Patient Care Assistant/Unit Coordinator, Medical Center East, Perianesthesia, PRN

UofL Health • Louisville, KY

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Care Assistant/Unit Coordinator performs clerical duties on the unit under the direction of Licensed Nursing Personnel and provides clinical patient care support under the direction of an RN. The role requires professional communication with department personnel and other departments, and a personable, professional manner with physicians, patients, families, visitors, and coworkers. The employee supports patient- and family-centered care and may also perform phlebotomy, EKG lead placement, and respiratory functions.

The position combines unit coordination tasks with direct patient-care support. Duties include managing records, orders, messages, and desk communications; collecting and documenting patient data and specimens; assisting with patient care, mobility, hygiene, and comfort; organizing supplies and equipment; and supporting patient admissions, transfers, examinations, and discharges. The employee follows applicable safety, infection-control, regulatory, privacy, and organizational policies and procedures.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED/equivalent.
• Basic Life Support certification through the American Heart Association.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
• Ability to learn and appropriately use the electronic documentation system and other relevant systems and databases.
• Ability to critically think through complex patient situations and process improvements.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and protect sensitive data.
• Ability to work collaboratively and support team members.

Nice To Haves

• Completion of a recognized Clinical Assistant, Medical Assistant, or EMT training program, or nursing students’ completion of a Fundamentals of Nursing course from an accredited school of nursing.
• Certification as a Nursing Assistant (C.N.A.), Certified Medical Assistant (CMA), or Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).
• Current and in good standing with a state licensing board, or enrollment in an accredited school of nursing with completion of a Fundamentals of Nursing course; LPNs may apply.
• Initiative, communication, problem-solving, and proactive planning skills.
• Service excellence, organization, effective time management, prioritization, and flexibility.
• Critical-thinking ability, strong work ethic, diligence, and persistence.
• Ability to build effective working relationships and work with, serve, help, lead, mentor, and take direction from others.
• Ability to assist others in developing clinical reasoning skills.

Responsibilities

• Accurately transcribe and compute physician and department orders and messages, and communicate physician orders to the responsible nurse.
• Assemble, organize, update, and check patient medical records and charts, including admission, discharge, and transfer records.
• Handle desk communications promptly, respond to intercoms and pages, route messages, and forward requests for patient information to nurses.
• Collect required unit data and measure and document intake and output, height, weight, and vital signs.
• Apply, monitor, and document restraint usage.
• Collect urine, stool, and sputum specimens and perform and document point-of-care testing.
• Perform and document patient mobility and exercise, comfort, rest, sleep, hygiene, grooming, dressing, skin and nail care, dietary, toileting, and elimination needs.
• Organize equipment and supplies and complete bedmaking and unit cleaning assignments.
• Perform and document perineal care and apply unsterile hot or cold packs and compresses, bandages, and elastic stockings.
• Safely operate equipment such as beds, wheelchairs, stretchers, hypo/hyperthermia units, mechanical lifts, and bed scales.
• Order stock and maintain and enter charged items at the end of the shift according to procedure.
• Orient new personnel in desk procedures.
• Assist with patient admissions, physical examinations, transfers, and discharges.
• Transport patients, laboratory work, specimens, and blood.
• Follow universal precautions, infection-control, OSHA, regulatory, and facility safety requirements; maintain safe work practices.
• Comply with company policies, procedures, standards of conduct, and HIPAA privacy and security requirements.
• Communicate and interact courteously and effectively with patients, families, visitors, physicians, coworkers, and others.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED