Patient Care Technician - Intensive Care Unit Days - 24hrs/wk

umhealthwest•Wyoming, MI

16h

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 Intensive Care Unit. The position is a day shift role with a 0.6 FTE status and 24 hours per week. Weekends are required; there is no on-call responsibility. The PCT assists with activities of daily living, comfort, hygiene, nutrition, elimination, specimen collection, measurements, and designated patient-care procedures. The role also involves safe equipment use, infection-control practices, documentation, and communication with patients and the care team. The PCT reports observations and care delivered to the RN and maintains patient confidentiality. Other assigned duties may include tasks that support department efficiency, keeping current with department processes, self-directed learning, continuing education, and participation in committees or 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 with 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 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; equivalent enrollment may include nursing, pre-PA, medical school, or a closely related health science program.
Basic understanding of medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, and patient confidentiality.
Experience in an acute care or extended care facility.
Equivalent experience may include work as a medical assistant, paramedic, medical first responder, EMT, nurse tech, resident aide/assistant, or LPN.

Responsibilities

Assist patients with activities of daily living and comfort, including bed making, turning and positioning, ambulation, dangling, transfers, and 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 with elimination needs, record accurate intake and output, and empty designated drains as directed by the RN.
Collect and label sputum, urine, and stool specimens; perform specified urine tests and straining; and use a glucometer to test blood glucose levels.
Measure and accurately record vital signs and weight using designated scales.
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 designated comfort and support devices.
Help control infection through aseptic technique, standard precautions, isolation precautions, linen handling and disposal, sharps-container replacement, and equipment cleaning.
Document care provided as directed by the RN.
Communicate using Vocera, paging, telephone, and pneumatic tube systems; answer patient call lights; report observations to the RN; keep the RN informed of care delivered; and maintain patient confidentiality.
Perform other assigned duties to support department efficiency, maintain knowledge of department processes and procedures, pursue learning and continuing education, and participate in committees, task forces, or work groups as determined by management.