Patient Care Assistant (PCA), Surgical Med Surg, Part Time, Days

UC Health•West Chester Township, OH

6d•Onsite

About The Position

UC Health is hiring a part-time Patient Care Assistant for the Surgical Med Surg unit on the 4th floor of West Chester Hospital, working day shift. The PCA provides basic direct patient care as delegated by clinical professional personnel, in accordance with applicable delegation law and rules and current education. The role also helps maintain an orderly, clean, and safe environment for patients and visitors. The unit provides care to medically complex patients and sees a wide variety of surgeries, including orthopedic, bariatric, general, trauma, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary procedures. The team describes its environment as supportive and collaborative, with opportunities for growth and development. UC Health is an integrated academic health system serving Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. It combines clinical care with research and teaching, and its locations include West Chester Hospital and other hospitals, physician practices, and specialized institutes.

Requirements

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

Nice To Haves

1–2 years of equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

Provide culturally based, age-specific patient care and communicate appropriately with patients and families.
Measure vital signs; observe and record skin integrity, intake and output, height, and weight; and promptly report changes, including changes in mental status.
Collect routine urine, clean-catch urine, 24-hour urine, 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 outputs, 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.
Prepare and assist patients with meals, including meal setup, feeding assistance, menu selection, calorie counts, snacks and fluids, and monitoring head-of-bed position 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; and update white boards.
Record measurements and patient data and document treatments and procedures performed.
Respond to and use the nurse call system; perform reception and phone duties as directed; and 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 admission, transfer, and discharge.
Demonstrate helpfulness, cooperation, and respect for team members; perform other duties as delegated.
Keep call lights within reach and answer them promptly; ensure patient identification bands are in place; ensure side rails and restraints are applied according to policy; and use proper body mechanics and universal precautions.
Engage in population-appropriate communication, account for growth and development milestones, give patients and families clear treatment instructions, and involve family or guardians in assessment and care.
Identify patient physical limitations and intervene as needed; recognize and respond appropriately to behavioral health needs, signs or symptoms of abuse or neglect, and needs related to psychological, religious, or cultural factors.
Interpret population-related data and plan care appropriately; perform treatments, administer medication, or operate equipment safely.