Patient Care Technician - Med/Surg

Deaconess Health System•Hopkinsville, KY

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician assists licensed personnel in delivering quality patient care on a Med/Surg unit. The role supports patient comfort and safety, maintains a clean and quiet environment, and follows infection-control, confidentiality, medication-handling, hospital, and regulatory standards. The technician contributes to quality improvement and provides professional, customer-focused care consistent with the organization’s mission and values. Responsibilities include monitoring and documenting vital signs and intake and output; rounding on patients; assisting with meals, hygiene, linen changes, mobility, and patient orientation; recognizing and reporting changes in patient condition; supporting individualized plans of care; and assisting physicians and licensed staff. The technician also transports patients, helps maintain complete documentation and patient charge sheets, obtains supplies, and attends monthly staff meetings.

Requirements

High school graduate or GED equivalent.
CPR/BLS certified.
Ability to walk and stand for long periods.
Ability to use correct body mechanics when positioning patients and assisting them with transfers to a bedside commode or chair and with ambulation.
Ability to take directions from licensed and administrative professionals.

Nice To Haves

Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) certification preferred.
One year of experience in nursing or surgery preferred.

Responsibilities

Assist licensed personnel in delivering quality patient care.
Perform complete and accurate vital signs and obtain intake and output as directed by the physician or plan of care.
Round consistently on patients to anticipate their needs.
Pass meal trays and collect them in a timely manner; help patients sit up comfortably for meals and feed those unable to feed themselves.
Provide ice water at least once per shift to patients who are permitted to have it, and remove extra fluids from patients on fluid restrictions.
Offer or provide baths and linen changes to patients needing assistance or complete care, document these activities, and notify licensed personnel if a patient refuses.
Update the patient board in the room daily.
Assist with admissions by obtaining vital signs, providing personal care items, and orienting patients to their rooms.
Use critical thinking to prioritize care, provide a safe environment, and identify and report changes in patient condition to licensed personnel.
Document patient and family teaching as requested or necessary.
Demonstrate correct use and troubleshooting of equipment.
Participate in the development, prioritization, and evaluation of individualized plans of care; help modify plans based on patient response.
Provide information directly to the physician and document it appropriately.
Follow directions from licensed and administrative professionals and attempt to resolve conflict independently, seeking help from the department leader when needed.
Use Pyxis appropriately by obtaining items under the specific patient's name and returning unused items.
Assist with chart completion and copying paperwork; ensure documentation is complete and changes are added to the patient charge sheet.
Coordinate with the nursing supervisor or materials management to obtain supplies unavailable from Pyxis.
Assist physicians during patient examinations and transport patients to procedures as needed.
Attend monthly staff meetings.
Follow infection-control policies, medication administration and storage procedures, controlled-substance regulations, confidentiality policies, and applicable hospital and regulatory standards.
Maintain a clean and quiet patient environment and contribute to ongoing quality improvement activities.