NICU Care Assistant - Health Unit Coordinator

St. Joseph Medical Center•Tacoma, WA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

At St. Joseph Medical Center, Neonatologists are available at a moment’s notice. Our special care nursery provides around-the-clock care to newborns with moderate concerns, like infections. We also offer a Level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for babies with more serious issues, and our collaboration with Seattle Children’s gives babies access to nationally recognized pediatric specialists. We often identify concerns before birth, giving our team and families time to prepare. Obstetricians specializing in high-risk pregnancy perform advanced testing to assess potential issues. They coordinate additional services that enable us to start caring for babies immediately after birth if necessary. Neonatologists from Seattle Children’s are on-site in select Virginia Mason Franciscan Health NICUs and available by phone 24 hours a day. This arrangement gives babies with more serious concerns access to additional expertise without leaving our facilities.Our offerings include large, suite-like private rooms that enable parents to be near their newborns. Job Summary: As our Unit Coordinator, you will be a vital caregiver and the central hub, assuming responsibility for patient care processes from newborn to geriatric for a designated time frame. You will directly contribute to safe, therapeutic patient care while serving as the primary receptionist and secretary. Every day you will support safe patient care through multidisciplinary processes and coordinating unit activities. You will efficiently manage information flow and assist healthcare team members in delivering care across all patient age groups. To be successful in this role, you will demonstrate strong organizational and communication skills, a proactive approach to managing day-to-day operations, and a commitment to providing safe, therapeutic care while working effectively with the entire healthcare team.

Requirements

Completion of an accredited Nursing Assistant program, upon hire or
Military medical specialty training, upon hire and
Certified Nursing Assistant: WA, upon hire and
Basic Life Support - CPR, upon hire

Nice To Haves

Six months related work experience and
Experience in a hospital setting and
Experience in a specialty unit. Preference is given toward applicants with experience as both a Certified Nursing Assistant and Unit Coordinator.

Responsibilities

Provides patient personal care/hygiene and physical comfort, including feeding, bathing, shaving, changing clothes, bed making, ambulation, lifting, turning, moving, transferring, skin care and bowel/bladder elimination. Provides such additional care as required to meet the personal primary needs and comfort of assigned patient based on skill, ability, limitations of scope of practice and patient acuity. Prepares patient, equipment and supplies for specific procedures/examinations.
Performs, monitors, reports and documents all clinical activities within scope of practice. Observes and reports changes in patient condition to the RN. Obtains labels and transports a variety of samples (e.g. urine, stool, sputum specimens and blood products). Provides patient information to nursing staff for inclusion in the interdisciplinary plan of care; documents relevant patient data in accordance with work unit standards.
Assists nursing staff in the admission, discharge and transfer of patient by performing activities such as inventory/storing patient belongings, providing patient with relevant personal care/comfort items, orienting patient/family and transporting patient to room or other location using wheelchairs, stretchers or patient bed.
If assigned, checks, cleans and disinfects mobile non-critical medical equipment (e.g. IV pumps/poles, feeding pumps, cardiac monitoring equipment, cabinets, etc.) in accordance with established standards/procedures and manufacturer’s instructions; assures that disinfectant is applied with sufficient contact time.
Maintains a neat and organized work environment. Orders, stocks and replenishes supplies and equipment as necessary, identifies and reports problems with supplies or equipment; enters equipment repair request in system, tags equipment and removes from service.
Verifies, orders and stocks supplies as needed. Maintains order in the unit on a regular basis. Cleans and returns charts and clipboards to appropriate places. Assists in maintaining overall appearance of the unit. Initiates work orders for repairs and maintenance including appropriate follow up. Labels and reports defective equipment and safety hazards. Cleans keyboard(s) according to protocol.
Ensures only current forms are available and stocked and discards previous versions. Conducts environmental roundings observing for; phone in place, plugs in good condition, equipment available, menu in drawer, all containers dated and labeled, no food or drink in clinical areas etc.
Maintains a safe work and patient environment, adhering to the hospital’s Safety, Risk Management, Regulatory Standards and infection prevention.
Uses hand hygiene in accordance with current protocol and procedures. Uses two patient identifiers when communicating right patient right procedure/test. Demonstrates awareness of and incorporates safety standards in accordance with National Patient Safety Goals and regulatory agencies. Demonstrates awareness of risk sensitive issues and reports to the RN in charge to include - patient/family concerns, physician concerns and quality of care concerns. Follows standard precautions and transmission-based precautions including personal protective equipment for anticipated contact with blood or other potentially infectious material.
Assists in keeping unit in continuous survey readiness. Performs efficiently and effectively in emergency situations by completing tasks as directed. Participates in disaster preparedness and drills as assigned.