ACA - Per Diem - Smilow Rad Therapy

About the Role

To be part of our organization, every employee should understand and share in the YNHHS Vision, support our Mission, and live our Values. These values—integrity, patient-centered, respect, accountability, and compassion—must guide what we do, as individuals and professionals, every day. Under the direction of the Registered Nurse and as a member of the interdisciplinary healthcare team, the Advanced Clinical Assistant (ACA) provides patient-centered care based upon respect for patients' preferences, values, and needs. Responsibilities include direct and indirect patient care activities essential in providing high-quality and safe patient care consistent with an exceptional patient experience.

Based on experience and training, the ACA demonstrates competence in patient-centered care, teamwork, communication and collaboration, evidence-based practice, safety, and informatics. Patient and family-centered care (PFCC) at YNHH is demonstrated by working with patients and their families based on the four principles of PFCC: participation, dignity and respect, information sharing, and collaboration. This includes providing service excellence by creating a great "First Impression" through exemplary customer service skills for all customer groups, including patients, families, physicians, staff, and support department personnel. Adheres to the "I Am YNHH" service excellence pledge and promotes a positive work environment.

Responsibilities

• Patient-Centered Care: Provides care and services with information regarding individual values, preferences, and needs, respecting the patient or designee as a full partner in providing coordinated, compassionate, and culturally appropriate care.
  • Obtains specific components of individual and age-appropriate care requirements from the registered nurse and/or licensed provider.
• Communication: Interacts effectively with patients, families, and all healthcare providers and employees, fostering mutual respect to enhance the patient experience and health outcomes.
  • Utilizes appropriate methods for interacting effectively and professionally with persons of all ages and from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial, and ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, lifestyles, and physical abilities.
• Team Collaboration: Functions effectively within nursing and interdisciplinary teams, demonstrating open communication, mutual respect, team learning, and development.
  • Demonstrates self-awareness, recognizes limitations, and communicates concerns to appropriate team members.
• Quality and Safety / Efficient Delivery of Care: Minimizes risk of harm to patients and providers through effective individual and team performance. Practices behaviors specific to High Reliability Organizations (HRO), such as CHAMP behavior.
  • Demonstrates effective use of equipment that supports quality and safe patient care.
• Informatics: Uses information and technology to communicate information, mitigate error, and support team decision-making.
  • Achieves and maintains competencies in clinical applications to support areas of responsibility.
• Professional Development/Clinical Competencies: Demonstrates accountability for clinical competency in care delivery.
  • Demonstrates accountability and responsibility for own practice.
• Clinical Responsibilities: Performs clinical functions as per scope of practice, which may vary by clinical service area. Functions include but are not limited to:
  • As part of the Rooming Process:
    • Appropriately identifies the patient.
    • Identifies self to patient/family and explains the role of the UAP.
    • Escorts patients to exam/procedure room.
    • Prepares patients for visits using standardized rooming workflow/protocol, which may include: vital signs, height, weight, blood pressure, EKG, specimen collection, phlebotomy, INR, pulse oximetry, and point-of-care testing.
• Administrative Responsibilities: Performs clerical and administrative functions as per scope of practice and clinical service requirements, including:
  • Sends/receives patient medical records and abstracts new patient records into EPIC.
• Environmental Support Functions: Performs environmental support functions as per scope of practice and clinical service requirements, including:
  • Sets up instruments and equipment according to department protocol.

Qualifications

• Education:
  • A minimum of a high school diploma or GED.
  • Graduated from an approved, accredited postsecondary medical assisting program, Nursing Assistant Program, or Patient Care Associate Training.
• Experience:
  • Preferred 12-18 months of prior work as a Medical Assistant, Nursing Assistant, or Patient Care Associate, preferably in an outpatient clinical setting or relevant patient care environment.
  • Should have clinical competency.
• Licensure:
  • Preferred current medical assisting credential (certifications or registration) acceptable to and recognized by the Connecticut Department of Public Health.

Skills

• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with patients, families, peers, and the interdisciplinary team.
• Demonstrates flexibility in adjusting priorities and work plans based on the needs of the patient, service/unit, and patient care team.
• Demonstrates professional, appropriate, effective, and tactful written, verbal, and nonverbal communication with patients, families, medical staff, colleagues, and all internal and external employees.

Physical Demands

• Able to lift a minimum of 40 pounds.
• Ability to perform tasks requiring physical endurance and dexterity as required by placement.
• Consistent use of proper body mechanics.