Patient Care Technician I, Ortho, Rotating Schedule

University of Maryland Medical System•Towson, MD

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician I provides direct patient care under the direction of professional nursing staff and serves as a member of the interdisciplinary patient care services team. The role supports a surgical unit caring for patients before and after procedures, as well as medical overflow. The unit serves patients across hepatobiliary, colorectal, general surgery, orthopaedic, orthopaedic spine, genitourinary, gynecologic, and head and neck services. The team includes registered nurses, student nurses, patient care technicians, and exercise technicians, and works closely with rehabilitation partners and surgical advanced practice providers. The technician observes and collects patient data, reports changes in status, and provides care to meet identified needs. Duties include monitoring vital signs, assisting with activities of daily living and mobility, collecting specimens and blood samples, supporting urinary catheter care, and assisting with delegated clinical procedures. The technician also promotes safety, comfort, effective patient flow, and accurate care documentation.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Current Maryland state certification as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) or Geriatric Nursing Assistant (GNA).
Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
Effective verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to maintain interpersonal relationships and work cohesively with team members.
Ability to organize work priorities, perform several duties simultaneously, and function in stressful situations.
Ability to learn and use computer systems.
Demonstrates proper techniques and skills for obtaining accurate blood glucose results and documenting findings.
Ability to perform delegated nursing tasks according to the age, culture, ethnicity, spirituality, and individual diagnostic needs of the persons served.
Knowledge, practice, and accountability in skills or procedures requiring aseptic technique.

Nice To Haves

One year of previous experience.

Responsibilities

Performs testing and manages patient care based on results and clinical findings.
Records patient care throughout the continuum, including feeding, bathing, dressing, toileting, and transferring.
Completes, documents, and reports vital signs, including temperature, blood pressure, pulse, respiration, oxygen saturation, and reported pain level.
Assists with patient admission, transfer, and discharge.
Participates in cost-effective strategies to optimize patient outcomes.
Promotes patient safety, including fall prevention, and maintains a safe clinical environment for patients, visitors, and staff.
Maintains the order and appearance of patient rooms and work areas, and maintains patient care supplies and linen.
Provides post-mortem care.
Collaborates with the health care team to carry out the plan of care and reports observed changes in patient condition.
Supports patient comfort in relation to pain status.
Measures and documents urinary and stool output, calorie counts, and patient weight.
Provides indwelling urinary catheter care; applies, maintains, and removes external urinary catheter devices; performs bladder scans and measures and documents post-void residuals; and inserts intermittent and indwelling catheters and documents output volume.
Conducts blood glucose monitoring.
Performs venipuncture to draw blood samples and establishes IV access.
Performs nasal swabs.
Gathers equipment and initiates IV placement as directed by the registered nurse.
Sets up and operates multiple-lead EKG machines, attaches and removes EKG leads, and runs rhythm strips.
Assists with enteral tube feedings through nasogastric or gastrostomy tubes under the supervision of a licensed nurse.
Performs chest physical therapy, tracheal suctioning, tracheostomy care, and incentive spirometry treatments as delegated and supervised by the responsible registered nurse.
Assists with simple dressing changes, including routine dressings for stage one and two wounds, surgical incisions, and peripheral IV sites, after assessment by a registered nurse; provides wound and skin care; and reports impaired skin integrity or wound impairment.
Assists with collecting patient specimens for laboratory testing using proper patient identification, collection techniques, and documentation.
Provides orthopaedic and rehabilitation device care, including braces, splints, and CPM, and dons and doffs compression wraps or stockings.
Precepts and mentors other PCT I and PCT II staff and ensures completion of documentation.
Participates in hourly patient rounding with the health care team.
Responds to patient-triggered alarms, including call lights, chair alarms, bed alarms, and tele-sitter alarms.
Complies with The Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals within scope of practice.
Detects, reports, and acts to avoid or correct safety risks, and reports adverse events and near misses to the appropriate management authority.
Maintains professional vigilance for assigned patients, including when assigned as a patient safety companion.
Uses safe lifting techniques and body mechanics in daily practice.
Helps improve patient flow and prevent care delays.
Performs other duties as assigned.