Patient Care Assistant - Total Joint Unit **Part-Time Nights**

About the role

The Total Joint Unit provides care for patients undergoing elective hip and knee replacements and other orthopedic procedures such as shoulder and back surgeries. This 13-bed unit collaborates closely with the Navigator to teach classes that help patients succeed after joint replacement, contributing to reduced post-op complications and consistently high patient experience scores. Patient care assistants are a vital part of the team, delivering daily care and emotional support, serving as the eyes and ears of the clinical staff, and ensuring the healthcare team has what they need to support healing for patients and their families.

Responsibilities

• Provide all personal care services in accordance with the plan of treatment assigned by the registered nurse, including:
  • Measure and record intake and output
  • Measure and record vital signs, oxygen saturation, weight, and height
  • Position patients; lift and turn patients
  • Apply/utilize special equipment
  • Assist in use of bedpan, urinal, or commode
  • Ambulate patients pre- and post-operatively
  • Apply/remove anti-embolism stockings and SCD devices
  • Remove Foley catheters
  • Perform perineal care; vaginal irrigations (non-sterile) and sitz baths
  • Administer non-medicated enemas
  • Apply heat and cold
  • Provide skin care to the immobilized patient
  • Remove saline locks
  • Empty colostomy bags
  • Apply appliances for heat and cold
  • Perform blood sugars
  • Place patients on cardiac monitors
  • Set up oxygen equipment
  • Feed patients
  • Collect, label, and transport lab specimens
• Accurately document care provided according to policies and procedures
• Apply safety principles when performing care such as ambulation, transferring, assisting with range of motion, and positioning
• Participate in economical utilization of supplies and maintain clean, safe equipment and unit environment
• Perform basic care requirements including rounding, AIDET, applying the “4 Ps” (Pain, Position, Potty, Proximity of items), prompt response to patient needs, hand hygiene, and use of two patient identifiers
• Assist in performance improvement activities by serving on PI teams, assisting with PI measures, and supporting implementation of improvements
• Maintain performance, patient and employee satisfaction, and financial standards as outlined in the performance evaluation
• Adhere to DCH Behavioral Standards, including creating positive relationships with patients/families, coworkers, and colleagues
• Use electronic mail, time and attendance software, learning management software, and intranet
• Adhere to all DCH Health System policies and procedures

Requirements

• High School diploma or equivalent preferred
• Ability to read, write legibly, speak, and comprehend English
• American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS) Healthcare Provider required within 30 days of employment
• Previous patient care experience preferred
• Basic computer skills to support use of electronic medical record, email, time and attendance software, learning management software, and intranet
• Reliable transportation to support assignment between two facilities

Working Conditions

Work Context

• Communicate with different personalities and engage in face-to-face discussion
• Deal with unpleasant or physically aggressive personalities
• Handle conflict and communicate clearly and accurately
• Receive delegation and work in groups
• Perform structured and unstructured work under time pressure and deadlines
• Work in an exact and accurate manner using electronic mail, telephone, and texting
• Potential exposure to human body fluids, disease, infection, lab chemicals, hazardous materials, and cleaning solutions
• Wear common protective and safety equipment such as gloves, safety glasses, mask, gowns, etc.

Physical Factors

• Medium work: Exert up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, up to 30 pounds frequently, and up to 10 pounds constantly
• Tolerate prolonged periods of standing and walking
• Reach reasonable distances in any direction
• Stand, walk, kneel, bend, sit, stoop, and lift
• Run in an emergency
• Move fingers in a coordinated manner; feel and perceive temperature, texture, shape, and size with fingertips
• Perform duties with or without reasonable accommodation
• Hearing and vision normal or corrected to within normal range
• Stamina to work 12-hour shifts
• Physical presence onsite is essential