Patient Care Technician 5 West Med/Surg.

CareWell Health•East Orange, NJ

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician provides nursing procedures and patient-care tasks on a medical-surgical unit, supporting nurses and physicians in examinations and treatment. The role includes monitoring patients, assisting with personal care and mobility, maintaining a safe and orderly care environment, documenting care in the electronic medical record, and communicating with patients, families, and the healthcare team. The technician must follow departmental and organizational policies, patient-safety practices, and confidentiality requirements. This is a regular, full-time, non-exempt position with a 37.5-hour work week during regular business hours; holidays, weekends, and additional coverage may be required.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
EKG certificate.
Phlebotomy certificate.
BLS certification from the American Heart Association for Healthcare.
At least 1 year of inpatient psychiatry or substance-abuse experience.
Strong interpersonal and customer-service skills and telephone etiquette.
Ability to bend, kneel, reach, and lift more than 50 pounds.
Willingness to work holidays and weekends and provide additional coverage as needed.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor of Arts degree preferred.

Responsibilities

Assist nurses and physicians with patient examinations and treatment.
Obtain routine and as-needed vital signs, including blood pressure, temperature, pulse, and respirations.
Perform EKGs, collect blood specimens, and perform point-of-care finger-stick blood glucose testing after completing required competencies and using proper procedures. Do not perform a second finger-stick in response to critical results; that must be done by an RN or MD.
Keep point-of-care equipment codes and hospital-issued personal ID codes current and confidential.
Change bed linens, empty Foley catheters, and perform bed baths independently or as requested with an RN or MD.
Receive a verbal or written report from the RN before providing patient care.
Document patient-care activities in the electronic medical record and maintain communication among the healthcare team.
Wear the proper uniform and use proper body mechanics when working and caring for patients.
Maintain patient safety and complete assigned duties as directed by the RN or Nurse Manager.
Answer all call lights and assist patients as needed.
Assist with hygiene, toileting, grooming, feeding when appropriate, and maintaining NPO status when required.
Assist patients with mobility in and out of bed and with ambulation.
Provide patient-safety monitoring as requested, including one-to-one observation and line-of-sight observation orders.
Provide emotional support and interact with patients in an empathetic and approachable manner.
Conduct daily patient rounds independently and with the Primary Nurse or Nurse Manager.
Orient and monitor new hires and provide feedback.
Keep current with education provided by the Education Department and managers, and assist with preparation for outside-agency visits.
Perform service recovery and address patient or visitor concerns immediately.
Collect data and unit-specific quality-indicator measures.
Keep patient rooms organized, clean, orderly, and stocked to par level; dispose of linen, sharps, garbage, and other waste safely and properly.
Maintain a safe and quiet environment; keep equipment plugged in and charged, and promptly report malfunctioning equipment.
Use safe techniques during procedures and protect patient rights and confidentiality.
Maintain open communication with families, staff, patients, and physicians.
Perform other duties as needed; duties and responsibilities may change.
Bend, kneel, reach, and lift more than 50 pounds.
Work holidays and weekends and provide additional coverage as needed.