employees, working together as one health system in a relentless pursuit of healing for our patients, community and each other. This position involves participating as a member of the Emergency Department staff to assist with ensuring the safety of specific patients, providing constant observation or 15-minute safety checks for those patients who have been determined to be at risk for potential injury to self or others, and performing other support duties as described below.

Requirements

• High School Graduate or equivalent.
• Must be able to complete de-escalation training as well as a certification program for Basic Life Support or Heartsaver course and receive appropriate certification.
• Ability to read, write, speak effectively in English and have good interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrates the ability to remain calm when under stress or in emergency situations.
• Must be able to assist in the physical restraint of disturbed patients.

Nice To Haves

• Previous experience in patient care, mental health/intellectual disabilities, teaching/child care/special needs students or public safety preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provides constant observation of high-risk patients as assigned by the Emergency Department Resource Nurse.
• Assists the patient to get undressed, removes items that could injure the patient or staff, secures belongings.
• Monitors the patient’s and conducts patient safety checks every 15 minutes for an assigned group of patients.
• Escorts and supervises patients in the bathroom depending on level of care, under the direction of the RN, assists patients with meals and comforts and de-escalates patients by using sensory techniques and distraction techniques as needed.
• Attempts to prevent unsafe patient movement and actions.
• Notifies the nurse of changes in patient activity, mood, behavior, requests for medication and calls for assistance when necessary.
• Reminds patients about the importance of their safety and fall prevention attempts to redirect patient’s attention from equipment, and emergently prevents patients from dislodging equipment.
• Works to utilize de-escalation techniques to redirect the patients and if unsuccessful, under the direction of the RN or MD participates in restraints in accordance with training and education.
• Obtains report on each assigned patient from nurse at the beginning of each shift.
• Monitors patients and reports any potentially unsafe behaviors, or patients that appear to be escalating to the assigned nurse throughout the shift.
• Reports concern to nurse if patient’s family or visitors are contributing to escalating behavior.
• Performs environmental safety check of patient and patient's room and removes potentially harmful items at the beginning of each shift and between discharges from rooms.
• Constantly checks for and remedies potentially hazardous situations such as improperly open doors and windows.
• Reports any potentially unsafe environmental issues that cannot be remedied to the assigned nurse throughout the shift.
• Follows the Policy & Procedure(s) for Constant Observation.
• Accompanies the patient for therapeutic procedures unless otherwise ordered by the assigned nurse and or physician.
• Documents patient behavior every fifteen minutes on the Constant Observation documentation record.
• Places this information in patient’s bedside chart. Provides handoff to the on-coming ED Observation Assistant.
• Performs a variety of duties to support patient care and the operations of the department.
• Engages patients in activities as appropriate.
• Maintains work area in neat and orderly manner. Stocks carts & supplies. Transports patient or equipment.
• Answers telephones, takes messages, and completes light clerical duties such as filing as assigned.
• Follows department/hospital policy and procedure on Infection Control, Fire Safety, etc., including training programs (including de-escalation and restraint training) and demonstrates competency and proficiency as required.

Benefits

• Signing bonus may be available.
• Comprehensive health benefits.
• Retirement plans.
• Paid time off.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees