Patient Care and Observation Technician

Scotland Memorial Hospital•Laurinburg, NC

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Care and Observation Technician performs assigned tasks and maintains awareness of pertinent rationale and special precautions, demonstrating competency in performing tasks. This role involves obtaining vital signs, documenting information in the electronic medical record, preparing patients for examination, and acknowledging patient psychosocial needs. The technician will also perform various patient care duties such as applying compresses, measuring crutches, collecting specimens, cleaning wounds, preparing sterile trays, applying bandages, performing skin preps and febrile sponge baths, applying restraints as ordered, applying electrodes for heart monitoring, assisting physicians with specialized examinations, performing EKGs, and assisting licensed nurses with admissions, transfers, and discharge procedures. A key aspect of this role is maintaining a safe environment for both the associate and the patient, including identifying patients at high risk for falls, ensuring proper equipment use, maintaining a clean and clutter-free workplace, assisting patients with mobility, providing constant patient observation when instructed, and maintaining a ligature-free environment for at-risk patients. The technician will also demonstrate knowledge of policies and procedures for protective and restrictive devices, comply with standard precautions, assist in restocking patient rooms, maintain patient care areas, assist with patient elimination needs, and perform clerical duties as directed. Effective communication with the healthcare team is essential, including responding to two-way radios and assisting licensed personnel with various tasks. The role also involves initiating and/or assisting with emergency life support measures, maintaining currency in basic life support skills, and initiating/assisting with CPR during a code blue situation. Other duties may include familiarity with hospital policies and procedures, assuming responsibility for patient belongings, placing used instruments appropriately, demonstrating knowledge of emergency equipment, staying accessible, cooperating with personnel, and adhering to organizational/departmental health and safety standards. The position requires age-specific competency, understanding human growth and development across the lifespan and the ability to meet the needs of patients in various age categories.

Requirements

Current NC CNA listing
Current CPR
AEGIS De Escalation Training within 3 months of Hire

Nice To Haves

One-Year Experience In Hospital Setting
Preferably Critical Care And Behavioral Health Experience

Responsibilities

Performs assigned tasks and maintains awareness of pertinent rationale and special precautions. Demonstrates competency in performing tasks.
Obtains vital signs on all patients according to hospital policy and communicates abnormalities to the nurse in a timely manner: Blood pressure, pulse, respirations, temperature (oral, auxiliary, or rectal), weights.
Documents information on designated portions of the electronic medical record.
Relates all patient/family questions to the nurse in a timely manner.
Acknowledges patient psycho-social needs and reports information to the nurse.
Prepares the patient for examination.
Uses proper draping and wrapping technique to maintain asepsis.
Proficiently performs the following duties when properly instructed: Application of hot/cold compresses; Measures and fits crutches properly; Collects/labels laboratory specimens; Cleans wounds and abrasions; Prepares sterile trays; Applies simple bandages; Applies ace bandages; Performs surgical skin preps; Performs febrile sponge baths; Applies restraints, as ordered; Applies electrodes for heart monitoring; Assists physicians with specialized examinations; Performs EKGs; Assist licensed nurse with admissions, transfers, and discharge procedures as directed.
Maintains an environment that promotes safety for both the associate and the patient.
Demonstrates knowledge of the patients who are at high risk for falls, injury or harm to themselves or others. Able to identify patients at high risk for falls.
Locks wheels on all stretchers and wheelchairs.
Puts up side rails on all patients laying on stretchers.
Places call bells within reach of the patient.
Maintains a workplace that is clean and free of clutter.
Assists patients with positioning, turning, and ambulation.
Ensures that patients are properly secured before transport.
Provides for constant patient observation when instructed.
Maintains a ligature free environment for at risk patients.
Demonstrates knowledge of the policy and procedures for protective and restrictive devices.
Assists in applying devices properly to ensure patient safety.
Complies with standard precautions in the implementation of patient care.
Assists in checking and restocking patient room with necessary supplies such as: gloves, suction apparatus/canisters, Ambu bags, needle disposal boxes, etc.
Maintains patient care areas: Cleans the stretchers between patients; Handles clean and soiled linen appropriately; If trauma patient, assures that under mattress is cleaned.
Assists with the elimination needs of the patient considering the patient's privacy, psychosocial, and physiological needs.
Assist the patient with eliminations (I.e. bedpan, urinal, assisting to bathroom).
Demonstrate proper technique when administering enemas.
Collects and labels specimens appropriately.
Performs clerical duties as directed.
Communicates effectively with health care team.
Answers two-way radio and dispatches messages to the appropriate person in a timely manner.
Assists licensed personnel by making phone calls, running errands, or photocopying, etc. as directed by the RN or MD.
Initiates and/or assists with emergency life support measures as directed by the licensed nurse.
Maintains currency in basic life support skills.
Initiates and/or assists with CPR during a code blue situation.
Obtains supplies for the emergency as directed by the nurse or health care provider.
Demonstrates standard precautions during an emergency.
Performs other related duties as delegated by the licensed nurse, the manager, or the director of the Emergency Center.
Demonstrates a familiarity with hospital policies and procedures.
Assumes responsibility for patient's personal belongings and valuables and documents disposition of items on the electronic medical record.
Places all used instruments in the appropriate container in the dirty utility room.
Demonstrates knowledge of the location of all emergency equipment and supplies.
Always stays accessible when on duty.
Cooperates and offers assistance to all personnel.
Adheres to organizational/departmental health and safety standards.
Demonstrates knowledge of and adheres to hospital and departmental safety regulations, disaster plans, infection control policies, fire safety regulations, hazardous materials disposal.
Demonstrates knowledge of emergency codes and their meanings.
Utilizes standard precautions in compliance with infection control guidelines.
Age Specific Competency: Staff members will have knowledge of human growth and development through the life span of the patient and have the ability to meet the needs of and provide the care of these patients. The age categories to be included are: Neonatal/Infant: 0-11 months; Pediatrics: 1-12 years; Adolescence: 13-17 years; Young Adult/Adult: 18-64 years; Adult/Middle Aged: 65-79 years; Geriatric: 80+ years
Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned.