Patient Care Technician - Neuro - UPMC West Shore

UPMC•Mechanicsburg, PA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

UPMC West Shore is hiring a Patient Care Technician for its Neuro Unit. This full-time position is 36 hours per week year-round, with rotating day and night shifts and every-other-weekend and every-other-holiday requirements. The title and starting pay rate may vary based on years of experience. The Patient Care Technician performs a variety of patient-care duties, including assisting with procedures and activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing, feeding, transporting, toileting, ambulating, turning, and repositioning patients. The role includes documenting in medical records according to established procedures, reporting equipment malfunctions, and supporting universal unit activities such as answering call lights and telephones, passing meal trays, and transporting patients. The technician communicates with patients, families, colleagues, and other departments; provides feedback to the RN and reports changes in patient status; and gives patients and families instruction under the RN’s direction. The technician also performs UPMC nursing core nursing assistant responsibilities and required competencies, including point-of-care testing, vital signs, weights, intake and output, telemetry monitor application or reapplication, safety and prevention measures, specimen collection, and other listed clinical tasks. Depending on department operational needs, the technician must achieve and maintain competency in at least one advanced skill, such as peripheral IV removal, indwelling Foley catheter removal, basic arrhythmia, or NG tube clamping and removal. The role requires adherence to patient-care, safety, and confidentiality policies and participation in department projects and quality initiatives.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
At least one of the following: one year of general healthcare experience; enrollment in a PT, OT, PA, or RN program or related healthcare training program with completion of at least one clinical rotation; or completion of a bachelor’s degree in a health sciences field.
Successful completion of the UPMC Patient Care Technician class.
Successful completion of basic information system training.
Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
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).
Act 34 clearance.
Access to medications is limited to distributing medication to the nurse.

Nice To Haves

Microcomputer experience.
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or Paramedic qualification, or current enrollment in an EMT or Paramedic program.

Responsibilities

Assist with patient procedures and activities of daily living, including bathing, feeding, transporting, toileting, ambulating, turning, and repositioning patients.
Perform nursing assistant responsibilities and required competencies, including point-of-care testing such as blood glucose, weights, vital signs, intake and output, telemetry monitor application or reapplication, TEDs/SCDs, simple dressings, restraint placement and removal, 12-lead EKGs, bladder scans, and specimen collection.
Achieve and maintain competency in at least one advanced skill based on department operational needs, such as peripheral IV removal, indwelling Foley catheter removal, basic arrhythmia, or NG tube clamping and removal.
Assist with physical, respiratory, and cardiopulmonary therapies.
Provide feedback to the RN regarding patient care and report changes in patient status.
Provide instruction to patients and their families under the direction of the RN; apply, monitor, and remove restraints according to physician or hospital protocol when applicable.
Document in medical records according to established procedures and complete department clerical functions as needed.
Report equipment malfunctions to the appropriate department and communicate effectively with other departments.
Contribute to universal unit activities, including responding to call lights and telephones, passing meal trays, and transporting patients.
Adhere to patient-care, hospital-information, and safety policies and procedures, including standard precautions.
Maintain professional and respectful relationships and communicate clearly with patients, families, and members of the healthcare team.
Receive feedback and direction, identify learning needs, and take action to improve knowledge, skills, and performance.
Perform assigned work in a timely and productive manner and support department projects and quality initiatives.
Perform other duties as assigned.