Ambulatory Surgery)

Albany Medical Center•Albany, NY

8d•$43,599 - $56,679

About The Position

The Patient Care Assistant (PCA) works under the direction of a Registered Nurse and assists the caregiving team in delivering competent, compassionate patient care. During assigned work periods, the PCA collects patient data, provides personal care, performs point-of-care testing such as whole blood glucose, helps turn, position, and mobilize patients, and supports assigned patients’ care needs with a focus on progress toward discharge, including transitions within the acute care stay. The PCA is trained to perform technical procedures such as blood draws and electrocardiography and collaborates with Materiel’s Coordinators to support the availability, stocking, and storage of supplies. The PCA helps create and maintain a clean, orderly, and safe care environment and may serve as an activity companion for patients requiring 1:1 observation. The position is in Ambulatory Surgery, with a Monday–Friday day schedule from 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The posted salary range is $43,599.00–$56,679.00. The PCA collects relevant health and situation information, including vital signs, height and weight, and food and fluid intake and output, and reports abnormal findings to the RN and patient care team. The role includes participating in care planning and nursing reports, supporting patient and family participation in care decisions, and using standardized techniques to keep patients and families informed. The PCA provides personal care, assists with eating, hydration, grooming, dressing, and toileting, and incorporates safe patient-handling practices into restorative care such as ambulation, range of motion, and use of assistive and prosthetic devices. The PCA applies infection-control precautions, communicates patient progress toward goals and outcomes to the RN, and documents care in the patient record.

Responsibilities

Collect patient data, including vital signs, height and weight, and food and fluid intake and output.
Report abnormal findings to the RN and patient care team.
Participate in care planning and the nursing report process.
Support patient and family participation in decisions about care and use standardized techniques to keep them informed.
Provide personal care, including bathing, oral care, and skin care.
Assist patients with eating and hydration, grooming, dressing, and toileting.
Turn, position, and mobilize patients; incorporate safe patient handling into ambulation, range-of-motion activities, and use of assistive and prosthetic devices.
Perform point-of-care testing, including whole blood glucose testing, and technical procedures such as blood draws and electrocardiography.
Support assigned patients’ care needs with a focus on progress toward discharge, including transitions within the acute care stay.
Promote a clean, orderly, and safe environment and demonstrate standard and transmission-based precautions and infection-control techniques.
Collaborate with Materiel’s Coordinators on the use, stocking, and storage of supplies.
Provide activity-companion services for patients requiring 1:1 observation when asked.
Communicate patient progress toward goals and outcomes to the RN.
Document all care in the patient record.