Patient Support Assistant - Grow Our Own Medical Staff

OhioHealth•Marion, VA

11d•Onsite

About The Position

The Grow Our Own program is designed for students enrolled in a pre-med or medical program (non-nursing) at an accredited college who intend to complete medical education as a medical doctor and practice in Marion, Ohio. The role provides paid experience assisting Registered Nurses with direct patient care for multiple patients on a designated hospital nursing unit. As part of the selective application process, candidates must submit a letter of recommendation from a school representative. Selected applicants interview with a panel of local physicians who support the initiative. New hires attend in-person New Associate Orientation and Patient Support Assistant training at the OhioHealth Learning Center in Columbus, Ohio, during their first week. On-site training and work experience then begin at the care site in Marion, Ohio. The position supports patient care, unit operations, safety, and the patient experience. Duties include assisting with activities of daily living and delegated basic nursing tasks, collecting and documenting patient data, reporting observations and concerns to Registered Nurses, helping visitors and staff, and maintaining supplies and equipment. The role requires focus on safety, quality, and efficiency as part of a High Reliability Organization. The job profile is an overview rather than an exhaustive list and may change.

Requirements

Be enrolled in a pre-med or medical program (non-nursing) at an accredited college, with the intention of completing medical education as a medical doctor and practicing in Marion, Ohio.
Submit a letter of recommendation from a school representative as part of the application process.
High school diploma or GED, subject to the stated exceptions for certain applicants aged 16–18.
Attend in-person New Associate Orientation and Patient Support Assistant training at the OhioHealth Learning Center in Columbus, Ohio, during the first week of employment.

Responsibilities

Assist patients with activities of daily living, such as bathing, grooming, eating, and walking.
Maintain cleanliness and safety of patient rooms, the unit, and equipment.
Assist patients, visitors, and nursing personnel on the assigned unit, and provide flexibility to help other departments with patient care as needed.
Build respectful and compassionate relationships with patients and families to support an ideal patient experience.
May serve as a patient safety champion and promote shared responsibility for safety guidelines among licensed and unlicensed caregivers.
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 nursing tasks delegated by a Registered Nurse when they can be completed safely and without nursing judgment, assessment, complex observation, or critical decisions.
Perform basic nursing care duties as directed by the RN, including waived testing, 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 on the appropriate documentation forms.
Use handheld wireless devices to measure and document intake and output, vital signs, and point-of-care testing such as fingerstick glucose or urine dipstick.
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 required for patient care operations.
Secure and handle appropriate supplies, medications, and laboratory specimens transported from, into, and within the unit.
Perform other duties as requested by the supervisor.