Patient Support Assistant

About the position

We are more than a health system. We are a belief system. We believe wellness and sickness are both part of a lifelong partnership, and that everyone could use an expert guide. We work hard, care deeply and reach further to help people uncover their own power to be healthy. We inspire hope. We learn, grow, and achieve more – in our careers and in our communities. Job Description Summary: Assist Registered Nurse in providing direct patient care to multiple patients at a time on a designated nursing unit.

Responsibilities

• Performs and/or assists the patient with activities of daily living e.g. bathing, grooming, eating, walking, etc.
• Maintains environmental cleanliness and safety of patient rooms, unit and equipment.
• Provides assistance to patients, visitors and nursing personnel in assigned unit and maintains flexibility to help other departments with the care of patients as needed.
• Assists in creating the ideal patient experience through development of respectful and compassionate relationships with each patient and family.
• May serve as a patient safety champion, empowering equal responsibility for all safety guidelines among all licensed and unlicensed care givers.
• May assist in telemetry cardiac monitoring, recognizing life threatening arrhythmias and communicates immediately to available licensed clinician.
• May act as a transporter for the nursing unit assigned.
• Runs errands to either pickup or deliver items for patient care.
• Performs delegable other nursing tasks delegated by the Registered Nurse.
• Accurately collects data such as height, weight, vital signs, intake and output, etc. and records data on the appropriate documentation form.
• Competent in the use of portable technology, using handheld wireless devices for measurement and documentation of intake and output, vital signs and point of care testing such as fingerstick glucoses or urine dipstick.
• Reports patient observations and concerns to the Registered Nurse.
• Assists hospital visitors and staff with information needs.
• May utilize wireless devices and technology for coordination of healthcare e.g. scheduling, flowchart documentation, nutrition service ordering.
• May serve as a super user for nursing assistant information technology and/or preceptor for new nursing assistants.
• Maintains supplies and equipment necessary for patient care operations.
• Secures and handles appropriate supplies, medications, and lab specimens transported from/into and within the unit.

Requirements

• High School or GED
• BLS - Basic Life Support - American Heart Association
• CPR certified
• Basic PC skills required to manage patient information and ensure effective clinical workflows and documentation in the electronic medical record (EMR).