Patient Care Tech - Progressive Care Medicine Unit - PRN

VCU Health • Richmond, VA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician provides direct, age-specific care to a patient or group of patients based on medical orders and the plan of care under the direction of the RN or licensed independent practitioner. This role involves providing safe and direct care, monitoring patients' conditions, and updating the healthcare team. The technician will provide direct and indirect care to patients with and without medical/surgical complications to meet their comfort, personal hygiene, and safety needs, in accordance with nursing and medical plans of care and VCUHS policy. Responsibilities include maintaining a safe, clean, and stocked environment, managing supplies, and contributing to the patient experience by identifying patients, observing safety goals, and reporting patient responses or incidents. The role also involves obtaining and recording patient information, collecting specimens, attending mandatory training, and ensuring patient safety. Establishing courteous and effective rapport with patients, visitors, and staff is essential, along with demonstrating sensitivity and responsiveness to their needs. The position also requires performing other duties as assigned. The Patient Population served includes Neonates (0-4 weeks), Infants (1-12 months), Pediatrics (1-12 years), Adolescents (13-17 years), Adults (18-64 years), and Geriatrics (65 years and older), requiring the ability to provide equitable care appropriate to the age of the patients served.

Requirements

• High School Degree or equivalent
• AHA BLS HCP Certification or equivalent
• Certification/Completion of one of the following: Certified Nursing Assistant, Medical Assistant, Emergency Medical Technician, Military Corpsmen/Medic, Nursing Aide Training Program, Experience within a healthcare environment OR Completion of foundations/ clinical nursing course and one clinical rotation.
• Knowledge of patient data collection and documentation (i.e. vital signs, intake/output, change in patient condition)
• Knowledge of basic hygiene and activities of daily living care
• Ability to assist with feeding, hydration, and nutrition
• Ability to assist with ambulation and patient mobility
• Ability to provide safe, compassionate care
• Accountability for completion of assigned tasks
• Ability to wear personal protective equipment as needed
• Demonstrates a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through continuous development, modeling inclusive behaviors, and proactively managing bias.

Nice To Haves

• Certified Nursing Assistant
• N/A
• Acute care experience as a nursing assistant or aide experience

Responsibilities

• Provide safe and direct care to patients in their assigned unit making age-appropriate adjustments as needed.
• Monitor patients’ conditions and provide updates to the health care team.
• Provide direct and indirect care to patients with and without medical/surgical complications to meet their comfort, personal hygiene and safety needs.
• Provide care in accordance with nursing and medical plans of care and deliver per VCUHS Nursing and Hospital policy and procedure.
• Ensure assigned clinical location is maintained as a safe, clean, stocked environment to facilitate meeting patient needs and unit/healthcare team functioning.
• Maintain supplies, educational material, equipment, sterilization of supplies, instruments and the environment to promote quality, safe patient care outcomes (as applicable).
• Contribute to the patient experience by accurately identifying the patient, by observing safety goals and reporting to a licensed independent practitioner, manager and/or Registered Nurses regarding the patient’s physical and mental responses to the plan of care or any incident posing harm or threat to a patient.
• Obtain and record initial and ongoing patient information throughout the cycle of care, including admissions data, vital signs, height and weight, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, intake and output, calorie counts, and other patient information as outlined by VCUHS policy.
• Obtain or assist in the collection of specimens for diagnostic or waived tests.
• Attend all mandatory in-services and trainings and adhere to online training requirements.
• Ensure patient safety in the performance of job functions and through participation in hospital, department or unit patient safety initiatives.
• Establish and maintain courteous and effective rapport with patients, visitors, co-workers, and other members of health care team; demonstrate sensitivity and awareness to needs of patients, visitors and co-workers and respond promptly to verbal and/or written instructions.
• Performs other duties, as assigned.
• Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide equitable care appropriate to the age of the patients served on their assigned unit.
• Demonstrates knowledge and related competencies of the principles of growth and development of the life span and possesses the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interprets the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to their age, specific needs and to provide the equitable care needed as described in departmental policies and procedures.

Benefits

• Periods of high stress and fluctuating workloads may occur.
• May be exposed to physical altercations and verbal abuse.
• May be required to use physical restraints.
• May be exposed to high noise levels and bright lights.
• May be exposed to limited hazardous substances or body fluids.
• May be exposed to human blood and other potentially infectious materials.
• May have periods of constant interruptions.
• Individuals in this position are required to exercise universal precautions, use personal protective equipment and devices, and learn the policies concerning infection control.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED