Patient Care Tech - Clinical Decision Unit - Rotating
About The Position
The Patient Care Technician provides direct, age-specific care to patients in an assigned unit, based on medical orders and the plan of care and under the direction of an RN or licensed independent practitioner. The role supports patients’ comfort, personal hygiene, safety, and care needs, and contributes to a safe, clean, stocked clinical environment. The technician collects and documents patient information throughout the care cycle, assists with specimen collection, monitors patient conditions, and communicates relevant updates or concerns to the healthcare team. The position requires care appropriate to patients across the lifespan, from neonates through older adults, as well as adherence to nursing and hospital policies, patient-safety practices, infection-control measures, and required training. The role may involve high-stress periods, fluctuating workloads, frequent interruptions, intense customer interactions, and exposure to physical altercations, verbal abuse, hazardous substances, body fluids, blood, chemicals, moving mechanical parts, and high noise levels. Physical demands include lifting and carrying, pushing and pulling, climbing, stooping, kneeling, squatting, balancing, bending, and maneuvering patients. Shift work is required.
Requirements
- High school degree or equivalent.
- AHA BLS HCP Certification or equivalent.
- Certification or completion of one of the following: Certified Nursing Assistant, Medical Assistant, Emergency Medical Technician, Military Corpsmen/Medic, or Nursing Aide Training Program; and experience within a healthcare environment; OR completion of a foundations/clinical nursing course and one clinical rotation.
- Knowledge of patient data collection and documentation, including vital signs, intake and output, and changes 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 and be accountable for completing assigned tasks.
- Ability to wear personal protective equipment as needed.
- Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through continuous development, modeling inclusive behaviors, and proactively managing bias.
- Ability to provide equitable care appropriate to the age of patients served, using knowledge of lifespan growth and development and patient-status assessment.
- Ability to exercise universal precautions and follow infection-control policies.
- Physical ability to lift and carry up to 100 lbs, push and pull up to 100 lbs, maneuver patients, and perform the listed physical activities and work positions.
Nice To Haves
- Certified Nursing Assistant credential.
- Acute care experience as a nursing assistant or aide.
Responsibilities
- Provide safe, direct, age-appropriate care to patients in the assigned unit.
- Provide direct and indirect care to patients with and without medical or surgical complications, addressing comfort, personal hygiene, and safety needs.
- Deliver care in accordance with nursing and medical plans of care and VCUHS policies and procedures.
- Monitor patients’ conditions and report updates, physical or mental responses to the plan of care, and incidents that may harm or threaten a patient to a licensed independent practitioner, manager, or Registered Nurse.
- Maintain the assigned clinical location as a safe, clean, and stocked environment.
- Maintain supplies, educational materials, equipment, sterilized supplies and instruments, and the care environment as applicable.
- Accurately identify patients and observe safety goals.
- Obtain and record initial and ongoing patient information, including admissions data, vital signs, height, weight, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, intake and output, calorie counts, and other information required by policy.
- Obtain or assist in collecting specimens for diagnostic or waived tests.
- Attend mandatory in-services and training and meet online training requirements.
- Promote patient safety through job performance and participation in hospital, department, or unit safety initiatives.
- Establish and maintain courteous, effective rapport with patients, visitors, coworkers, and other healthcare team members; respond promptly to verbal and written instructions.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
