Patient Care Technician - Med-Surg Nights - 24hrs/wk

umhealthwest•Wyoming, MI

21h

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 unit. This role is for a Med-Surg position working nights, 24 hours per week, with an FTE status of 0.6. On-call work is not required, and weekends are required. The PCT assists with patients’ activities of daily living, comfort, hygiene, nutrition, and elimination. The position also supports procedures, specimen collection, measurements, equipment use, infection control, documentation, and communication under RN direction. Additional duties may include tasks assigned by the RN in charge to support department efficiency, maintaining knowledge of department processes and procedures, pursuing self-directed learning and continuing education, and participating in committees, task forces, and work groups as determined by management.

Requirements

Minimum high school diploma or GED.
Meet at least 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.
Able to successfully complete unit-specific core competencies as 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. Considered programs may include nursing school, pre-PA school, medical school, or a closely related health science program.
Basic understanding of medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, and patient confidentiality is preferred.
Experience in an acute care or extended care facility is preferred.
Equivalent experience may include work as a Medical Assistant, Paramedic, Medical First Responder, EMT, Nurse Tech, Resident Aid/Assistant, or LPN.

Responsibilities

Assist patients with activities of daily living and comfort, including making beds, turning and positioning patients, ambulating and dangling patients, transfers, and passive or assisted 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 with nutrition by passing trays, snacks, and drinking water; feeding patients; and measuring and recording dietary intake.
Assist patients with elimination needs and record accurate input and output; empty 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.
Measure and record vital signs and weight, including temperature, pulse, blood pressure, and respiratory rate, using appropriate scales to measure weight.
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 designated comfort and support devices.
Assist with infection control by using aseptic technique and standard precautions; following special isolation precautions; handling clean and soiled linen; replacing full sharps containers; and cleaning equipment between patients and before return to the Central Processing Department.
Document care given 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 about care delivered; and maintain patient confidentiality.
Perform other assigned duties, including tasks to facilitate department efficiency, maintain 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.