Patient Care Technician

Westchester Medical Center•Valhalla, NY

About The Position

Under the supervision of a Registered Professional Nurse, the Patient Care Technician provides direct patient care to patients in the Emergency Department, prepares patients for treatment and procedures, and assists with their general care. The role also helps ensure department readiness, cleanliness, and safety; performs equipment checks; and assists in trauma resuscitations. Supervision is not typically part of the position, although the technician may provide leadership to lower-level aides or precept new staff. Related duties are performed as required.

Requirements

Certification as a Nurse Aide or Emergency Medical Technician with EKG and phlebotomy training, or certification as a Patient Care Technician or Medical Assistant.
One year of experience performing patient care duties in a hospital or other healthcare setting; satisfactory completion of 30 college credits in a patient-care-related field may substitute for this experience.
Obtain BLS or CPR certification from the American Heart Association or American Red Cross within 90 days of employment and maintain it throughout subsequent employment in this title.
Good knowledge of accepted standards for caring for and comforting sick, disabled, injured, or other people requiring mental health or personal assistance.
Customer-service skill related to care delivery.
Ability to prioritize patient care and use time and resources efficiently.
Ability to maintain good interpersonal relationships with patients, coworkers, and healthcare-team members.
Ability to handle individual and critical situations effectively and maintain composure when unit priorities change quickly.
Ability to follow oral and written instructions and communicate patient information verbally and in writing.
Computer literacy sufficient to perform the duties of the position.
Good judgment, tact, initiative, a positive attitude, and neatness.
Physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.

Responsibilities

Assist nursing staff in caring for Emergency Department patients.
Document trauma room checks, stock trauma rooms to par, check code and defibrillator carts, and organize the trauma supply closet.
Complete equipment checklists; confirm that regular and specialized equipment and supplies are available and functional; document equipment issues; and alert the nurse and biomedical engineering about malfunctioning equipment.
Obtain vital signs and weights; collect blood, urine, and culture specimens as directed; record results in the EMR; and immediately notify the nurse of abnormal results.
Perform EKGs as directed and ensure that at least two working EKG machines are available at all times.
Perform glucose checks as directed and conduct glucometer quality control checks, decontamination, downloading, and charging.
Organize the orthopedic casting area, stock the orthopedic cart, and alert housekeeping when fine cleaning is needed.
Transport patients to and from tests, procedures, or other hospital areas as directed.
Document procedures in the medical record, sign and title entries appropriately, and ensure charts are countersigned by a Registered Nurse.
Provide face-to-face end-of-shift handoff to the incoming Patient Care Technician, including information about supplies, equipment, and outstanding tasks.
Report to the supervising nurse when duties cannot be completed during the shift so additional support can be arranged and the assignment completed before the next shift.
Observe, record, and report patients’ general condition; identify significant changes in clinical status and communicate them to appropriate treatment-team members.
Support patient comfort and safety by providing orientation and appropriate lighting and orienting stimuli, and by providing eyeglasses and hearing aids as needed.
Assist with patients’ nutritional and hydration needs, including setting up meal trays, feeding patients, filling out menus, and providing supplemental nutrition as ordered by medical staff.
Assist with admissions by preparing rooms and helping transfer and settle patients; follow hospital policies to secure and protect patient equipment, supplies, and belongings.
Assist with discharges by helping patients gather belongings and removing medical equipment at the supervising nurse’s direction.
Respond to intercom requests and obtain services from nurses, physicians, or other hospital personnel when necessary.
Implement nursing safety interventions and use protective devices and equipment for patients identified as at risk for preventable injury.
Assist registered nurses in turning appropriate patients every two hours.
Participate in classes, patient-centered conferences, workshops, in-service programs, and unit and departmental meetings as directed.