Patient Care Technician - Progressive Care Unit Nights - 12hrs/wk

University of Michigan Health-West•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 Progressive Care Unit. This is a night-shift role scheduled for 12 hours per week, with weekend work required and no on-call duty.

Requirements

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

Responsibilities

Assist patients with activities of daily living and comfort, including making beds, turning and positioning patients, ambulating and dangling patients, transfers, and 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 and colostomy care; and assist with postmortem care.
Assist with nutrition by passing trays, snacks, and drinking water; feeding patients; and measuring and recording dietary intake.
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 for laboratory testing; 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 temperature, pulse, blood pressure, and respiratory rate, using appropriate 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 specified comfort and support items.
Help control infection by using aseptic technique and standard precautions, following isolation precautions, handling clean and soiled linen, 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 the RN; keep the RN informed about care delivered; and maintain patient confidentiality.
Perform other assigned duties, including tasks that facilitate department efficiency, maintain knowledge of department processes and procedures, pursue self-directed learning and continuing education, and participate in committees, task forces, and work groups as determined by management.
Successfully complete unit-specific core competencies defined by the orientation checklist.