ED Observation Assistant, 24 Hours, Nights

About the role

Participates as a member of the Emergency Department staff to assist with ensuring the safety of specific patients. Provides constant observation or 15 minute safety checks for those patients who have been determined to be at risk for potential injury to self or others. Performs other support duties as described below.

Responsibilities

• Provides constant observation of high-risk patients as assigned by the Emergency Department Resource Nurse.
• Assists the patient to get undressed, removes items that could injure the patient or staff, secures belongings.
• Makes 15 minute patient safety checks for an assigned group of patients.
• Escorts and supervises patients in the bathroom depending on level of care, under the direction of the RN, assists patients with meals and comforts and de-escalates patients by using sensory techniques and distraction techniques as needed.
• Attempts to prevent unsafe patient movement and actions.
• Notifies the nurse of changes in patient activity, mood, behavior, requests for medication and calls for assistance when necessary.
• Reminds patients about the importance of their safety and fall prevention attempts to redirect patient’s attention from equipment, and emergently prevents patients from dislodging equipment.
• Works to utilize de-escalation techniques to redirect the patients and if unsuccessful, under the direction of the RN or MD participates in restraints in accordance with training and education.
• Obtains report on each assigned patient from nurse at the beginning of each shift.
• Makes patient safety checks and reports any potentially unsafe behaviors, or patients that appear to be escalating to the assigned nurse throughout the shift.
• Reports concern to nurse if patient’s family or visitors are contributing to escalating behavior.
• Performs environmental safety check of patient and patient's room and removes potentially harmful items at the beginning of each shift and between discharges from rooms.
• Constantly checks for and remedies potentially hazardous situations such as improperly open doors and windows.
• Reports any potentially unsafe environmental issues that cannot be remedied to the assigned nurse throughout shift.
• Follows the Policy & Procedure(s) for Constant Observation.
• Accompanies the patient for therapeutic procedures unless otherwise ordered by the assigned nurse and or physician.
• Documents patient behavior every fifteen minutes on the Constant Observation documentation record.
• Places this information in patient’s bedside chart.
• Provides handoff to the on-coming ED Observation Assistant.
• Performs a variety of duties to support patient care and the operations of the department.
• Engages patients in activities as appropriate.
• Maintains work area in neat and orderly manner.
• Stocks carts & supplies.
• Transports patient or equipment.
• Answers telephones, takes messages, and completes light clerical duties such as filing as assigned.
• Fulfills standard staffing level responsibilities.

Qualifications

• Licenses/Certifications/Educations Required: High School Graduate or equivalent. Must be able to complete de-escalation training as well as a certification program for Basic Life Support or Heartsaver course and receive appropriate certification.
• Experience/Skills Required: Communication Skills: Ability to read, write, speak effectively in English and have good interpersonal skills, required. Demonstrates the ability to remain calm when under stress or in emergency situations. Must be able to assist in the physical restraint of disturbed patients.

Physical Demands And Environmental Conditions

Position requires work indoors in a patient care environment. Work requires continuous visual inspection and auditory monitoring of patient movements and activities. Work requires frequent rapid physical response to unsafe patient movements; this includes standing, walking, running, reaching, bending, lifting and stooping.