PATIENT CARE SUPPORT ASST

Covenant Health•Knoxville, TN

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Care Support Assistant provides direct support to nurses and providers by performing hands-on patient care, activities of daily living, and specified technical tasks for a group of patients under a nurse’s supervision. The role may support the Medical Surgical Unit and Emergency Room and includes patient care, housekeeping, health unit coordinator tasks, sitter duties, and patient transport. Duties include assisting with personal care and mobility, taking and recording vital signs and other measurements, maintaining patient records, responding to patient requests, communicating with patients and staff, and helping maintain a clean and safe environment. The assistant may also perform trained tasks such as EKGs, support oxygen and suction setup, monitor equipment, maintain supplies, and follow infection-control and safety procedures. In the Emergency Department, the role may include updating the ED tracking board, assisting with triage vital signs, and completing assigned daily checklist activities. Sitter duties involve remaining with patients for a designated period to help maintain safety. Environmental-services duties include cleaning assigned areas, handling waste and linens, and monitoring supplies and equipment. Transport duties include moving patients using appropriate equipment and precautions. This is an internship for high school students age 16 or older who are enrolled in healthcare courses and intend to pursue a healthcare career. Eligibility generally continues until July 15 of the year of high school graduation; those who are 17 at graduation may remain in the role until their 18th birthday. Medical terminology is a plus. Candidates must complete Covenant’s orientation and in-house Nursing Assistant training before working with patients. No minimum education or licensure is specified.

Requirements

Must be a high school student age 16 or older, enrolled in healthcare courses, and intending to pursue a career in healthcare.
Must meet the stated age-based eligibility period: generally through July 15 of the year of high school graduation; students who are 17 at graduation may remain until their 18th birthday.
Must be able to operate a computer.
Must have excellent interpersonal skills.
Must be able to read with comprehension, write legibly, and perform basic arithmetic calculations.
Must successfully complete Covenant’s orientation and in-house Nursing Assistant training program before working with patients.
No minimum education credential is specified.
No licensure is required.

Nice To Haves

Medical terminology

Responsibilities

Provide morning or evening personal care, including bathing, oral hygiene, grooming, dressing, linen changes, and other supportive care.
Take and record temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, height, weight, and intake and output.
Document and maintain patient records as appropriate.
Answer patient call lights and respond promptly to requests.
Answer telephones and intercoms, relay and document messages, and help ensure timely follow-up.
Assist patients with ambulation, transfers, positioning, and transport, including transport with oxygen when required.
Monitor and use the patient flow board for assignments and promptly update the ED tracking board when assigned.
Report observed changes in patient condition to a nurse or provider.
Support patients’ nutritional needs, including distributing meal trays, feeding, and providing water pitchers.
Maintain clean and orderly patient and work areas, including assigned environmental-services duties.
Maintain communication among patients, families, physicians, peers, and leadership.
Encourage patients to turn, cough, and take deep breaths as specified in the plan of care.
Empty canisters, urine bags, bedpans, and emesis basins and record intake and output.
Assist with bedpans, urinals, commodes, and patient lifting, turning, and positioning.
Perform EKGs when specially trained and complete assigned nursing assistant checklist skills.
Help maintain a safe environment by checking equipment, reporting equipment problems, handling linen appropriately, and storing supplies.
Gather oxygen setup equipment and check oxygen connections and placement.
Order and replenish patient-care supplies in rooms, carts, and other designated areas.
Set up suction equipment and check that it functions properly.
Demonstrate knowledge and competency in meeting age-specific patient needs.
Follow infection-control, isolation, OSHA, safety, body-mechanics, identification, equipment-maintenance, and cleaning procedures.
Complete required annual education, work toward goals and objectives, and participate in quality-improvement initiatives as requested.
Remain with designated patients as a sitter to help maintain their safety.
Perform assigned-area cleaning, respond to emergency spills, inspect assigned work, handle waste and soiled linens, and report repair or supply needs.
Transport patients using appropriate equipment and precautions, including oxygen, isolation, CPR, lifting, and transfer techniques as needed.
Perform other duties as assigned.