Patient Support Assistant

OhioHealth•Atlanta, GA

17h

About The Position

Assist a Registered Nurse in providing direct patient care to multiple patients on a designated nursing unit. The role supports patients with activities of daily living, maintains a safe and clean care environment, and helps create a respectful and compassionate experience for patients and their families. The assistant may also support patient safety, telemetry monitoring, transportation, and errands for patient care. Under RN delegation, perform basic nursing tasks that do not require nursing judgment, assessment, or complex decisions. Duties include collecting and documenting patient data, carrying out specified basic care procedures, and reporting observations and concerns to the RN. The role also supports visitors and staff, coordinates healthcare activities using wireless technology, and maintains supplies and equipment. OhioHealth describes itself as a High Reliability Organization, emphasizing safety, quality, and efficiency in job duties.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED, or, for individuals aged 16–18, an applicable work permit may be considered in place of a diploma or GED.
Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from the American Heart Association.

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, and help other departments with patient care as needed.
Build respectful and compassionate relationships with patients and families to support a positive patient experience.
May serve as a patient safety champion and promote shared responsibility for safety guidelines.
May assist with telemetry cardiac monitoring, recognize life-threatening arrhythmias, and immediately communicate them to an available licensed clinician.
May transport patients for the assigned nursing unit and run errands to pick up or deliver patient-care items.
Perform tasks delegated by the RN that can be completed safely according to exact directions and do not require 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, occult fecal testing, non-sterile specimen collection, nasogastric tube care, 12-lead EKGs, and simple clean non-sterile dressing changes.
Collect and accurately document data such as height, weight, vital signs, intake, and output.
Use handheld wireless devices to measure and document intake and output, vital signs, and point-of-care testing.
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, including 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 lab specimens transported to, from, and within the unit.
Perform other duties as requested by the supervisor.