Patient Care and Observation Tech

Scotland Health Care System in Laurinburg, North Carolina•Laurinburg, NC

About The Position

The Patient Care and Observation Tech performs assigned patient-care tasks while maintaining awareness of relevant rationales, special precautions, and demonstrated competency. The role supports patients in the emergency center, including obtaining and reporting vital signs, documenting information, preparing patients for examinations, responding to patient and family questions through the nurse, and helping maintain communication between treatment areas and the waiting room. When properly instructed, the technician performs a range of delegated clinical tasks, such as collecting specimens, applying compresses and bandages, preparing sterile trays, performing EKGs, applying monitoring electrodes, assisting with examinations, and supporting admissions, transfers, and discharges. The technician helps maintain a safe, clean care environment; assists patients with mobility and personal needs; provides constant observation when instructed; and follows standard precautions and applicable safety policies. The role also supports the health care team by communicating messages, assisting licensed personnel as directed, helping with emergency life support measures, and performing other duties delegated by licensed staff or department leadership. Staff are expected to understand age-specific patient needs across the lifespan.

Requirements

Current North Carolina Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) listing.
Current CPR certification.
Complete AEGIS De-Escalation Training within three 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 and the ability to foster teamwork.
Ability to communicate articulately with patients, customers, other departments, and staff.
Knowledge of basic life-support skills and ability to maintain currency in those skills.

Nice To Haves

One year of experience in a hospital setting, preferably critical care.

Responsibilities

Obtain patient vital signs according to policy and promptly communicate abnormalities to the nurse.
Assist patients into the emergency center and onto examination-room stretchers.
Document information in designated portions of the Emergency Center record.
Relay patient and family questions to the nurse and communicate patient psychosocial needs.
Serve as a liaison between the treatment area and waiting room; greet and escort patients when needed and when treatment areas are available.
Prepare patients for examinations and use proper draping and wrapping techniques to maintain asepsis.
Perform delegated clinical tasks when properly instructed, including applying compresses and bandages, measuring and fitting crutches, collecting and labeling specimens, cleaning wounds, preparing sterile trays, applying restraints as ordered, applying heart-monitoring electrodes, assisting with specialized examinations, implementing ordered oxygen therapy, performing EKGs, and assisting with admissions, transfers, and discharges.
Promote patient and staff safety by identifying patients at risk for falls or injury, locking stretcher and wheelchair wheels, raising stretcher side rails, keeping 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 applying protective and restrictive devices according to policy and procedure.
Follow standard precautions and infection-control requirements during patient care.
Help check and restock patient rooms with supplies, including gloves, suction apparatus and canisters, Ambu bags, and needle-disposal boxes.
Keep patient-care areas clean and uncluttered, clean stretchers between patients, handle clean and soiled linen appropriately, and ensure the area beneath the mattress is cleaned after trauma patients.
Assist patients with elimination needs while respecting 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, dispatch messages, monitor the enunciator panel, announce public-address pages as indicated, and assist licensed personnel with calls, errands, or photocopying as directed.
Initiate or assist with emergency life-support measures as directed, maintain basic life-support skills, assist with CPR during a code blue, obtain supplies as directed, and use standard precautions.
Perform other duties delegated by licensed nurses, the manager, or the Emergency Center director; remain accessible, cooperate with personnel, and assist as needed.
Follow hospital and departmental policies, safety regulations, disaster plans, infection-control policies, fire-safety regulations, hazardous-material disposal procedures, and emergency-code procedures.
Safeguard patient belongings and valuables and document their disposition; place used instruments in the designated dirty-utility-room container; know the locations of emergency equipment and supplies.
Maintain age-specific knowledge and provide care appropriate to patients from neonatal/infant through geriatric age groups.