Patient Care Technician, WKO - Ortho Surgery E4 (Hanover)

UPMC•Hanover, PA

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician provides patient care on the Ortho Surgery E4 unit, including assisting with procedures and activities of daily living, supporting physical, respiratory, and cardiopulmonary therapies, and reporting changes in patient status to the RN. The role performs UPMC nursing core nursing assistant responsibilities and additional unit-specific tasks, maintains patient safety, communicates effectively with the care team, and documents care in the medical record. This is a full-time weekend-option position. The schedule is 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, or 7 p.m.–7 a.m. Friday/Saturday or Saturday/Sunday. Employees are required to work any holiday that falls on a weekend. The technician supports patients and families under RN direction, contributes to unit activities, helps maintain equipment and communication processes, and participates in learning, quality, and department initiatives. Access to medications is limited to distributing medication to the nurse.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet at least one of the following experience or education pathways: one year of general healthcare experience; six months of experience as a UPMC Nursing Assistant/CNA with PCT competency achieved within 120 days of hire, transfer, or promotion for candidates with less than one year of experience; enrollment in a PT, OT, PA, or related healthcare training program with at least one clinical rotation completed; or completion of a bachelor's degree in a health sciences field.
Successful completion of the UPMC patient care technician class.
Successful completion of eRecord training.
CPR certification based on AHA standards, including didactic and skills demonstration components, within 30 days of hire.
Basic Life Support (BLS) or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).

Nice To Haves

EMT or Paramedic qualification, or current enrollment in an EMT or Paramedic program.
ACLS certification.

Responsibilities

Provide patient care, assist with patient procedures and activities of daily living, and support physical, respiratory, and cardiopulmonary therapies.
Provide feedback to the RN regarding patient care and report changes in patient status.
Perform UPMC nursing core assistant responsibilities, including bathing, feeding, transporting, toileting, ambulating, turning and repositioning patients, blood glucose testing, weights, vital signs, intake and output, telemetry monitor application or reapplication, specimen collection, and Foley care.
Perform additional assigned skills and tasks, including point-of-care testing, simple dressings, applying, monitoring, and removing restraints, bladder scans, and ticket-to-ride processes for intra-hospital transportation.
Achieve and maintain competency in, or perform at least one or more advanced skills according to department operational needs, such as phlebotomy or venipuncture, peripheral IV removal, indwelling Foley catheter removal, basic arrhythmia, 12-lead EKG, and NG tube clamping and removal.
Report equipment malfunctions to the appropriate department and communicate effectively with other departments and members of the healthcare team.
Contribute to universal unit activities, including responding to call lights and telephones, passing meal trays, and transporting patients.
Provide instruction to patients and families under the direction of the RN; apply, monitor, and remove restraints according to physician or hospital protocol.
Follow patient-care, hospital-information, and safety policies and procedures, including standard precautions, and support workplace safety for patients and staff.
Develop productive working relationships and demonstrate accountability, motivation, commitment, and respectful interpersonal conduct.
Identify and communicate learning needs to the unit director or direct leader, seek assistance with planning and prioritizing as needed, act to improve skills and performance, and participate in self-review when requested.
Support department projects and quality initiatives, suggest and support changes, and take responsibility for assignments.
Document in the medical record according to established procedures, perform assigned work in a timely and productive manner, and complete department clerical functions as needed.
Limit medication access to distributing medication to the nurse.