Wound Care Aide

Advocate Health and Hospitals Corporation • Niles, IL

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

This is a part-time position supporting the inpatient wound care team as well as the outpatient wound clinic. The role involves M-F coverage with a rotation for Saturdays and holidays. The Wound Care Aide will not be participating in hyperbaric treatments but will support the wound care RN, wound care PT, APN, and MD with patient positioning, room turnover, vitals, and hands-on patient care as needed.

Requirements

• High School Graduate.
• Typically requires 1 year of experience in direct patient care experience in an acute care medical atmosphere, which includes experiences as a medical assistant, nursing assistant, or emergency medical technician.
• Ability to work independently and have strong prioritization skills.
• Excellent service to patients and internal customers.
• Basic skills in the use of Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint and Word) or similar products.
• Must stand, sit and walk throughout the majority of the workday.
• Must be able to: lift up to 50 lbs from floor to waist.
• lift up to 20 lbs over the head.
• carry up to 40 lbs a reasonable distance.
• Must be able to: push/pull with 30 lbs of force.
• perform a sliding transfer of 150 lbs with a second person present.
• Potential for exposure to mechanical, electrical, explosive and chemical hazards and thus have ability to take precautions by wearing protective clothing as necessary.
• Must have visual senses to see monitoring equipment and speech and hearing ability to hear equipment alarms.
• Potential for barotramatic injury due to exposure to the compressed air environment and risks of decompression illness.
• Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers certification issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) needs to be obtained within 6 months unless department leader has determined it is not required.

Responsibilities

• Prepares patients for exams, transports and provides assistance to patient as required.
• At facilities with hyperbaric chambers, checks patient's attire for compatibility within hyperbaric chamber environment and assures no prohibited materials are allowed into the chamber with patients.
• Assists physicians with technical and minor surgical procedures, including but not limited to: local surgical procedures, advanced surgical application and removal of wound dressings and contact casts, compression therapy, ultrasonic debridement, sharp debridement and biopsies.
• Prepares cultures of wounds and delivers specimens to the lab.
• Assists the RN with presenting basic patient instructions.
• Reports need for clarification to physician and/or RN, clients, families and ancillary departments.
• Prepares and sets up supplies, instruments and equipment needed in patient rooms prior to treatment.
• Cleans treatment and exam rooms after patient use.
• Prepares, calibrates and operates equipment and instrumentation according to specifications indicated by the physician, including but not limited to: ultrasonic debridement, Doppler ultrasound, wound vacuum assisted closure devices.
• Photographs wounds and downloads images into computer imaging program for continued visual documentation of wound progression.
• Performs point of care testing and quality control of designated lab test glucose monitoring.
• Maintains knowledge of computer programs for blood glucose monitor.
• Runs monthly reports.
• Monitors blood glucose levels using blood glucose monitor.
• Assists and monitors patients undergoing hyperbaric therapy at facilities with hyperbaric chambers as needed.
• At facilities with multiplace hyperbaric chambers, monitors patients within the hyperbaric chamber for duration of treatment, including but not limited to equalization of ear pressure and prevention of barotraumas, donning and removing of oxygen delivery system and monitoring chamber temperature.
• Sets up Hyperbaric chamber and oxygen delivery equipment including Scott masks, Duke hoods, T-pieces, heated humidification; assures one-way valves and overboard exhausts are aligned properly.
• Assures Hyperbaric chamber emergency air-breathing set-ups are appropriate for the number of personnel who are in the chamber. (Applicable at facilities with hyperbaric chambers).
• Must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served.
• Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs, and to provide the care needed as described in the department's policies and procedures.

Benefits

• Paid Time Off programs
• Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses
• Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave
• Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs
• Educational Assistance Program

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED