Health Care Assistant (CNA), Huntsman Cancer Hospital BMT Unit

University of Utah Health•Salt Lake City, UT

About The Position

This position provides patient care under the direction of a Registered Nurse at University of Utah Health. The Health Care Assistant has direct contact with patients and their families and performs direct and indirect care activities to support patients in their environment. The position may include accessing and administering medications within the employee’s scope of practice and in accordance with state law. The role supports patient care and unit operations in a 24/7 healthcare environment. Depending on department operations and patient-care needs, the employee must work rotating schedules that may include variable hours, nights, weekends, and holidays. Regular, reliable, and punctual attendance during assigned shifts is an essential function. The position involves intermediate working conditions in a healthcare setting and may require moving patients or objects, including medical equipment. Employees may be exposed to infectious diseases and may work around prisoners or behavioral health patients. Physical activities include sitting, standing, and walking.

Requirements

Demonstrated availability to work variable and rotating shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays, in a 24/7 patient-care environment.
Ability to perform the essential functions of the job.
Demonstrated human-relations and effective communication skills.
Demonstrated customer-service skills.
Ability to work in a busy environment.
Ability to use a multi-line phone system and hospital paging system as needed.
Ability to initiate appropriate action in emergency or crisis situations by evaluating the situation and determining the applicable protocol.
Current RQI Healthcare Provider eCredential through the University of Utah Health RQI system, to be obtained within 30 days of hire.
One of the following: current certification as a Nursing Assistant with the State of Utah; or completion of the first round of clinical training and current enrollment in an approved nursing education program.
Additional license requirements as determined by the hiring department.
For employees enrolled in a nursing program, an RN license must be obtained within three months of completing the RN program; if it is not obtained by then, the employee must immediately obtain a current CNA certification.
Employees in this job code who hold an RN license must also have a CNA certification if they remain in the role longer than three months.
Ability to meet the position’s physical and working-condition requirements with or without accommodation, including moving patients or objects weighing up to 100 pounds.

Responsibilities

Assist patients with feeding, drinking, ambulating, grooming, toileting, dressing, socializing, and unit-specific technical skills.
Reinforce or assist with patient and significant-other education as delegated by a professional care provider.
Collect, report, and document data related to direct patient-care activities.
Support indirect patient-care activities, including maintaining a clean, efficient, and safe environment; companion care; housekeeping; patient transport; and chaperoning physicians during examinations and procedures as needed.
Perform unit-specific and additional clerical duties as needed, including stocking and maintaining clerical and patient supplies.
Communicate with hospital staff, physicians, patients, families, and visitors.
Process paper orders during downtime when working in a clerical role, including entering the downtime occurrence order and associated start and stop times in each patient record.
Process electronic requests to order medical treatments and tests, retrieve patient test and laboratory results, schedule appointments, maintain patient records and activity boards, and manage admissions, discharges, and transfers as needed according to unit standards.
When assigned, observe the cardiac monitor and notify nursing and medical staff of abnormal rhythm variances indicating heart ischemia or acute myocardial infarction.
Work assigned rotating shifts, including variable hours, nights, weekends, and holidays, to meet staffing and patient-care demands.
Maintain regular, reliable, and punctual attendance during assigned shifts.