Patient Care Associate - Psychiatry Emergency - MSW - Part Time/Evenings

About the role

The Patient Care Associate plays a crucial role in the clinical care team, supporting registered nurses in various patient care activities.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrates ability to perform clinical/technical/service/administrative tasks
• Performs and records patient’s vital signs, such as blood pressure, pulse, temperature and respirations
• Obtains patient’s rating on pain scales as a fifth vital sign in all areas except Pediatrics
• Performs and assists with clinical procedures, such as specimen collection including blood glucose, venipuncture, EKG, application of compression devices, post-mortem care, and maintenance of skin integrity
• Sets up for selected procedures and assists RN’s accordingly
• Assists patient with activities of daily living, such as feeding, bathing and/or toileting
• Orients Patients to clinical environment
• Ambulates and assists with mobility as needed
• Maintains a safe, clean and functional environment, including ensuring for the comfortable movement of the patient
• Performs on-to-one observation or close observation status of patients, e.g. safety, elopement risk, or suicide prevention
• Maintains “isolation status” for patients under direction of an RN and according to set procedures
• Schedules hourly care checks/rounding on patients with emphasis on caring for toileting needs, comfort, and positioning and pain awareness
• Notifies RN if rounding has not been completed
• Utilizes Vocera system/Mount Sinai phone according to sign in/sign out protocol where activated
• Performs other duties as assigned, including generating reports
• Greets visitors and answers telephones promptly and courteously
• Escorts visitors to appropriate area, when necessary
• Provides information as appropriate
• Answers Patient Call System and refers calls to appropriate staff
• Maintains a safe, clean and functional environment, including removing trash and bringing physical plant and equipment problems to the attention of the managers
• Transports patients to stretchers or wheelchairs, as required
• Delivers and collects trays and bedside, delivers flowers to patients
• Strips units/cubicles
• Performs emergency clean-up
• Performs emergency transport
• Disposes of specimens

Qualifications

• High School Diploma (graduate or equivalent)
• Certificate of completion of a medical assistant/patient care assistant program/equivalent with skills in venipuncture and EKG
• Interpersonal skills to communicate and collaborate effectively with other members of the Specialty Service
• Three to nine months of healthcare experience preferred
• Ability to set priorities, problem solve, use proper judgement in difficult situations and be flexible
• Sufficient oral and writing skills in the English language in order to communicate effectively
• Physical stamina and manual dexterity to perform a variety of tasks and skills in the area of assignment
• American Heart Association Heartsaver or BLS Certification