Patient Care Assistant/PCA (Fayette, AL)

DCH Health System • Fayette, AL

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Care Assistant provides compassionate personal care and support services under the supervision of a registered nurse to help patients achieve physical and emotional comfort and healing. The PCA provides care according to the registered nurse’s plan of treatment, documents care accurately, applies safety principles, and helps maintain clean and safe equipment and nursing units. The role also supports consistent basic-care practices, patient satisfaction, and performance-improvement activities.

The position requires onsite physical presence and stamina to work a 12-hour shift. The work involves communication and collaboration with patients, families, coworkers, and colleagues; responding to time pressures; and possible exposure to body fluids, infection, chemicals, and hazardous materials. Common protective and safety equipment is required.

Requirements

• Must be able to read, write legibly, speak, and comprehend English.
• Must obtain American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) Healthcare Provider certification within 30 days of employment in the Patient Safety Companion role.
• Must have basic computer skills to use the electronic medical record, email, time and attendance software, learning management software, and intranet.
• Must have reliable transportation to support assignments between two facilities.
• Must be able to communicate clearly and accurately, receive delegation, work in groups, and perform structured and unstructured work.
• Must be able to deal with conflict, time pressure, deadlines, and unpleasant or physically aggressive personalities.
• Must be able to perform duties accurately and with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Must tolerate prolonged standing and walking; reach reasonable distances in any direction; stand, walk, kneel, bend, sit, stoop, lift, and run in an emergency.
• Must be able to move fingers in a coordinated manner and perceive temperature, texture, shape, and size with the fingertips.
• Must have normal or corrected hearing and vision.
• Must possess the stamina to work a 12-hour shift.
• Must be physically present onsite.

Nice To Haves

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Previous patient care experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide personal care services in accordance with the treatment plan assigned by the registered nurse.
• Measure and record patient intake and output, vital signs, oxygen saturation, weight, and height.
• Position, lift, turn, and ambulate patients, and assist with transfers and normal range of motion.
• Apply or use special equipment, anti-embolism stockings, and sequential compression devices.
• Assist patients with bedpans, urinals, commodes, feeding, and care related to incontinence.
• Provide pre-operative and post-operative care, perineal care, non-sterile vaginal irrigations, sitz baths, non-medicated enemas, and skin care for immobilized patients.
• Apply heat and cold, empty colostomy bags, and place patients on cardiac monitors.
• Collect, label, and transport laboratory specimens.
• Document care provided accurately according to policies and procedures.
• Apply safety principles while ambulating, transferring, positioning, and assisting patients with range of motion.
• Use supplies economically and help keep equipment and nursing units clean and safe.
• Perform basic-care practices, including rounding, AIDET, the 4 Ps (Pain, Position, Potty, Proximity of items), prompt response to patient needs, hand hygiene, and use of two patient identifiers.
• Participate in performance-improvement activities, including serving on teams as warranted, assisting with measures, and supporting and implementing improvements.
• Maintain performance, patient and employee satisfaction, and financial standards outlined in the performance evaluation.
• Meet compliance requirements in the Employee Handbook and follow DCH Behavioral Standards and DCH Health System policies and procedures.
• Use electronic mail, time and attendance software, learning management software, and the intranet.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: No Education Listed