Perioperative Care Assistant

Performs nonprofessional direct and indirect care activities under the supervision of a professional Registered Nurse. Assists in the provision of high quality, cost-effective care by performing delegated tasks.

Responsibilities

• Performs preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative support activities to assist the nursing team caring for surgical/procedural patients, including total care within scope of practice (stable patient’s vital signs, activities of daily living, promotion of comfort) and performance of point-of-care tests.
• Reports changes in patient’s condition to a Registered Nurse.
• Assists personnel in obtaining supplies, instruments, and equipment for surgical/procedural cases.
• Utilizes appropriate aseptic technique to open sterile supplies for patient use or sterile field; performs shave preps; and holds extremities during surgical or procedural preps.
• Cleans and prepares work area for next patient and shift.
• Transports patients to and from various areas and cleans transport devices.
• Assists with patient transfers and positioning.
• Retrieves and cleans patient care equipment.
• Runs errands as directed in a timely manner.
• Reviews stocking lists, preference cards, and supply carts to ensure supplies, instruments, and equipment are available for patient care.
• Assists in the maintenance of an effective inventory control system, including daily stocking, checking for outdates, and monitoring supply levels.
• Places or returns supplies, instrumentation, and equipment to designated storage locations.
• Maintains a clean, sanitary, and safe work environment in procedural areas and Sterile Processing Department (SPD) through organization, cleaning, and monitoring of work areas.
• Performs post-case/post-care cleaning, terminal and isolation cleaning, and cleaning of mobile fluid-waste equipment, scrub sinks, and housekeeping carts.
• Processes instruments and scopes as needed, prepares cleaning solutions, and operates processing and cleaning equipment following established policies.
• Documents completion of cleaning tasks in designated log books.
• Wraps instruments and supplies for sterilization, labeling appropriately.
• Obtains and records patient vital signs, intakes/outputs, and abdominal girths as directed by nursing staff.
• Transports specimens and records delivery to lab or in designated log books; adds fixative to specimens when needed.
• Provides respiratory support by setting up oxygen administration equipment, including changing tank regulators and checking tank volumes.
• Follows all departmental policies and procedures, reporting equipment or room repairs in a timely manner.
• Assists in routine unit operations to ensure smooth communication and functioning of the unit.
• Relays accurate telephone, visitor, patient, and healthcare provider messages to appropriate persons.
• Transports linens, trash, and biohazardous materials according to established policies, wearing PPE and ensuring correct signage.
• Assists with room or bay set-up and may monitor sterile field set-up when directed by a registered nurse.
• Performs minor clerical duties such as answering telephones in designated areas.
• Transports non-narcotic medications when directed by a registered nurse.
• Cleans autoclaves in Sterile Processing and Operating Room/Procedural Areas.
• Maintains orderliness and cleanliness of equipment and supplies in designated areas.
• Monitors halls to keep them free of extra equipment for easy transportation.

Requirements

• High School diploma or equivalent required.
• Successful completion of departmental clinical support or PCA orientation.
• Obtain certification in Basic Life Support or HeartSaver First Aid within 30 days of hire date.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior patient care experience.
• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) or Medical Assistant (MA) experience.

Physical Requirements

• Physically capable of prolonged periods of standing and walking.
• No known history of malignant hyperthermia (may not be waived).
• Capable of lifting up to 60 pounds and pushing heavy loaded carts weighing more than 200 pounds.
• Able to transport patients on stretchers, in wheelchairs, or in cribs.
• Able to discern and distinguish colors for point-of-care testing and inventory monitoring.
• Possess visual and hearing acuity along with manual dexterity and technical ability.
• Demonstrates ability to utilize personal protective equipment (PPE).

Working Environment

• Work is completed in a direct patient care environment.
• Work area supports activities of multiple providers performing parallel processing.
• Able to work in a high-stress environment.
• Exposed to communicable diseases, body fluids, and chemicals.

Skills and Abilities

• Understand and practice excellent personal hygiene.
• Able to operate computer programs with training.
• Ability to follow written and verbal directions (proficient in reading and writing English).
• Demonstrates team-building communication and work efforts to assist healthcare providers.
• Demonstrates skills needed to utilize Safe Patient Handling equipment.

Schedule

• Rotating position: 2-12 hour shifts or 3-8 hour shifts per week.
• Scheduled weekly hours: 24.
• Shift: Varied.