Patient Safety Attendant - Float Pool - Nights

Ochsner Health•Baton Rouge, LA

About The Position

The Patient Safety Attendant works collaboratively with a licensed nurse and Patient Care Technicians, under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse, to maintain patient safety and provide basic patient care. The role requires constant observation of assigned patients, remaining with them, notifying nursing personnel of changes in behavior or status and when leaving the room, and intervening as needed to maintain safety or prevent elopement. The attendant communicates with co-workers, patients, families, and visitors and may perform other non-clinical duties if no patient safety assignment is available. The position supports the care plan as delegated by nursing staff and provides care appropriate to patients’ physical, psychosocial, educational, safety, and other needs. The attendant helps maintain a clean and safe patient-care environment, adapts communication and conduct to the patient population, and follows applicable laws, accreditation standards, regulatory requirements, and the employer’s Compliance & Privacy Program and Standards of Conduct. This role is performed in a patient-care area and involves direct patient contact and routine exposure to blood, body fluids, and tissue. There may also be occupational exposure to communicable diseases, hazardous medications, and hazardous waste.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from the American Heart Association.
Crisis Prevention and Intervention (CPI) training, to be obtained before independent patient care.
Current Nursing Assistant certification is required for employees in Skilled Nursing Facilities/Units or areas where they perform Patient Care Tech duties.
Good communication skills, including the ability to communicate therapeutically with psychiatric and mentally ill patients.
Ability to exercise considerable independent judgment in monitoring and responding to patient-related changes in condition.
Strong interpersonal skills.
Computer skills and dexterity for data entry and retrieval of information.
Ability to meet the physical demands of Heavy Work, including exerting 50–100 pounds of force occasionally, 25–50 pounds frequently, and 10–20 pounds constantly to move objects.
Ability to work in a patient-care environment with routine exposure to blood, body fluids, and tissue, and potential exposure to communicable diseases, hazardous medications, or hazardous waste.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience in a psychiatric environment.
Experience with computer data entry.

Responsibilities

Maintain constant observation of assigned patients and remain with them.
Notify nursing personnel of changes in patient behavior or status and when leaving the room.
Intervene as needed to maintain patient safety and/or prevent patient elopement.
Maintain a clean and safe environment in the patient-care area.
Assist with the plan of care as delegated by the staff nurse or department lead and within the scope of practice.
Provide care based on patients’ physical, psychosocial, educational, safety, and related needs, appropriate to the ages of patients served.
Communicate effectively with co-workers, patients, families, visitors, and the multidisciplinary team.
Adapt behavior and communication to the patient population, including respecting privacy, introducing oneself appropriately, explaining services or procedures, requesting permission, and adjusting communication style.
Perform other related duties as required, including non-clinical duties when no patient safety assignment is available.
Remain knowledgeable about and comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws, accreditation standards, and regulatory requirements.
Report known or suspected unethical or questionable conduct and patient or employee safety, privacy, or other compliance concerns.