ED Patient Care Technician

Brown Medicine•Cranston, RI

6d•$23 - $24•Onsite

About The Position

The ED Patient Care Technician reports to the clinical manager and, under the general direction and supervision of professional staff, assists in providing care to Emergency Department patients and their families from arrival through departure. The role combines clerical and patient-care support as a member of the healthcare team. The technician is assigned to areas within the Emergency Department and collaborates with registered nurses to organize work, communicate observations, provide direct care, and support patient and family needs. The technician performs selected procedures and treatments according to standards and protocols; assists with activities of daily living, admissions, transfers, and discharges; collects and reports specimen data; and helps with cardiac monitoring and electrocardiograms. The position also supports emergency response, patient safety, infection prevention, documentation, patient flow, and department clerical operations. Work includes preparing rooms and patients, assisting clinicians during procedures, completing vital signs and pain documentation, and using hospital computer and communication systems. Brown University Health expects employees to embrace its mission of “Delivering health with care,” model its values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence, and demonstrate its core competencies. The organization is committed to a diverse workforce and equal employment opportunities.

Requirements

High school graduate or equivalent preferred.
Entry-level credentialing in secretarial and nursing assistant skills.
Current Rhode Island registration as a Certified Nursing Assistant or graduation from a medical assistant training program of at least nine months; the curriculum should include sterile technique and sepsis.
Current Basic Cardiac Life Support (BLS) certification.
Knowledge and skills to provide care to patients across age and development stages, taking account of aging processes and cultural patterns throughout care.
Effective interpersonal communication skills.
Ability to multitask and perform a variety of complex duties.
Basic computer skills.
Ability to read, write legibly, and speak English.
Basic knowledge of the hospital’s patient-care delivery orientation program.

Nice To Haves

Basic knowledge of medical terminology.
High school graduation or equivalent.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with registered nurses to set priorities, organize work, and communicate pertinent observations.
Provide direct physical care and assist patients with activities of daily living.
Perform selected procedures and treatments according to standards and protocols.
Assist with patient admissions, transfers, and discharges.
Collect, record, and report selected specimen data to the registered nurse.
Set up cardiac monitoring devices, assist with cardiac monitoring, and perform 12-lead EKGs; report findings to the registered nurse.
Use side rails, restraints, and assistive devices when available and necessary; follow fall precaution and constant observation protocols as assigned.
Record assigned procedures and maintain patient and family confidentiality.
Advocate for patients and families and reinforce teaching provided by registered nurses.
Identify cardiopulmonary arrest and initiate CPR; perform responsibilities in emergency and code situations.
Follow universal precautions, infection-control measures, safety programs, and department policies; report unsafe situations.
Lift correctly, use available assistive devices, maintain a safe and comfortable environment, and report equipment repair needs.
Organize and prioritize work based on patient and unit needs; accurately file reports and maintain medical records.
Answer phones and intercoms using appropriate etiquette and notify the appropriate staff.
Use hospital computer systems to execute orders, retrieve data, generate reports, and report system or equipment malfunctions.
Fax and file protected health information authorization forms and other forms as needed.
Attend education sessions, complete required learning, and maintain annual and mandatory competencies.
Page physicians and other staff using hospital paging systems and contact emergency operators to page codes.
Accurately perform Secretary-role tasks, including patient coding and status updates, recording patient-service charges, calling consults when indicated, and updating dietary-rounds reports.
Understand and perform applicable information-systems downtime procedures.
Prepare rooms and patients for physicians and nurses; perform EKGs, pulse oximetry, phlebotomy, minor non-sterile dressings, and finger sticks.
Assist physicians and nurses with procedures such as suture placement or removal, complex dressing changes, line placement, endoscopic procedures, bone marrow procedures, lumbar punctures, biopsies, and NG tube insertions.
Assist with positioning or holding patients for invasive procedures.
Complete vital signs according to hospital policy or clinician request and document reported pain using the appropriate pain scale.
Refer patients with medical issues to a registered nurse or physician and handle or refer non-medical needs.
Maintain workflow during downtimes, collect and document patient belongings, and secure belongings appropriately.
Use sound judgment to recognize urgency and respond appropriately to potentially critical situations.
Perform other duties within scope of care or as assigned.