Patient Care Assistant (PCA),Solid Organ Transplant, Full Time, Nights

UC Health•Cincinnati, OH

About The Position

The Patient Care Assistant (PCA) provides basic direct patient care as delegated by clinical professional personnel, in accordance with delegation law and rules and current education. The PCA maintains an orderly, clean, and safe environment for patients and visitors. This full-time position is on the Solid Organ Transplant service and works nights.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Minimum required experience: 0–6 months.
Trained in and maintain proficiency in AHA CPR and patient-care skills.
Complete unit-specific hospital safety education.
Meet one of the following criteria: State Tested Nursing Aide training, acute medical-surgical training, or hospital-specific training; be a student in an accredited RN program who has successfully completed a medical-surgical or other acute-care rotation; or, if neither of the first two criteria is met, 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

Communicate appropriately with patients based on their population, growth and development, and individual psychological, religious, and cultural needs; give clear treatment instructions; involve family or guardians in care; and recognize and respond to physical limitations, behavioral health concerns, abuse, and neglect.
Provide culturally based and age-specific patient care, including safely performing treatments, administering medication, or operating equipment as appropriate.
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-expectorant sputum specimens.
Assist with activities of daily living, skin care, tube and catheter care, turning, positioning, transfers, ambulation, range of motion, and hot or cold compresses.
Provide hygiene and comfort measures, including bathing, showering, and perineal care; change linens as needed.
Empty drainage bags and record outputs; dispose of bodily fluids and waste.
Use patient-care equipment, including 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; set up meals; position and prepare patients for meals; assist with or feed patients; help with menu selection; record calorie counts; provide snacks and fluids; and monitor 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 in a timely and appropriate manner; orient patients and visitors to the room and unit; and update whiteboards.
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 when no longer in use; restock materials; and report maintenance issues.
Participate in patient admission, transfer, and discharge, and cooperate respectfully with team members in pursuit of patient care.
Ensure call lights are within patients' reach and answer them promptly; ensure patient identification bands are in place; apply side rails and restraints for safety in accordance with policy; and use proper body mechanics and universal precautions.
Perform other duties as delegated.