Patient Support Assistant

About the role

Assist Registered Nurse in providing direct patient care to multiple patients at a time on a designated nursing unit.

Responsibilities and Duties

• 40% of time: Performs and/or assists the patient with activities of daily living (e.g., bathing, grooming, eating, walking). Maintains environmental cleanliness and safety of patient rooms, unit, and equipment. Provides assistance to patients, visitors, and nursing personnel in assigned unit and maintains flexibility to help other departments with the care of patients as needed. Assists in creating the ideal patient experience through development of respectful and compassionate relationships with each patient and family. May serve as a patient safety champion, empowering equal responsibility for all safety guidelines among all licensed and unlicensed care givers. May assist in telemetry cardiac monitoring, recognizing life-threatening arrhythmias and communicates immediately to available licensed clinician. May act as a transporter for the nursing unit assigned. Runs errands to either pickup or deliver items for patient care.
• 40% of time: Performs delegable nursing tasks assigned by the Registered Nurse, including:
  • Tasks that can be performed without requiring judgment based on nursing knowledge;
  • Tasks with predictable results;
  • Tasks performed safely according to exact, unchanging directions;
  • Tasks that do not require complex observations or critical decisions;
  • Tasks that do not require assessment;
  • Tasks where consequences of improper performance are minimal and not life-threatening.
  Performs other basic nursing care duties as directed by the RN, including but not limited to:
  • Waived testing (fingerstick glucose, urine dipstick, occult fecal);
  • Non-sterile specimen collection;
  • Nasogastric tube care;
  • 1- or 2-lead EKG;
  • Simple clean, non-sterile dressing changes.
  Accurately collects data such as height, weight, vital signs, intake and output, and records data on the appropriate documentation form. Competent in the use of portable technology, including handheld wireless devices for measurement and documentation of intake and output, vital signs, and point-of-care testing (e.g., fingerstick glucoses or urine dipstick). Reports patient observations and concerns to the Registered Nurse.
• 20% of time: Assists hospital visitors and staff with information needs. May utilize wireless devices and technology for coordination of healthcare (e.g., scheduling, flowchart documentation, nutrition service ordering). May serve as a super user for nursing assistant information technology and/or preceptor for new nursing assistants. Maintains supplies and equipment necessary for patient care operations. Secures and handles appropriate supplies, medications, and lab specimens transported from/into and within the unit.

The major duties and responsibilities listed above are not intended to be all-inclusive; associate is expected to perform other duties as requested by supervisor. As a High Reliability Organization (HRO), responsibilities require focus on safety, quality, and efficiency in performing job duties. The job profile provides an overview and is not intended to be an exhaustive list and is subject to change at any time.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED
• 16- and 17-year-old individuals without a high school diploma or GED will be considered only if they have a valid work permit
• 18-year-old individuals enrolled in high school do not need a high school diploma/GED/work permit to be considered