Care Technician - Pre-Op/PACU - Full Time - Days

Why work for us

At Nebraska Methodist Health System, we focus on providing exceptional care to the communities we serve and people we employ. We call it The Meaning of Care – a culture that has and will continue to set us apart. It’s helping families grow by making each delivery special, conveying a difficult diagnosis with a compassionate touch, going above and beyond for a patient’s needs, or giving a high five when a patient beats a disease or conquers a personal health challenge. We offer competitive pay, excellent benefits and a great work environment where all employees are valued! Most importantly, our employees are part of a team that makes a real difference in the communities we live and work in.

About the role

Location: Methodist Hospital, 8303 Dodge St, Omaha, NE

Care Techs assist nurses and doctors in caring for patients and support patient care delivery by providing clerical services.

Responsibilities

• Provides appropriate care specific to the age of the customer/patient, to ensure understanding and comfort level of treatment, as outlined in the Age Specific Criteria.
• Gives individualized customer service/patient care. Exhibits excellent interpersonal relations with patients, co-workers, physicians, and guests to ensure effective communication.
• Responds to patient needs promptly and courteously. Obtains feedback from patients and visitors regarding their hospital experience. Communicates patient issues to the appropriate staff.
• Maintains a positive attitude while responding to requests in a timely and accurate manner. Communicates with other members of the health care team (food service, secretaries, housekeeping, etc.) as indicated. Actively participates in report process.
• Collects blood specimens by venipuncture or skin puncture. Collects Microbiological specimens. Ensures proper patient identification, specimen collection, labeling, and transport to the laboratory.
• Assists with maintaining an environment conducive to the comfort and recovery of the patient, including distributing linen and supplies, keeping the unit neat and tidy, and maintaining needed equipment.
• Performs other duties as delegated under the direction of the Service Leader and/or RN, including medication and blood pickup. Answers call lights within 5 minutes.
• Assists with or participates in certain procedures as directed by the RN, including transfer and discharge of patients, weighing patients, taking vital signs, applying ice bags, and communicating changes in patient condition.
• Assists patients in activities as directed by the RN, including ambulation, transfer to bed/stretchers/wheelchairs, and transporting patients to other areas.
• Performs Electrocardiograms (EKG) on adolescents through geriatric patients, ensuring quality standards and timely interpretation for diagnosis.
• Assists patients with elimination as directed by the RN, including providing bedpans/urinals, pericare, enemas, and recording output.
• Follows the 4 Rights of Delegation: right task, right person, right communication, and right feedback.
• Provides assistance with special projects, orientation, training new personnel, and performance improvement. Utilizes information systems for communication and documentation.
• Promotes a positive impression and welcoming environment through customer service, including greeting patients/visitors, maintaining a clean work environment, and demonstrating good communication skills.
• Handles general communication duties, including answering telephones, distributing mail, faxing/copying/scanning, and maintaining privacy/confidentiality.
• Assists with maintenance of electronic medical records, including establishing patient charts, processing charts upon dismissal, and scanning medical documents.

Schedule

Set schedule consisting of 8, 10, and 12-hour shifts. Saturday requirements.

Requirements

• Completion of Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program preferred.
• Participation in mandatory in-services and continuing education programs.
• Previous cleaning, food service, and/or patient-related experience preferred.
• Requires one to three months on-the-job experience to learn hospital procedures and work routines.
• Student nurse must have completed first clinical rotation.

Qualifications

• Current American Heart Association or American Red Cross Basic Life Support (BLS) strongly preferred at time of hire, required within 3 months of hire.

Skills

• Ability to understand and carry out instructions, follow schedules, communicate information, read simple and clear instructions, and complete reports.
• Must be able to collect, record, and report patient needs to the appropriate caregiver.
• Critical thinking skills commensurate with job description.
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills for communication with physicians, callers, visitors, patients, family, and team members.
• Skills and knowledge to prepare reports, perform calculations, keep records, and deal effectively with people.
• Medical terminology preferred.
• Ability to utilize a variety of computer applications.
• Excellent grammar, punctuation, spelling, and presentation layout skills.
• Knowledge of office procedures and principles of record keeping.
• Ability to read medical records.
• Ability to type 30 to 40 wpm with accuracy.

Physical Requirements

Weight Demands: Medium Work - Exerting up to 50 pounds of force.

Physical Activity:

• Occasionally Performed (1%-33%): Climbing, Crawling, Kneeling, Sitting
• Frequently Performed (34%-66%): Balancing, Carrying, Crouching, Distinguish colors, Keyboarding/typing, Lifting, Pulling/Pushing, Repetitive Motions, Standing, Stooping/bending, Twisting, Walking
• Constantly Performed (67%-100%): Grasping, Hearing, Reaching, Seeing/Visual, Speaking/talking

Job Hazards:

• Rare (1-33%): Chemical agents (Toxic, Corrosive, Flammable, Latex), Mechanical moving parts/vibrations
• Occasionally (34%-66%): Biological agents (primary airborne and bloodborne viruses), Physical hazards (noise, temperature, lighting, wet floors, outdoors, sharps)
• Not Related: Explosives (pressurized gas), Electrical Shock/Static, Radiation Alpha/Beta/Gamma (e.g., X-ray, Cat Scan, Gamma Knife), Radiation Non-Ionizing (Ultraviolet, visible light, infrared, microwaves)

About Methodist

Nebraska Methodist Health System is made up of four hospitals in Nebraska and southwest Iowa, more than 30 clinic locations, a nursing and allied health college, and a medical supply distributorship and central laundry facility. From the day Methodist Hospital was chartered in 1891, service to our communities has been a top priority. Financial assistance, health education, outreach to our diverse communities and populations, and other community benefit activities have always been central to our mission.