Patient Care Technician - Progressive Care Unit Nights - Resource

umhealthwest•Wyoming, MI

20h

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. The role is in the Progressive Care Unit on nights and is designated as resource staff, with an FTE status of 0. The position is not on-call and includes weekend work.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Meet at least one of the following: hold current Certified Nurse Aide (CENA) certification; be currently enrolled and progressing in a health science program; or have equivalent experience such as Medical Assistant, Paramedic, Medical First Responder, EMT, Nurse Tech, Resident Aid/Assistant, or LPN.
Current Basic Life Support (BLS/CPR) provider certification.
Ability to successfully complete unit-specific core competencies as defined in the orientation checklist.

Nice To Haves

Current enrollment and continued progression in a health science program, with completion of a nursing fundamentals course and/or one clinical rotation preferred.
Basic understanding of medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, and patient confidentiality.
Experience in an acute care or extended care facility.

Responsibilities

Assist patients with activities of daily living and comfort, including making beds, turning and positioning patients, ambulating and dangling patients, transferring patients, and performing passive or assisting with 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 intake from dietary trays.
Assist patients with elimination needs, accurately record intake and output, and empty other drains as designated by the RN.
Collect and label sputum, urine, and stool specimens; test urine for sugar, acetone, blood, or pH; strain urine for kidney stones; and use a glucometer to test blood glucose levels.
Measure and record vital signs and weight, including oral and tympanic temperature, radial and apical pulse, blood pressure, and respiratory rate; use standing, chair, sling, and bed scales.
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 ice bags, heat, ace bandages, slings, binders, supports, anti-embolism stockings, SCDs, and restraints.
Help control the spread of infection by using aseptic technique and standard precautions; observing special isolation precautions; handling clean and soiled linen appropriately; replacing full sharps containers; and cleaning equipment between patients and before returning it to Central Processing Department.
Document care 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 delegated 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.