Patient Care Technician Adult Trauma Surgical Unit PT Night - Methodist

IU Health•Indianapolis, IN

About The Position

IU Health is seeking a Patient Care Technician (also known as a Patient Care Assistant or PCA) for the Adult Trauma Surgical Unit at Methodist. This part-time, night-shift bedside caregiver role focuses on providing a positive patient experience and supporting patient care. The technician anticipates patients’ needs by providing drinks, assisting with meal ordering, encouraging walking, helping with baths, and supplying clean linens and gowns. The technician provides clinical assistance to bedside registered nurses by obtaining vital signs and reporting abnormalities or changes in patient behavior to the primary RN or charge nurse so that concerns can be identified and treated promptly. Patient safety is maintained through measures such as using gait belts and bed and chair alarms, and staying within arm’s reach of patients while they move. The role requires compassionate bedside care and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment. It also involves performing physically demanding and repetitive movements, managing competing priorities and interruptions, and following patient-care and infection-control procedures and standards.

Requirements

Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through the AHA, or attainment of BLS certification upon completion of the IU Health PCA education program.
Additional advanced life-support certifications may be required according to unit or department specialty and patient-care policies.
Knowledge of care appropriate to the age and developmental level of patients served.
Current knowledge of procedures and standards related to patient-care activities.
Interpersonal and communication skills.
Ability to maintain mental awareness and withstand a high level of tension and stress.
Ability to concentrate amid frequent and varied interruptions and variable noise levels.
Ability to exercise judgment and initiative to resolve problems encountered.
Ability to set priorities and manage a high workload within a limited time.
Knowledge of procedures, equipment, software, and standards related to patient-care activities performed by non-licensed roles such as PCA, PCR, and PCI.
Knowledge of infection-control principles.
Ability to perform physically demanding, repetitive movements.
Ability to read and perform basic math.
Ability to organize tasks and attend to details.
Knowledge of good personal hygiene and aseptic techniques to prevent infection of patients, self, and others.
Compassionate bedside manner and ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

Anticipate and meet patients’ needs, including providing drinks and helping with meal ordering.
Encourage patients to walk and assist with bathing.
Provide patients with clean linens and gowns.
Obtain vital signs and report abnormalities or changes in patient behavior to the primary RN or charge nurse.
Use safety measures such as gait belts and bed and chair alarms, and stay within arm’s reach of patients when they are moving.
Perform patient-care activities within the scope of the non-licensed role and follow applicable procedures and standards.
Follow infection-control principles and use good personal hygiene and aseptic techniques.