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

umhealthwest•Wyoming, MI

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 is a night-shift position in Ortho Trauma Med-Surg, with an FTE status of 0.6 (24 hours per week). The position is not on-call and includes weekends. The PCT assists with activities of daily living, hygiene, comfort, nutrition, elimination, procedures, specimen collection, vital signs, measurements, and equipment use. The role also includes infection-control practices, documenting care as directed by the RN, and communicating effectively with patients and the care team while maintaining confidentiality. Additional duties may be assigned to support department efficiency, maintain knowledge of department processes, pursue continuing education, and participate in committees or work groups as directed 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.
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 is preferred.
Experience in an acute care or extended care facility is preferred.

Responsibilities

Assist patients with activities of daily living and comfort, including making beds, turning and positioning, ambulating, dangling, transferring, and performing 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 or 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 needs, record accurate 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, sequential compression devices, and restraints.
Help control infection by using aseptic technique and universal or standard precautions; caring for patients under special isolation precautions; handling clean and soiled linen; replacing full sharps containers; and cleaning equipment between patients and before return to Central Processing Department.
Document care provided 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 of care delivered; and maintain patient confidentiality.
Perform other assigned duties, including 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 directed by management.