wk, Evenings

Albany Medical Center•Albany, NY

1d•$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 care to assigned patients. The PCA collects patient data, provides personal care, performs point-of-care testing such as whole blood glucose testing, and helps turn, position, and mobilize patients. The role supports patients’ progress toward discharge, including during transitions within an acute care stay. PCAs are trained to perform technical procedures such as blood draws and electrocardiography. They also coordinate with Materials Coordinators to support the availability, stocking, and storage of care supplies, and help maintain a clean, orderly, and safe care environment. The PCA may also serve as an activity companion for patients requiring one-to-one observation. The role includes gathering and reporting patient information, contributing to care planning and nursing reports, respecting patient and family participation in care decisions, and communicating standardized information to patients and families. The PCA provides assistance with hygiene, eating, hydration, grooming, dressing, toileting, mobility, and other basic restorative care, while following safe patient-handling and infection-control practices. Care and patient progress are documented in the patient record. This position is in the Medical/Surgical Pulmonary Renal Hospitalist unit and is scheduled for 24 hours per week on the evening shift. The role may involve access to sensitive information, including HIPAA-protected health information, and requires following minimum-necessary access and information-protection practices.

Requirements

High school diploma, G.E.D., or equivalent.
Basic knowledge of medical terminology at medium proficiency.
Ability to communicate cooperatively and effectively with patients, family members, employees, and others.
Honesty, punctuality, and adherence to the highest ethical standards defined by Albany Medical Center and the tenets of the profession.

Nice To Haves

Less than one year of experience in a health care setting or completion of a certified nurse assistant course.
Experience as a paramedic or emergency technician.

Responsibilities

Collect patient health and situation data, including vital signs, height and weight, and food and fluid intake and output.
Report abnormal findings to the Registered Nurse and patient care team.
Participate in care planning and the nursing report process.
Support patient and family participation in decisions about care and keep patients and families informed using standardized techniques.
Provide personal care, including bathing, oral care, and skin care.
Assist patients with eating, hydration, grooming, dressing, and toileting.
Incorporate safe patient handling into restorative care, including ambulation, range-of-motion activity, and use of assistive and prosthetic devices.
Promote a clean, orderly, and safe environment and use standard and transmission-based precautions and infection-control techniques.
Provide the Registered Nurse with details about patient progress toward goals and outcomes.
Document all care in the patient record.
Perform point-of-care testing, such as whole blood glucose testing, and trained technical procedures such as blood draws and electrocardiography.
Collaborate with Materials Coordinators on the use, stocking, and storage of supplies.
Provide activity-companion service for patients requiring one-to-one observation when asked.
Protect sensitive information by limiting access and use or disclosure to the minimum necessary and following applicable policies and standards.