Patient Care Technician - Senior

Patient Care Technician, Senior

UPMC McKeesport is seeking a Patient Care Technician, Senior to join the Emergency Department team. If you have strong patient?care experience and are looking to contribute to a collaborative, high?performing environment, we encourage you to apply.

Key Responsibilities

Professionalism & Team Support

• Supports departmental changes, quality initiatives, and improvement projects.
• Takes ownership of assignments and approaches challenges with a problem?solving mindset.
• Demonstrates professionalism, accountability, and effective communication with all members of the healthcare team.
• Participates in committees, projects, and self?review processes.
• Identifies learning needs and seeks opportunities to enhance skills and performance.
• Receives feedback constructively and requests assistance with planning or prioritizing tasks when needed.

Patient Care & Clinical Skills

• Performs all UPMC core nursing assistant duties, including ADLs (bathing, feeding, toileting, ambulating, turning/repositioning), vital signs, weights, I&O, blood glucose testing, specimen collection, Foley care, and telemetry application.
• Provides direct patient care, assists with procedures, and supports physical, respiratory, and cardiopulmonary therapies.
• Reports changes in patient condition to the RN and provides patient/family instruction under RN direction.
• May apply, monitor, and remove restraints per protocol.
• Transports cardiac?monitored patients safely throughout the hospital.

Advanced Skills (as applicable)

The Senior PCT must maintain competency in at least one of the following advanced skills based on departmental need:

• Basic arrhythmia recognition
• Complex wound care
• 12?lead EKGs
• NG tube clamping and removal

Additionally, the Senior PCT must perform at least four of the following:

• Phlebotomy
• 12?lead EKG
• Simple dressings
• Foley catheter removal
• Point?of?care testing
• Bladder scanning
• Straight catheterization
• IV catheter removal
• Femoral hemostasis
• IV insertion

Safety, Compliance & Documentation

• Adheres strictly to all hospital and patient?care policies, including safety protocols and standard precautions.
• Documents patient information accurately and in a timely manner.
• Ensures equipment issues are reported promptly to the appropriate department.
• Completes clerical tasks as needed to support unit operations.
• Contributes to unit?wide responsibilities such as answering call lights, phones, passing meal trays, and transporting patients.

Other Duties

• Performs all responsibilities in alignment with system?wide competencies and behaviors.
• Completes additional tasks as assigned to support patient care and departmental operations.

Top candidates may be considered for Senior PCT or downgraded to PCT based on experience and skill level.

Education & Experience

Candidates must meet one of the following pathways:

• High school diploma or equivalent, and a) Two years of general healthcare experience meeting all requirements of the Patient Care Technician role, OR b) One year of healthcare experience and current enrollment in a PT/OT/PA program with completion of at least one clinical rotation, OR c) One year of healthcare experience and completion of a bachelor's degree in a health sciences field.

Preferred Experience:

• Nursing student with at least one completed clinical rotation
• Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or Paramedic
• Current enrollment in an EMT or Paramedic program
• Microcomputer experience

Training & Competencies

• Successful completion of the Patient Care Technician Senior class (if hired into Senior role)
• Successful completion of basic information system training
• Basic arrhythmia course with annual competency (required for Senior PCT)
• Annual completion of a professional contribution (details provided post?hire)
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing

Medication Handling

• May enter rooms where medications are stored
• May transport medications only when transporting patients
• Medication transport is limited to movement between departments

Licensure, Certifications & Clearances

Required (within 30 days of hire unless noted)

• Basic Life Support (BLS) or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) (AHA standards; includes didactic and skills demonstration)
• Comprehensive Crisis Management (CCMC) within 60 days of hire
• Act 31 Child Abuse Reporting (with renewal)
• Act 33 Clearance (with renewal)
• Act 34 Clearance (with renewal)
• Act 73 FBI Clearance (with renewal)

Preferred

• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)

UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran