Patient Transport Assistant

UPMC•Altoona, PA

About The Position

The Patient Transport Assistant works 40 hours per week on the evening shift, 12:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., with weekend and holiday rotation as needed. This is an AFSCME union position. The role supports safe and timely patient transportation, assists patients and clinical staff, and handles equipment and dispatch duties as assigned. The employee may also be assigned to operate an elevator or work as a clerk dispatcher.

Requirements

High school graduate or GED preferred.
No experience required.
Knowledge of equipment used in Nursing, especially traction and suction.
Demonstrate the weight test set by the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department.
Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships within and between departments.
Patient, courteous, and tactful manner.
Neat and orderly work and appearance.
CPR certification; CPR must meet AHA standards and include didactic and skills demonstration components within 30 days of hire.
Basic Life Support (BLS) or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
Act 34.
Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
Ability to exercise initiative and sound judgment when setting call priorities.

Responsibilities

Relay information regarding patient care to the Patient Transport Supervisor or a nurse on the unit.
Obtain, set up, remove, clean, and store traction equipment; perform daily traction inspections; and clean and store equipment and supplies.
Ensure all operating room litters have full oxygen tanks.
Obtain, set up, remove, and store equipment such as K-pads, flotation mattresses, and air-pressure mattresses.
Assist physicians as needed and assist with prisoner discharges when needed.
Help nurses move patients into and out of bed for transport.
Remove specialty beds from patient floors after discharge; this requires two people.
When assigned as Elevator Operator, respond to Patient Transport Supervisor calls to transport patients between the operating room suite and designated nursing units; operate the elevator using key control; respond to nursing-unit calls and give prompt attention to emergency calls from surgery, the Emergency Department, nursing units, and Radiology for codes and Life Flights; sign the key in and out at Security and/or Patient Transport; and report elevator repair needs.
Assist patients in a manner that supports their safety and comfort, follow hospital and departmental policies and procedures, and assist personnel with restraining patients.
Report equipment needing repair or replacement to the Patient Transport Supervisor.
When assigned as Clerk Dispatcher, receive patient transportation requests and orderly needs, prioritize responses according to Nursing Administration policies, maintain transportation and orderly logs, record problems or delays, report problems to the immediate supervisor, notify the department involved, and coordinate calls for direct patient care services.