Patient Care Technician

description hours / days:

• day shift (7:00 am - 7:00 pm); 3 shifts per week
• every 3rd weekend rotation required
• holiday rotation required

job title: patient care technician department: acute care reports to: director of inpatient nursing position summary: as part of the care team, the patient care technician is responsible for ensuring the wellbeing of patients by assisting nursing staff in the care of acutely and chronically ill patients. The patient care technician will obtain vital signs, assist in sample collection, and assist patients with adls and iadls as needed and as delegated by nursing staff.

The patient care technician will clearly communicate with nursing staff any abnormal symptoms or characteristics displayed by the patient to ensure timely care and assessment by licensed staff members.
essential job functions duties and responsibilities
vital sign collection and documentation

• obtains vital signs including blood pressure, oxygen saturation, pulse, temperature, and respirations. Reports any abnormal vital signs to the appropriate nurse in a timely manner. Documents vital signs in the emr under the vital signs tab.

cardiac monitor/ telemetry patch placement

• places telemetry or bedside monitor leads appropriately on patient’s body and ensures that a waveform is visible from the central station upon placement of leads.

intake and output

• delivers patient’s tray as needed. Documents percentage of meal eaten. Replenishes ice water and provides other food and snacks as needed throughout the shift. Documents amount of fluid/ food in and urine/feces out as ordered for patient’s plan of care.

bathing/ adls

• assists patient in bathing, dressing, and ambulating in their room or in the hallway as part of the patient’s specific plan of care.

equipment

• appropriately uses patient lifts, monitors, vital sign machines, wheelchairs, or other mechanical devices needed to perform job duties per kchs policy.

care environment

• assists in maintaining a clean environment for patient care. Assists in cleaning emergency room and patient rooms after discharge per room cleaning policy. Assists in removing trash from the patient care environment. Assists in frequent monitoring and emptying of patient urinals, hats, bed pans. Changes sheets and other linens as necessary for the daily care of patients. Replenishes bathroom linens for patient use.

clerical duties

• assists in putting together patient charts upon admission and tearing down charts upon discharge, as well as adding information to the chart throughout the patient’s stay. Creates worksheets to enhance work flows as needed using excel or other electronic documents.
• ensures an adequate supply of admission packets, transfer packets, and copied forms are available for immediate use.
• compiles discharge and transfer packets in collaboration with nursing staff by printing information from the patient’s electronic medical record.
• makes phone calls to providers, lab, radiology, or emergency transfer services as directed by nursing staff to ensure timely care for patients.

supplies

• ensures that supplies are readily available in patient care areas, according to standardized lists of supply numbers.
• checks supplies for expiration dates and rotates stock to ensure that expired supplies are not available for clinical use.
• notifies materials manager if supplies are low or pending expiration.

requirements education and/or experience:

• high school diploma
• cna certification, preferred not required

certificates, licensure, registrations:

• basic life support (bls)

knowledge, skills and abilities:

• ability to work cooperatively and communicate effectively to maintain good working relationships with staff, healthcare providers, and patients
• must be capable of communicating clearly (reading, writing and speaking) in the english language.
• must be proficient in the operation of a personal computer with microsoft office and the internet
• must be capable of reading and comprehending complex healthcare laws and regulations.