Patient Support Assistant

OhioHealth•Van Wert, OH

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Support Assistant works under the supervision of a Registered Nurse to provide direct patient care on a designated nursing unit. Key responsibilities include assisting patients with activities of daily living such as bathing, grooming, eating, and walking, as well as maintaining the cleanliness and safety of patient rooms, the unit, and equipment. The role also involves providing support to patients, visitors, and nursing personnel, with flexibility to assist other departments as needed. Patient Support Assistants perform delegated nursing tasks that do not require nursing judgment, including waived testing (fingerstick glucose, urine dipstick, occult fecal), non-sterile specimen collection, nasogastric tube care, 12-lead EKG, and simple non-sterile dressing changes. They are responsible for accurately collecting and documenting patient data like height, weight, vital signs, and intake/output, utilizing portable and handheld wireless technology for documentation and point-of-care testing. Reporting patient observations and concerns to the Registered Nurse is crucial. Additionally, the assistant helps hospital visitors and staff with information, may use wireless devices for healthcare coordination (e.g., scheduling, nutrition service ordering), and might serve as a super user or preceptor for new nursing assistants. Maintaining supplies and equipment and handling supplies, medications, and lab specimens within the unit are also part of the role. As a High Reliability Organization (HRO), the position emphasizes a strong focus on safety, quality, and efficiency.

Requirements

High School or GED
BLS - Basic Life Support - American Heart Association
16- and 17-year-old individuals without a high school diploma or GED will be considered only if they have a valid work permit.
18-year-old individuals enrolled in high school do not need a high school diploma/GED/work permit to be considered.

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 which include those tasks which can be performed without requiring judgment based on nursing knowledge on part of the person performing the task; tasks with which the results are reasonably predictable; tasks which can be performed safely, according to exact, unchanging directions; tasks which do not require complex observations or critical decisions; and tasks which do not require assessment; and tasks where the consequences of performing the task improperly are minimal and not life threatening.
Performs other basic nursing care duties as directed by the RN including but not limited to: waived testing fingerstick glucose, urine dipstick, occult fecal, non-sterile specimen collection, nasogastric tube care, 12 lead EKG, and simple clean non-sterile dressing changes.
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.
Focus on safety, quality and efficiency in performing job duties.