Wound Care Tech

Advocate Health and Hospitals Corporation•Niles, IL

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Wound Care Tech will prepare patients for exams, transport them, and provide assistance as needed. This role involves assisting physicians with technical and minor surgical procedures, including wound dressing application and removal, compression therapy, and debridement. The technician will also prepare wound cultures, deliver specimens to the lab, and assist the RN with basic patient instructions. Responsibilities include preparing and setting up supplies, instruments, and equipment, as well as cleaning treatment and exam rooms. The role requires operating and calibrating specific equipment such as ultrasonic debridement and wound vacuum-assisted closure devices, and photographing wounds for documentation. Additionally, the technician will perform point-of-care testing for glucose monitoring and maintain computer programs for blood glucose monitors. While not working in the Hyperbaric environment, the role may involve assisting and monitoring patients undergoing hyperbaric therapy at facilities with hyperbaric chambers, including managing equalization of ear pressure, preventing barotraumas, and monitoring chamber temperature. This position requires the ability to provide age-appropriate care and demonstrate knowledge of growth and development principles.

Requirements

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.
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.

Responsibilities

Prepares patients for exams, transports and provides assistance to patient as required.
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

Compensation Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training
Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job
Incentive pay for select positions
Opportunity for annual increases based on performance
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