Patient Care and Observation Tech

Scotland Memorial Hospital•Laurinburg, NC

About The Position

The Patient Care and Observation Tech performs assigned patient-care tasks while maintaining awareness of relevant rationale and precautions. The role supports patient assessment, examination, treatment, safety, observation, comfort, and communication with patients, families, and the health care team in the Emergency Center. The technician performs duties within demonstrated competency and as directed by licensed personnel. Responsibilities include obtaining and reporting vital signs; assisting patients with movement, positioning, ambulation, and elimination; preparing patients for examinations; collecting and labeling specimens; performing delegated clinical tasks; maintaining patient observation when instructed; and assisting with admissions, transfers, discharge, and emergency life-support measures. The role also involves keeping patient-care areas clean and stocked, following infection-control and safety procedures, communicating messages and patient concerns promptly, and performing other duties delegated by licensed nurses, managers, or directors. Scotland Health Care System is a community-owned, not-for-profit health care organization serving Laurinburg, North Carolina. It provides inpatient, outpatient, and emergency care, along with specialized services including cancer treatment, cardiac care, surgical services, and women’s health. Its stated mission is to deliver safe, high-quality, compassionate, and sustainable health care to everyone in need.

Requirements

Current North Carolina CNA listing.
Current CPR certification.
Complete AEGIS De-Escalation Training within 3 months of hire.
Basic computer and Internet Explorer skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Diplomacy, tact, and a positive approach to problem solving.
Strong organizational skills.
Ability to foster teamwork and communicate articulately with patients, customers, other departments, and staff.
Maintain currency in basic life-support skills.
Demonstrate knowledge of patient safety, standard precautions, and applicable hospital and departmental policies and procedures.

Nice To Haves

One year of experience in a hospital setting, preferably critical care.
Experience with or training on applicable equipment.

Responsibilities

Obtain patients’ blood pressure, pulse, respirations, temperature, and weights according to policy, and promptly report abnormalities to the nurse.
Assist patients into the Emergency Center and onto examination-room stretchers; prepare patients for examination and use proper draping and wrapping techniques to maintain asepsis.
Document information in designated portions of the Emergency Center record and relate patient and family questions or psychosocial needs to the nurse in a timely manner.
Act as a liaison between the treatment area and waiting room; greet and escort patients to treatment areas when appropriate.
When properly instructed, apply hot or cold compresses, fit crutches, collect and label laboratory specimens, clean wounds and abrasions, prepare sterile trays, apply bandages and restraints as ordered, perform skin preparations and febrile sponge baths, apply heart-monitoring electrodes, assist with specialized examinations, implement ordered oxygen therapy, and perform EKGs.
Assist licensed nurses with admissions, transfers, and discharge procedures as directed.
Promote patient and associate safety by identifying patients at risk of falls or injury, locking stretcher and wheelchair wheels, raising stretcher side rails, placing call bells within reach, maintaining uncluttered work areas, assisting with positioning and ambulation, securing patients for transport, and providing constant observation when instructed.
Assist with protective and restrictive devices according to policy and procedure, ensuring devices are properly applied for patient safety.
Follow standard precautions when providing patient care.
Check and restock patient rooms with supplies, including gloves, suction apparatus and canisters, Ambu bags, and needle-disposal boxes.
Maintain clean patient-care areas; clean stretchers between patients; handle clean and soiled linens appropriately; and ensure the area under the mattress is cleaned after trauma patients.
Assist patients with elimination needs while considering privacy and psychosocial and physiological needs; demonstrate proper enema technique and collect and label specimens appropriately.
Communicate effectively with the health care team; answer the two-way radio and promptly dispatch messages; monitor the enunciator panel and announce public-address pages as indicated; and assist licensed personnel with calls, errands, photocopying, and other directed tasks.
Initiate or assist with emergency life-support measures as directed, maintain current basic life-support skills, assist with CPR during a code blue, obtain supplies as directed, and use standard precautions during emergencies.
Perform other duties delegated by licensed nurses, the manager, or the Emergency Center director; follow applicable hospital and department policies; safeguard and document patients’ personal belongings and valuables; place used instruments in the appropriate dirty-utility container; know the location of emergency equipment and supplies; remain accessible while on duty; and assist other personnel.
Follow organizational and departmental health and safety standards, including safety regulations, disaster plans, infection-control policies, fire-safety regulations, hazardous-material disposal procedures, and emergency-code procedures.
Demonstrate knowledge of human growth and development across neonatal/infant, pediatric, adolescent, young adult/adult, middle-aged adult, and geriatric age groups, and provide care suited to those patients.