Patient Care Associate: Activity Companion, Per Diem

Albany Medical Center•Albany, NY

1d•$43,599 - $56,679

About The Position

The Patient Care Associate (PCA): Activity Companion assists the Registered Professional Nurse in monitoring patients who may be at risk of self-inflicted or accidental injury, or who have eating disorders, to maintain patient safety. The PCA remains close to patients at risk for self-harm and provides support through divisional activities and by maintaining a clean, safe environment. The position includes accompanying patients during transport and procedures. During the assigned work period, the PCA collects patient data, provides personal care, performs point-of-care testing such as whole blood glucose testing, and helps turn, position, mobilize, and meet the needs of assigned patients. Care is focused on progress toward discharge, including transitions within the acute care stay. The PCA also documents care and patient observations, communicates findings and changes to the RN and care team, and supports patient comfort and engagement through conversation and recreational or diversional activities.

Requirements

High school diploma, GED, or equivalent is required.
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 employer’s and profession’s highest ethical standards.

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

Maintain continuous, close-proximity observation of assigned patients, generally within 3–4 feet, and provide 1:1 observation as assigned.
Report changes in patient condition or comfort, abnormal findings, and critical laboratory values to the RN and patient care team in a timely manner.
Collect patient data, including vital signs, height and weight, blood glucose, and food and fluid intake and output.
Collect and transport specimens, including urine, sputum, and stool.
Participate in care planning and the nursing report process, and provide information about patient progress toward goals and outcomes to the RN.
Support patient and family participation in care decisions and use standardized techniques to keep them informed.
Provide personal care, including bathing, oral care, skin care, grooming, dressing, toileting, and assistance with eating and hydration.
Assist with elimination needs using bedpans, commodes, and urinals.
Assist with mobility and restorative care, including transfers, ambulation, range-of-motion exercises, positioning, and alignment; use assistive or prosthetic devices as needed.
Promote a clean, orderly, and safe environment and follow standard and transmission-based precautions and infection-control techniques.
Transport and escort patients by stretcher, wheelchair, bed, isolette, or crib to areas within the hospital, including accompanying them to procedures.
Transport equipment, supplies, patient belongings, pharmaceuticals, and specimens between departments as requested.
Assist with ordering supplies and equipment and maintain designated supply par levels in collaboration with Materiel Coordinators.
Support patient safety needs during restraint, seizure, and Code 10 situations.
Document all care in the patient record and record patient care on the Observation Sheet every 15 minutes.
Provide handoff reports to the RN and the oncoming Activity Companion or PCA.
Engage patients in conversation and diversional or recreational activities to promote comfort, sleep, and relaxation or reduce agitation.
Support identification and analysis of errors and near misses as part of a safety culture.
Participate in departmental safety inspections to help ensure compliance with hospital safety standards, as assigned.