Patient Care Technician - Intensive Care Unit Days - 24hrs/wk

University of Michigan Health-West•Wyoming, MI

About The Position

Under the direction of a Registered Nurse (RN), the Patient Care Technician (PCT) provides basic nursing care to patients and performs related tasks necessary to support the Intensive Care Unit. This is a day-shift position scheduled for 24 hours per week, with an FTE of 0.6. On-call work is not required; weekends are required. The PCT assists patients with daily activities, comfort, hygiene, nutrition, and elimination; performs specified patient-care procedures; collects and labels specimens; measures and records vital signs and weight; uses equipment and supplies safely; supports infection control; documents care as directed by the RN; and communicates effectively with patients and the care team. The PCT may also perform other assigned duties that support department efficiency, maintain knowledge of department procedures, pursue learning opportunities, and participate in committees or work groups as determined by management.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet one of the following: current Certified Nurse Aide (CENA) certification; current enrollment and continued progression in a health science program; or equivalent experience.
Current Basic Life Support (BLS/CPR) provider certification.
Ability to successfully complete unit-specific core competencies defined in the orientation checklist.

Nice To Haves

For health science program enrollment, completion of a nursing fundamentals course and/or one clinical rotation is preferred.
Equivalent enrollment may include nursing school, pre-PA school, medical school, or a closely related health science program.
Equivalent experience may include work as a Medical Assistant, Paramedic, Medical First Responder, EMT, Nurse Tech, Resident Aid/Assistant, or LPN.
Basic understanding of medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, and patient confidentiality.
Experience in an acute care or extended care facility.

Responsibilities

Assist patients with activities of daily living and comfort, including making beds, turning and positioning patients, ambulating and dangling patients, transferring patients, and performing passive and assisting with active range-of-motion exercises.
Assist patients with hygiene activities.
Provide indwelling urinary catheter care, excluding insertion, removal, and irrigation; change non-sterile dressings; provide ileostomy and colostomy care; and assist with postmortem care.
Assist patients with nutrition by passing trays, snacks, and drinking water; feeding patients; and measuring and recording intake from dietary trays.
Assist patients with elimination needs, accurately record intake and output, and empty other drains as designated by the RN.
Collect and label sputum, urine, and stool specimens for laboratory testing; test urine for sugar, acetone, blood, or pH; strain urine for kidney stones; and use a glucometer to test blood glucose levels.
Measure and accurately record vital signs and weight, including temperature, pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and weight using standing, chair, sling, and bed scales.
Use equipment and supplies safely and appropriately, including assisting with incentive spirometry, setting up oxygen flow meters and suction equipment, disposing of suction canisters, and applying or removing specified patient-care items and devices.
Assist with infection control by using aseptic technique and standard precautions; following special isolation precautions; handling clean and soiled linen appropriately; replacing full sharps containers; and cleaning equipment between patient use and before return to Central Processing Department.
Document care provided as directed by the RN.
Communicate using Vocera, unit paging, telephone, and pneumatic tube systems; answer patient call lights; report observations to the RN; keep the RN informed of care delivered; and maintain patient confidentiality.
Perform other assigned duties to facilitate department efficiency.
Maintain current knowledge of department processes and procedures, pursue self-directed learning and continuing education, and participate in committees, task forces, and work groups as determined by management.