Patient Care Technician I, Behavioral Health

Job Requirements

General Summary: Under the direction of professional nursing staff, provides direct patient care. Takes vital signs, checks surgical dressings, aids patient’s with activities of daily living. This role performs blood draws and collects specimen samples. Observes and collects data and communicates about the patient’s status in order to identify needs and provides needed care. Serves as a member of the interdisciplinary patient care services team.

Principal Responsibilities And Tasks

• Performs testing and manages the care of the patient based on results achieved and clinical findings.
• Records patient care along the continuum, including activities of daily living (ADLs): feeding, bathing, dressing, toileting, and transferring.
• Completes, documents, and reports patient vital signs (temperature, blood pressure, pulse, respiration, oxygen saturation, and reported pain level).
• Aids in admission, transfer, and discharge of patients.
• Participates in cost-effective strategies to optimize patient outcomes.
• Promotes patient safety, including fall prevention.
• Maintains order and appearance of patient rooms and work area.
• Maintains patient care supplies and linen.
• Provides post-mortem care.
• Collaborates with members of the health care team to carry out the plan of care, including reporting observed changes in patients’ condition.
• Ensures patient comfort relative to their pain status.
• Measures and documents dietary intake and patient urinary and stool output. Documents calorie count. Measures and documents patient weight.
• Conducts indwelling urinary catheter care. Applies, maintains, and removes external urinary catheter devices.
• Conducts blood glucose monitoring.
• Provides wound care to promote healing and maintain structural integrity of the skin.
• Applies, maintains, and removes orthopedic/rehab device care: e.g. braces, splints, CPM.
• Dons/doffs compression wraps/stockings.
• Participates in hourly patient rounding in collaboration with the health care team.
• Responds to patient-triggered alarms, including call light, chair alarm, bed alarm, tele-sitter alarm, etc.
• Complies with the The Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals within scope of practice.
• Detects, reports, and acts to avoid or correct safety risks. Reports adverse events and near misses to appropriate management authority.
• Provides professional vigilance to assigned patients, including when assigned as a patient safety companion.
• Improves patient flow and prevents care delays.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Experience

• Able to effectively communicate using verbal and written skills.
• Maintain interpersonal relationships and use teamwork skills to provide care along with other team members in a cohesive manner.
• Able to organize work priorities, perform several duties simultaneously, and function in stressful situations.
• Able to learn and use computer systems.
• Demonstrates proper technique and skills needed for obtaining accurate blood glucose results and documenting findings.
• Demonstrates the ability to perform delegated nursing tasks according to the age, culture, ethnicity, spirituality, and individual diagnostic needs of the persons served.

Education & Experience

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Current Maryland state certification as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) or Geriatric Nursing Assistant (GNA) is required. No previous experience required.
• Previous direct patient care experience in a health care facility preferred.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification issued by the American Heart Association required.

Benefits

All of your information will be kept confidential in accordance with EEO guidelines.

Compensation

Full-Time; Nights - Behavioral Health (7p-7:30a) Pay Range: $17.68-$24.76/hr. Other Compensation (if applicable): Shift Differential Review the 2025-2026 UMMS Benefits Guide Like many employers, UMMS is being targeted by cybercriminals impersonating our recruiters and offering fake job opportunities. We will never ask for banking details, personal identification, or payment via email or text. If you suspect fraud, please contact us at careers@umms.edu.