NURSING ASSISTANT/PATIENT CARE TECHNICIAN - CARDIOVASCULAR SERVICES 2D

Independence Health System•Greensburg, PA

About The Position

The Technical Partner provides direct and indirect patient care under the direction of an RN or LPN. The role supports patient comfort, safety, education, and care coordination, and may perform a range of patient-care skills as directed, including obtaining vital signs, applying telemetry leads, performing blood glucose testing and EKGs, providing urinary catheter or ostomy care, assisting with simple dressing changes, and collecting and delivering specimens. The position also includes purposeful hourly rounding, communicating patient information to professional or practical nurses, supporting quality improvement and regulatory compliance, maintaining supplies and a safe environment, and assisting during emergencies. The position has no direct supervisory responsibilities, but serves as a coach and mentor to other department positions. Incumbents are scheduled according to operational need and may rotate shifts, be placed on standby or on-call, and travel locally between Independence Health locations. A $2,000 sign-on bonus is listed. During the pandemic or as effective March 2020, goggles, a face shield, and a mask are required according to CDC guidelines. For lifts over 50 pounds, two-person assistance and/or a transfer device is required.

Requirements

High school diploma, GED, or higher level of education.
Sound judgment and problem-solving skills.
Strong oral and written communication skills and the ability to follow directions from other team members while working independently on assigned duties.
Ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience.
Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through an American Heart Association-approved CPR and AED curriculum, or obtain it within five days of hire.
Act 33 clearance with renewal.
Act 34 clearance with renewal.
Act 73 FBI clearance with renewal.

Nice To Haves

Completion of a Nurse Aide or comparable program, such as EMT or Medical Assistant training; nursing students with at least one semester of clinical experience; or prior experience in a related field.
Computer skills.
Phlebotomy experience.
EKG experience.

Responsibilities

Deliver direct and indirect patient care in accordance with hospital policies, procedures, protocols, and standards of care.
Perform or assist with patient-care needs as directed and help patients with activities of daily living.
Respond promptly to patient and family call lights, inquiries, and requests; make regular purposeful hourly rounds.
Collect, document, and report patient-care data as directed, including intake and output and daily weights when indicated.
Obtain patient-care equipment and resources as directed and transport patients as directed.
Perform applicable patient-care skills as directed, which may include vital signs, heating pads, suction equipment, oxygen cylinders, antiembolic hose, aseptic techniques, Sequential Compression Devices, blood glucose testing, ostomy care, simple dressing changes, telemetry leads, bladder scans, preventative skin care, pulse oximetry, urinary catheter care, EKGs, oral-pharyngeal suctioning, and placement in a CPM machine.
Assist with patient education to promote and maintain health, encourage self-care, and improve outcomes; report patient readiness to learn to the RN or LPN.
Maintain collaborative relationships with health care providers to support desired outcomes and continuity of care.
Communicate actual or potential patient problems to the professional or practical nurse and relay pertinent information during shift reports and transfers.
Participate in unit performance-improvement activities, assist with data collection, and recommend performance-improvement modifications.
Demonstrate leadership, critical thinking, accountability, resourcefulness, and patient advocacy; seek assistance from the immediate supervisor when appropriate.
Serve effectively as a preceptor or mentor to new hires and students.
Assist in controlling organizational and departmental costs and maintaining sufficient supplies, including monitoring sterile-supply expiration dates and replacing expired items.
Assist with compliance with state, Joint Commission, OSHA, and other regulatory requirements, and maintain readiness for inspections and surveys.
Follow infection-control processes, including standard precautions, to reduce infection risks.
Promote patient safety, including using two forms of patient identification before providing care and supporting limited restraint use according to standards and documentation policies.
Assume an appropriate code-team role during code situations or mock codes and respond effectively to emergencies and disasters.
Maintain a safe and clean environment for patients, visitors, and staff.
Collect, identify, label, and deliver specimens and diagnostic studies to the appropriate department.
Perform other duties as assigned.