0.6 Nights CRU Patient Care Companion

American Addiction Centers•Park Ridge, IL

11d•$19 - $28•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Care Companion is responsible for ensuring a secure and safe environment by maintaining a continued awareness of safety hazards and observation of the patient. This role involves never leaving the assigned patient unattended and ensuring continuous monitoring before leaving the room for breaks, end of shift, or to accompany the patient on transport. The companion follows established policies and procedures for various precautions (suicide, seizure, falls, elopement, restraining) and provides restraint alternatives when appropriate, such as diversional activities. They also follow established policies and procedures for emergency plans and codes, and accompany the assigned patient at all times during walks in the hallway, to ancillary departments, or to the bathroom/shower. In addition to safety, the Patient Care Companion provides general patient care duties as directed by the registered nurse. This includes am or pm care such as making beds, bed baths, oral and denture care, back rubs, and skin care. They assist patients with ordered activities like ambulation, moving to and from a chair or bed, and positioning. The companion also assists with toileting needs, including care for incontinent patients and proper diaper usage, demonstrating awareness of patients at high risk for skin breakdown. They ensure special patient supplies and appliances like TED hose, sequential compression devices, K-pads, and cooling mattresses are provided and maintained. When assigned to general floor duty, they respond to call lights and communicate all patient requests to the registered nurse in a timely manner. The role also involves tasks related to meeting the nutritional needs of the patient. This includes reviewing dietary orders and trays to ensure the patient receives the proper diet, communicating reordering needs to the RN, and assisting patients with meals, including feeding if necessary. They provide proper tray setup and patient positioning, considering special needs, and assist patients with menu selection. The companion provides accurate information to the registered nurse for intake/output. When assigned to general floor duty, they assist in tray distribution and passing waters/juices, and pick up trays for patients not on intake/output or caloric monitoring. Furthermore, the Patient Care Companion maintains patient confidentiality, communicates with patients, families, and other health professionals in a positive and respectful manner, and supports patient/family teaching by working with the healthcare team. They seek out the registered nurse when clinical information is requested and notify the RN when family questions arise. This role contributes to the patient plan of care through documentation and communication of patient needs and outcomes to the healthcare provider. Documentation includes entries on the Treatment Flowsheet (safety, cares, and activity). They communicate patient needs and observed changes in behavior to the RN and provide a verbal change of shift report to the RN and the oncoming Patient Care Companion. The companion acts as a patient/family advocate by providing comfort, assistance, and information, and assists in orienting the patient and family to the environment. They demonstrate awareness of the patient’s plan of care, including activity, diet, diversional needs, and family/social issues. Finally, the Patient Care Companion performs tasks related to maintaining the integrity of patient care standards and efficient unit operations. This includes demonstrating the ability to respond to emergency situations, maintaining and developing technical skills through mandatory inservices, and practicing within infection control policies and procedures, including proper disposal of contaminated materials and use of proper attire when in contact with patients in isolation.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED equivalent.
Current CPR.
Good communication skills.
Courteous and professional interpersonal skills.
Highly compassionate.
Basic reading skills.
Ability to demonstrate a commitment to patient-focused care.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with established time constraints and in difficult situations.
Ability to perform lifting/transfer activities related to patients (up to 35 pounds without assistance).
Ability to work designated shifts including weekends and holidays.
Ability to transport objects from one location to another.
This position needs to recognize needs and behaviors of specific age groups of patients treated.

Nice To Haves

Responsibilities

Ensures a secure and safe environment by maintaining a continued awareness of safety hazards and observation of the patient.
Never leaves assigned patient unattended, ensures that patient is continuously monitored before leaving room, i.e., breaks, end of shift, to accompany patient on transport.
Follows established policies and procedures for precautions, i.e., suicide, seizure, falls, elopement, restraining, provides restraint alternatives when appropriate; i.e., diversional activities.
Follows established policies and procedures for emergency plans and codes.
Accompanies assigned patient at all times, i.e., walks in the hallway to various ancillary departments, bathroom, shower, etc.
Provides am or pm care to include making occupied or unoccupied bed, bed bath, oral and denture care, shave back rub, and skin care.
Assists patient with ordered activity, i.e., ambulation, getting up to chair and back to bed, positioning, etc.
Assists with toileting needs of the patient including care of the incontinent patient and proper diaper usage; demonstrates awareness of patients with high risk of skin breakdown.
Ensures special patient supplies and appliances are provided and maintained such as TED hose, sequential compression devices, K-pads, cooling mattresses, etc.
When assigned to general floor duty, responds to call lights and communicates all patient requests in a timely manner to the registered nurse.
Reviews dietary order and tray to ensure the patient is receiving the proper diet, communicates need for reordering to the registered nurse.
Assists patient with meals, feeding if needed.
Provides proper tray set-up and patient positioning with consideration to special needs.
Assists patient in menu selection.
Provides accurate information to registered nurse for intake/output.
When assigned to general floor duty, assists in tray distribution and passing of waters/juices as directed by registered nurse; pick-up trays of patients who are not on intake/output or caloric monitoring.
Maintains patient confidentiality at all times.
Communicates with patients, families, and other health professionals in a positive and respectful manner.
Supports patient/family teaching by working with all members of the health care team and seeks out the registered nurse when clinical information is requested, notifies the RN when family questions arise.
Documents patient information on Treatment Flowsheet (safety, cares and activity).
Communicates patient needs and observed changes in assigned patients’ behavior to RN caring for patient.
Communicates a verbal change of shift report on assigned patients to RN caring for patient and oncoming Patient Care Companion.
Acts as a patient/family advocate by providing comfort, assistance, and information as appropriate, assists in the orientation of the patient and family to the environment.
Demonstrates awareness of the patient’s plan of care, i.e., activity, diet, diversional needs, family and social issues.
Demonstrates ability to respond to emergency situations.
Maintains and develops technical skills by attending mandatory yearly inservices.
Practices within the policies and procedures of infection control by properly disposing of contaminated materials and utilizing proper attire when in direct contact with the patient in isolation.

Benefits

Comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs
Competitive compensation
Generous retirement offerings
Programs that invest in your career development
Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training
Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job
Incentive pay for select positions
Opportunity for annual increases based on performance
Paid Time Off programs
Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability
Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses
Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave
Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs
Educational Assistance Program