Patient Care Assistant (PCA),SDS, Full-time,First Shift

At UC Health, we're proud to have the best and brightest teams and clinicians collaborating toward our common purpose: to advance healing and reduce suffering. As the region's adult academic health system, we strive for innovation and provide world-class care for our community and patients from all over the world. Join our team to develop your skills, grow your career, build relationships with peers and patients, and help us be a source of hope for our friends and neighbors.

Location: West Chester, OH, United States

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• 0-6 months of experience required; 1-2 years of equivalent experience preferred.
• One of the following criteria is required:
  • State Tested Nursing Aide Training;
  • Acute Medical Surgical Training or Hospital Specific Training;
  • Student from an accredited RN program who has successfully completed a medical surgical or acute care rotation.
• If candidates do not meet the initial requirements, they must successfully complete UC Health competency training for PCAs and additional orientation before caring for patients.

Skills and Knowledge

• Trained and maintains proficiency in AHA CPR and patient care skills.
• Completes unit-specific hospital safety education.

Responsibilities

Patient Population (Clinical Only)

• Engages in population-appropriate communication.
• Knowledge of growth and development milestones and tasks.
• Provides clear instructions to patients/family regarding treatment.
• Involves family/guardian in assessment, initial treatment, and continuing care.
• Identifies physical limitations of the patient and deploys intervention when necessary.
• Recognizes and responds appropriately to patients/families with behavioral health problems.
• Interprets population-related data and plans care appropriately.
• Identifies and responds to unique psychological needs or those associated with religious/cultural norms.
• Performs treatments, administers medication, or operates equipment safely.
• Recognizes and responds to signs/symptoms of abuse or neglect.

Patient Care

• Provides culturally-based and age-specific care.
• Measures vital signs, records skin integrity, intake & output, height & weight (bedside or wheelchair scale); reports changes including mental status.
• Collects specimens: routine urine, clean catch urine, 24-hour urine, self-expectorant sputum.
• Assists with activities of daily living (ADLs), skin care, tube and catheter care, turning, positioning, transfer and ambulating, range of motion (ROM), hot and cold compresses.
• Provides hygiene and comfort measures including bathing/showering, pericare, and linen changes.
• Empties drainage bags, records outputs, disposes of bodily fluids/waste.
• Utilizes patient care equipment such as manual/hydraulic/electronic lifts, Hoyer lifts, and bed scales.
• Removes and reapplies splints, braces, cervical collars, skin and skeletal traction, anti-embolic stockings.
• Performs post-mortem care.
• Distributes and removes food trays, sets up meal trays, positions and prepares patients for meals, assists with feeding, menu selection, records calorie counts, provides snacks and fluids, monitors head of bed (HOB) for tube feedings.
• Assists with turning, coughing, deep breathing; provides follow-up to incentive spirometry; reapplies O2 cannula/mask, provides portable oxygen for transport.
• May perform EKGs, mobile care phlebotomy (MCP), and blood glucose testing.

Communication

• Communicates patient observations to RN timely and appropriately.
• Orients patients and visitors to room and unit; updates whiteboards appropriately.
• Records measurements and patient data.
• Documents treatments and procedures performed.
• Responds to and utilizes nurse call system.
• Performs reception and phone duties as directed.
• Retrieves information from the computer.

Environment

• Facilitates a clean, safe, and organized environment for patients and coworkers.
• Removes equipment no longer in use to appropriate areas for cleaning.
• Re-orders and stocks materials as necessary.
• Reports maintenance issues.

Teamwork

• Participates in patient admission, transfer, and discharge.
• Demonstrates helpfulness, cooperation, and respect for team members in pursuit of patient care.
• Performs other duties as delegated.

Safety Measures

• Ensures call lights are within reach of patients and answers them promptly.
• Ensures placement of patient identification bands.
• Ensures side rails and restraints are applied for patient safety per policy.
• Uses proper body mechanics and universal precautions.