Patient Care Technician | PICU
About The Position
The Patient Care Technician works collaboratively with the multidisciplinary health care delivery team and, under the direction of a Registered Nurse, performs basic nursing care activities. The role also helps maintain a safe, clean, and stocked patient care setting, assists staff members, and helps direct patient flow. This position is in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC. The technician supports patient admission and daily living needs, provides direct patient-care assistance, monitors and reports changes, and documents care. The position also includes infection-control practices, communication with nurses and families, participation in shared leadership, and active promotion of safety. Care is delivered in a family-centered environment.
Requirements
- High school diploma or GED.
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), or Certified Patient Care Technician (CPCT) certification.
- Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Provider certification.
- Basic computer skills, including typing and use of a mouse and email.
- Knowledge of aseptic technique.
- Ability to perform basic calculations, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
- Human relations and interpersonal skills.
Nice To Haves
- One year of experience in a healthcare setting, preferably in pediatrics.
- One semester of completed clinical experience at an accredited school of nursing or military corpsman training.
Responsibilities
- Orient families to call lights, monitors, and the unit during admission.
- Set up patient monitors and alarms.
- Measure and document vital signs, height, weight, and head circumference.
- Assist with activities of daily living, including bathing, skin care, mouth care, and peri-care.
- Ensure patients receive nutrition as ordered, including tube feeding or meals, and assist with feeding.
- Apply skin creams as directed by the Registered Nurse.
- Collect cultures and urine and stool samples.
- Recognize and report pain and skin breakdown, and prioritize tasks and special requests from the Registered Nurse.
- Assist with tracheostomy care and external ventricular drains (EVDs).
- Assist with central-line dressing changes, pin care, cast and traction care, and care for dying patients.
- Prepare rooms for admissions and discharges; support patient flow by maintaining a neat and orderly environment.
- Obtain equipment and supplies and maintain PAR levels.
- Observe monitors and alert the Registered Nurse to deviations; follow monitor-bank guidelines for dress code and professionalism when assigned there.
- Care for patients in isolation, perform hand hygiene before and after every patient interaction, and clean equipment after each patient's use.
- Document care in the nursing database and on flow sheets, record vital signs promptly, and notify the appropriate charge nurse in the computer or chart as appropriate.
- Communicate changes and abnormal findings to the Registered Nurse and team, and participate in beginning- and end-of-shift reporting.
- Maintain professional relationships with patients and families, resolve coworker conflict appropriately, and support family-centered care.
- Communicate with the Registered Nurse about patient-care activities at least hourly; notify the charge nurse when leaving and returning to the unit.
- Stay informed about council meetings and unit issues; contribute to unit discussions and support shared-leadership decisions.
- Speak up about unsafe behavior or performance, verify information used for decisions and documentation, and pause to resolve uncertainty.
- Communicate clearly and promptly, promote safety for patients, families, visitors, and coworkers, and self-check performance using Stop, Think, Act, and Review.
Benefits
- Comprehensive health coverage, including medical, prescription, infertility, and transgender health services.
- Paid time off, including vacation accrued from day one, sick leave, holidays, and a personal day.
- 401(k) plan.
- Healthcare and dependent care spending accounts.
- Employer-paid life, AD&D, and long-term disability coverage, with optional supplemental plans.
- Tuition assistance.
- Fitness resources.
- Employee assistance.
- Commuter benefits.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
