Patient Care Assistant - Med/Surg

Job Summary : Under supervision and direction of the Clinical Nurse and according to established procedures, provides routine service duties, technical and nursing procedures necessary to provide for care, comfort and safety of patients. Performs tasks, assists patients with personal hygiene and meals and ambulates patients according to specific procedures. Maintains patient and unit environment in a clean and orderly condition. Utilizes basic knowledge of age-related differences in delivering patient care. Promotes the therapeutic milieu and the efficiency of the healthcare team by providing assistance with activities of daily living, unless the patient needs are such that adverse health consequences are predictable and by assisting in the provision of a safe and clean environment.

Shift : Day Shift 12hrs 6:30a-7p

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Responsible for honest behavior in all matters. To the best of the employee's knowledge and understanding, complies with all Federal and State laws and regulations.
• Maintains the privacy and security of all confidential and protected health information. Uses and discloses only that information which is necessary to perform the function of the job.
• Adheres to all St Joseph policies on Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), designed to prevent or detect unauthorized disclosure of Protected Health Information (PHI).
• People:
• Incorporates the patient's physiological, psychological, cultural, developmental and spiritual needs into patient care.
• Consistently follows patient care, and facility guidelines and procedures in performance. Responds to patient call lights to determine needs and relays information to nursing personnel.
• Distributes patient trays and nourishments, assists patients with feeding and collects trays at end of meal.
• Completes various duties as requested, such as retrieving and delivering supplies, specimens, instruments, test results.
• Provides continuous observations of the patients.
• Provides for patient comfort, safety, and satisfaction.
• Maintains patient environment in a safe and orderly manner.

Quality:

• Completes annual education requirements.
• Maintains competency, as evidenced by completion of competency validation requirements.
• Maintains competency and knowledge of current standards of practice, trends, and developments.
• Promotes of a culture of patient safety which results in the identification and reduction of unsafe practices.
• Uses judgment to prioritize patient care.
• Implements measures to prevent exposure to blood and body fluids. Identifies risks to patients with actions taken to prevent patient harm.
• Accurately documents basic procedures and treatments in patient's chart.
• Maintains patient and physical environment in a clean and orderly condition.
• Assists in transferring patients, beds and patient care equipment to other rooms, using necessary safety precautions.
• Listen to and honor patient and family perspectives and choices.
• Acknowledge the patient's and family's knowledge, values, beliefs, and cultural backgrounds to ensure they are incorporated into the planning and delivery of care.
• Communicate and share complete and unbiased information with the patients and families in ways that are affirming and useful.
• Ensure that patients and families receive timely, complete, and accurate information to effectively participate in care and decision- making.
• Encourage and support patients and families in participating in care and decision making at the level they choose.
• Collaborate with patients, families, healthcare practitioners, and healthcare leaders in policy and program development, implementation and evaluation in facility design, in professional education, as well as delivery of care.
• Understands that a solution may create a "new way of doing things" that is not how it has always been done but is the right thing to do.
• Takes ownership of a patient safety related issue and openly acknowledges an ongoing problem requiring attention.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Completion of Nursing School Fundamentals or SJMC PCA training program Current Nurse's Aide Certification (CNA).
• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• Technical, clerical, interpersonal skills relevant to patient care/area.
• Certification requirements as defined by the certification policy. (BLS by American Heart Association)
• Able to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing.
• Must possess the skills and knowledge necessary to provide a safe environment for all patients in high stress environments.
• Must be comfortable working with patients and family members during the dying process.
• Must be comfortable working with all patients regardless of age, sex, religious affiliation, or any other protected category.
• Must possess the ability to effectively and professionally communicate with other members of the health care team.

Preferred:

• Bi or Multilingual.
• At least one year of experience as a personal care attendant in a long-term care facility or home health care agency is preferred.

Houston's oldest hospital is GROWING!

Welcome to St. Joseph Medical Center (SJMC), Houston's first and only downtown hospital delivering world-class care for the last 137 years and looking forward to the next century of exceptional care to Houstonians when they need us most.

Whether it's for a scheduled surgery, the birth of a baby, an unexpected emergency, or an outpatient visit, we have staff available around the clock to provide you access to immediate, quality health care. SJMC has been providing health care services to Greater Houston residents for over 130 years, which should give you great comfort in knowing that we have a great tradition of caring for our community. We strive to meet our patients' expectations and encourage our patients to provide us with feedback on how we can help them have the best experience possible while they're in our care.

Over the last years we have expanded our services to include the Advanced Wound Care Center, Comprehensive Cardiac and Vascular Services, the Women's Center, the St. Joseph Maternal Fetal Medicine Center, and a Weight Loss Surgery Program, just to name a few. As you work with our physicians, nurses, case managers, educators, and other staff, you will be guided through your health care journey, from diagnosis to treatment, with compassion every step of the way.

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are at the foundation of the care St Joseph Medical Center provides to our community we are privileged to support in all of our employment practices. We do not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression or any other non-job-related characteristic.