Patient Care Assistant (PCA), Med Surg, Part Time, Nights

UC Health•West Chester Township, OH

9d•Onsite

About The Position

UC Health is hiring a part-time Patient Care Assistant for the 5th floor Med Surg unit at West Chester Hospital on the night shift. The PCA provides basic direct patient care as delegated by clinical professional personnel, in accordance with delegation laws and rules and current education. The role also maintains an orderly, clean, and safe environment for patients and visitors. The position works with a team that emphasizes collaboration, professional growth, and learning through varied patient needs. The PCA supports culturally based, age-specific patient care and communicates patient observations and changes to the RN. Duties include assisting patients with daily activities, hygiene, mobility, meals, and comfort; collecting specimens and recording measurements and patient data; supporting patient safety; and helping maintain the unit environment.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Minimum of 0–6 months of experience.
Trained and maintains proficiency in AHA CPR and patient-care skills.
Completes unit-specific hospital safety education.
Must meet one of the stated training or education pathways: State Tested Nursing Aide training, acute medical-surgical training, hospital-specific training, or completion of a medical-surgical or other acute-care rotation as a student in an accredited RN program.
Candidates without either of the first two stated training requirements must successfully complete UC Health PCA competency training and additional orientation before being permitted to care for patients.
No license or certification is required.

Nice To Haves

1–2 years of equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

Communicate appropriately with patient populations and involve family or guardians in assessment, initial treatment, and continuing care.
Recognize patient needs, limitations, behavioral health concerns, signs of abuse or neglect, and needs associated with psychological, religious, or cultural differences; respond appropriately.
Provide culturally based, age-specific patient care.
Measure vital signs and record skin integrity, intake and output, height, and weight; report changes, including changes in mental status.
Collect routine, clean-catch, and 24-hour urine specimens and self-expectorated sputum specimens.
Assist with activities of daily living, skin care, tube and catheter care, turning, positioning, transfers, ambulation, range-of-motion exercises, and hot or cold compresses.
Provide hygiene and comfort measures, including bathing, showering, and perineal care; change linens as needed.
Empty drainage bags, record output, and dispose of bodily fluids and waste.
Use patient-care equipment such as manual, hydraulic, or electronic lifts, Hoyer lifts, and bed scales.
Remove and reapply splints, braces, cervical collars, skin and skeletal traction, and anti-embolic stockings.
Perform post-mortem care.
Distribute and remove food trays; prepare and position patients for meals; assist with or feed patients; help with menu selection; record calorie counts; provide snacks and fluids; and monitor head-of-bed positioning for patients receiving tube feedings.
Assist with turning, coughing, and deep breathing; follow up on incentive spirometry; reapply oxygen cannulas or masks; and provide portable oxygen tanks for transport.
May perform EKGs, mobile care phlebotomy, and blood glucose testing.
Communicate patient observations to the RN promptly and appropriately.
Orient patients and visitors to the room and unit, update whiteboards, record measurements and patient data, and document treatments and procedures.
Respond to and use the nurse call system; perform reception and phone duties as directed; retrieve information from the computer.
Maintain a clean, safe, and organized environment; remove equipment for cleaning, reorder and stock materials, and report maintenance issues.
Participate in patient admissions, transfers, and discharges, and cooperate respectfully with team members.
Keep call lights within reach and answer them promptly; ensure patient identification bands are in place and side rails and restraints are applied according to policy.
Use proper body mechanics and universal precautions.
Perform other duties as delegated.