Unit Secretary/Patient Care Tech, Cardiac Telemetry, PRN, Night

Prisma Health•Laurens, SC

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The Unit Secretary / Patient Care Tech is a hybrid role that primarily performs unit secretary duties and, as needed, carries out basic nursing assistant duties and other tasks based on the assigned nursing unit. Duties are performed with appropriate training and clinical competency validation, within scope of practice, and under close or general supervision of licensed personnel. The role supports patient care and the smooth operation of the nursing unit or facility. As unit secretary, the position provides reception and administrative support at the nurse’s station, responds to patient calls, assists patients, families, visitors, and staff, manages supplies and equipment in collaboration with the nurse manager, helps maintain a safe and functional environment, and monitors designated patient safety systems. As a patient care tech, the position provides delegated direct patient care, assists with activities of daily living and mobility, collects and documents patient data, performs assigned procedures and point-of-care testing when trained and delegated, supports patient safety and comfort, and keeps the RN informed about patient observations and status changes. The role also maintains patient confidentiality, follows applicable policies and safety standards, participates in improvement and education activities, and completes required compliance training.

Requirements

No experience required.
Completion of a nursing assistant, patient care tech, medical assistant, EMT, Paramedic, surgical tech, phlebotomy, military medical corpsman, or nursing fundamentals course is preferred.
Licensure, certification, or registration in the field of training is preferred.
Work within scope of practice and under close or general supervision of licensed personnel.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience as a nursing assistant, PCT, MA, EMT, Paramedic, Surgical Tech, Phlebotomist, Medical Corpsman, or nursing student.
Completion of a nursing assistant, patient care tech, medical assistant, EMT, Paramedic, surgical tech, phlebotomy, military medical corpsman, or nursing fundamentals course.
Licensure, certification, or registration in the field of training.

Responsibilities

Perform reception and other duties at the nurse’s station.
Respond to patient calls via intercom or in person and assist patients, families, visitors, and staff in a kind, professional, and efficient manner.
Provide administrative and clerical support, including data entry, meeting minutes, bulletin board maintenance, and organizing downtime forms.
Manage ordering, stocking, and inventory of equipment and supplies in collaboration with the nurse manager; monitor supplies and PAR levels and organize supply rooms.
Coordinate maintenance of a safe, clean, and functional physical environment in accordance with regulatory standards.
Monitor designated patient safety systems for alerts and immediately notify the appropriate RN.
Provide direct patient care within scope of practice as directed by providers and licensed staff and in accordance with established policies, procedures, and protocols.
Assist patients with activities of daily living, including eating, dressing, toileting, bathing, and transferring.
Assist with patient admissions by preparing rooms and orienting patients and families to the unit and its equipment.
Assist patients with walking, turning, positioning, and ambulating, and assist with removing and reapplying compression devices.
Collect and document vital signs, oxygen saturation, temperature, cardiac monitoring, non-invasive blood pressure monitoring, basic or sterile specimens, and fluid intake and output.
Perform point-of-care testing when trained and delegated by an RN, and report lab values to the RN.
Perform delegated patient care such as soaks, simple dressings, perineal care, basic ostomy care, nasal cannula use, phlebotomy, EKGs, and incentive spirometry.
Perform insertion and removal of straight catheters and removal of Foley catheters when appropriately trained and competency-validated for the assigned unit.
Assist with fall-prevention interventions and patient restraints as delegated.
Assist the patient care team with transporting patients to diagnostic studies and floor assignments.
Provide and document comfort measures and non-pharmacological pain management.
Document patient data, observations, clinical data, and procedures in medical records and the EMR; inform the RN of activities, observations, and changes in patient status.
Maintain appropriate use of medical equipment and supplies, return equipment to other units as needed, and clean and stock carts, rooms, hallways, and kitchens; change linens as needed.
Consult with and keep the supervisor informed of unit activities, needs, and patient-care-related problems.
Follow department, unit, and hospital policies, procedures, objectives, and quality, safety, environmental, and infection-control standards.
Maintain patient rights and confidentiality of patient information.
Help ensure smooth operation of the nursing unit or facility and participate in process-improvement initiatives.
Serve as a role model and participate in educating and mentoring other care-team members.
Use supplies safely and efficiently; attend department and organization meetings and complete annual compliance training.
Maintain a clean, safe, therapeutic, and caring environment for patients, families, and staff.
Take responsibility for professional development and continuing education.
Perform patient observer duties as assigned and other duties as assigned.