Patient Care Technician - Post-Surgical Unit Days - 12hrs/wk

umhealthwest • Wyoming, MI

1d

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 Post-Surgical Unit on the day shift, with a stated workload of 12 hours per week and an FTE status of 0.6. On-call work is not required; weekend work is required.

The PCT assists with activities of daily living, hygiene, comfort, mobility, nutrition, elimination, specimen collection, vital signs, measurements, and designated procedures. The technician uses equipment and supplies safely, follows infection-control practices, documents care as directed by the RN, and communicates patient observations and care provided to the RN. Additional duties may include tasks assigned by the RN in charge, maintaining knowledge of departmental processes, pursuing self-directed learning and continuing education, and participating in committees, task forces, and work groups as determined by management.

Requirements

• 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.
• Ability 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.
• Basic understanding of medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, and patient confidentiality.
• Experience in an acute care or extended care facility.
• Equivalent health science program enrollment may include nursing school, pre-PA school, medical school, or a closely related program.
• Equivalent experience may include Medical Assistant, Paramedic, Medical First Responder, EMT, Nurse Tech, Resident Aid/Assistant, or LPN experience.

Responsibilities

• Assist patients with activities of daily living and comfort, including making beds, turning and positioning, ambulating, dangling, transferring, and assisting with 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 water; feeding patients; and measuring and recording dietary intake.
• Assist patients with elimination, accurately record intake and output, and empty designated drains as directed by the RN.
• Collect and label sputum, urine, and stool specimens; perform the specified urine tests and urine straining; and use a glucometer to test blood glucose.
• Measure and record vital signs and weight using the listed temperature, pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and weighing methods.
• Use equipment and supplies safely, including assisting with incentive spirometry, setting up oxygen flow meters and suction equipment, disposing of suction canisters, and applying or removing the listed comfort and support devices.
• Help control infection by using aseptic technique and standard precautions, following special isolation precautions, handling clean and soiled linen appropriately, replacing full sharps containers, and cleaning equipment between uses and before return to Central Processing Department.
• Document care as directed by the RN.
• Communicate using Vocera, paging, telephone, and pneumatic tube systems; answer patient call lights; report observations to and keep the RN informed of care delivered; and maintain patient confidentiality.
• Perform other assigned duties, which may include supporting department efficiency, keeping current with department processes and procedures, pursuing learning and continuing education, and participating in committees, task forces, and work groups as determined by management.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED