Patient Support Assistant

OhioHealth•Marion, VA

About The Position

The Patient Support Assistant assists a Registered Nurse in providing direct care to multiple patients on an assigned nursing unit. The role supports patients with daily living activities, helps maintain a clean and safe care environment, gathers and documents patient data, and performs delegated basic nursing tasks under RN direction. The assistant also helps patients, visitors, and staff with information and coordination needs, maintains supplies and equipment, and may support patient transport, telemetry monitoring, safety initiatives, or the orientation of other nursing assistants.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED, subject to the stated exceptions for certain 16- to 18-year-old applicants.
For applicants aged 16 or 17 without a high school diploma or GED, a valid work permit is required for consideration.
An 18-year-old applicant enrolled in high school does not need a high school diploma, GED, or work permit to be considered.

Responsibilities

Assist patients with activities of daily living, including bathing, grooming, eating, and walking.
Maintain cleanliness and safety in patient rooms, the unit, and equipment.
Assist patients, visitors, and nursing personnel on the assigned unit; help other departments with patient care as needed.
Build respectful and compassionate relationships with patients and families to support the patient experience.
May promote adherence to safety guidelines as a patient safety champion.
May assist with telemetry cardiac monitoring, recognize life-threatening arrhythmias, and promptly notify an available licensed clinician.
May transport patients and run errands to pick up or deliver items for patient care.
Perform nursing tasks delegated by the Registered Nurse that meet the stated limits for delegation and can be carried out safely without nursing judgment, assessment, complex observation, or critical decisions.
Perform basic nursing care duties as directed by the RN, including waived testing such as fingerstick glucose, urine dipstick, and occult fecal testing; non-sterile specimen collection; nasogastric tube care; 12-lead EKGs; and simple clean, non-sterile dressing changes.
Collect and document data such as height, weight, vital signs, intake, and output using appropriate forms and technology.
Report patient observations and concerns to the Registered Nurse.
Assist hospital visitors and staff with information needs.
May use wireless devices and technology for healthcare coordination, such as scheduling, flowchart documentation, and nutrition service ordering.
May serve as a super user for nursing assistant information technology and/or preceptor for new nursing assistants.
Maintain supplies and equipment needed for patient care operations.
Secure and handle appropriate supplies, medications, and laboratory specimens transported to, from, and within the unit.
Perform other duties as requested by the supervisor; duties may change and the listed responsibilities are not exhaustive.
Focus on safety, quality, and efficiency while performing job duties.