Patient Care Tech - Palliative Care Unit - PT

Carilion Clinic•Roanoke, VA

4d•$17 - $24•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Care Tech/Nursing Assistant is part of an adult inpatient medical-surgical Palliative Care unit with 10 private rooms. The unit’s nursing team provides patient-centered care to people living with serious illness, focusing on relief of symptoms and stressors and supporting patients’ and families’ physical, psychological, social, spiritual, and bereavement needs. The role provides basic nursing care, clerical support, and technical clinical services related to patient care, cleanliness, safety, and comfort, using a collaborative, team-oriented approach. This is a part-time day-shift position with every other weekend and rotating holidays. The role may support multiple nursing units or Carilion facilities and may include sitting with patients on suicide precautions or confusion. The work is often fast-paced and may involve exposure to infectious diseases, biohazardous or hazardous materials, regulated medical waste, and combative patients. Required orientation classes take place during daytime hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., for the first two weeks.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent education.
Effective interpersonal, communication, and teamwork skills.
Successfully complete position orientation and competency validation.
AHA BLS-HCP required within six months of hire.
Must be able to attend mandatory daytime orientation classes Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., for the first two weeks.
Ability to prioritize and manage time in a fast-paced environment.
Physical ability to lift, stand for prolonged periods, bend, push, pull, reach, and walk; prolonged sitting, computer-screen viewing, and keyboard use may also be necessary.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience in direct patient care.
Certified Nursing Assistant certification; required if working in a critical access facility.

Responsibilities

Provide basic nursing care and advanced technical skills for specified age groups according to established standards; assist patients with activities of daily living, including bathing, meals, toileting, and ambulation.
Measure and report patient observations, including blood pressure, oxygen levels, and temperature, and document appropriately for licensed staff.
Provide one-on-one care or sit with patients on suicide or safety precautions or confusion when appropriate and competency-qualified.
Transport patients, supplies, specimens, and equipment within the facility.
Participate in performance improvement, quality surveillance, shared governance, and organizational councils or committees.
Use the electronic medical record, assist with chart audits, and review medical records for outstanding orders; notify the nurse about stat orders and medication changes.
May lead unit huddles and participate in unit-based interdepartmental patient rounds.
Support staff scheduling, including covering lunch assignments.
Order, stock, and organize department or unit supplies and equipment; process equipment between patients, clean unit equipment, and follow procedures for timely repairs.
Assist patients and visitors with way-finding, registration, and customer service; welcome visitors and model service excellence.
Answer and screen telephone and patient call-system calls, route calls appropriately, and take accurate messages while maintaining effective interpersonal and telephone etiquette.
Monitor waiting and break room cleanliness and conduct safety and environmental rounds with unit or multidisciplinary team members.
Assist with admission, transfer, and discharge processes and coordinate patient flow using department-specific software and the Intranet.
Assist with regulatory compliance, including assigned checks of refrigerators, glucose meters, equipment-room storage, and code carts.
May perform phlebotomy, nonsterile wound dressing care, saline lock replacement or removal, and colostomy bag changes when competency-qualified.
Maintain patient, staff, and customer confidentiality; follow established guidelines and procedures and suggest cost-containment initiatives.
Demonstrate knowledge of life-span growth and development, identify age-specific patient needs, and provide care according to departmental policies and procedures.