Patient Care Technician

Job Title

Under direct supervision from a Registered Nurse or other designated supervision, provides direct patient care or miscellaneous technical support by performing delegated procedures of a specialized and technical nature, which may include obtaining hemodynamic measurements, setting up and maintaining specialized clinical equipment and performing delegated clinical or laboratory procedures, changing dressings, assisting with admitting and discharge procedures. Assist with more complex procedures and perform complex diagnostic testing. Develop and recommend changes in patient care activities to improve the quality of patient care services. Under FLSA, incumbents in this position are non-exempt.

Responsibilities

Observation/Monitoring

• Obtains vital signs, temperature, height/length, weight, oxygen saturation and pain scores; reports abnormal values to RN. Obtains other measurements (i.e., head circumference, abdominal girth) per unit standard.
• Responds to monitor alarms.
• Utilizes palpation/auscultation and Doppler to determine heart rate and blood pressure.
• Observes, monitors and reports the overt physical condition of assigned patient(s).
• Responds to physiologic monitor alarms based on unit training and competencies. Alarms should be silenced or paused prior to an activity that will trigger an alarm such as bathing, drawing blood or getting a patient out of bed as delegated by RN. Ensures that alarms are "on" when activity is completed and/or before leaving the patient.
• Measures and records intake and output.
• Functions as a sitter.
• Assists physician/provider during diagnostic procedures; assists and supports patient before and during procedures; assists in specimen collection.
• Applies and changes ECG electrodes and pulse ox probe; attaches patient to travel (ECG and A-line) monitor.
• Places monitor strips on inpatient records.

Specimen Collection

• Performs point of care testing; maintains and calibrates equipment and supplies.
• Collects blood specimens from arterial, CVP and PIC lines.
• Collects specimens, including urine, stool, sputum and swabs, and performs urine determination including sugar, acetone, specific gravity protein, pH.
• Performs finger/heel stick blood collection and chemstick test.
• Initiates, maintains and records 24-hour urine collection.
• Transports blood and laboratory specimens.

Intravenous Lines

• Discontinues peripheral IV's.
• Removes peripheral IV dressings.
• Primes peripheral (without additives) and central/pressure heparin set-ups (after bag spiked by RN); times and dates bag/tubing per policy.

Patient ADLs

• Assists patients with, or administers routine personal hygiene including baths, oral care, skin care, umbilical cord and circumcision care.
• Performs preventative skin care, pre-operative preps, perineal care.
• Provides toileting/bedpan/urinal; remove/empty foley catheters; weighs diapers.
• Accompanies, escorts, ambulates, moves, turns, dangles, lifts, transports and attends/holds/positions patients.
• Assists with range of motion; applies rehabilitation equipment; releases and applies devices, i.e. wheelchair seatbelt, adaptive equipment, etc., in accordance with specific instructions, to position patients to limit movements.
• Provides patient nourishment by performing such duties as passing and collecting trays, providing snacks/beverages, assists with ordering meals/snacks; feeds patients.
• Double check breast milk with RN.

Tube Feedings

• Perform tube feedings of patients, at the direction of the RN, and after the RN has established placement just prior to each tube feeding (e.g. Change tube feeding bag, prime line and set rate after notifying RN, refill tube feeding bag as indicated per infection control guidelines and after verifying correct tube feeding to be administered).

Urinary Catheters

• Performs intermittent sterile urinary catheterizations.
• Performs clean urinary catheterizations (Pediatrics only-waiting for data).
• Connects, drains and disconnects urinary catheters.
• Assembles intermittent bladder irrigation supplies.
• Discontinues urinary catheters.
• Applies condom catheter.
• Determines bladder status with Bladder Scanner.

Enemas/Suppositories

• Administers cleansing enemas that do not contain medication.
• Applies external Fecal Incontinence Device bags.

Wound Care

• Cleanses and redresses non-sterile wounds.
• Performs simple sterile dressing changes, as in central line dressings.
• Assists RN with complex dressing changes.
• Cares for permanent drainage sites and apply appropriate collection device, i.e., ostomy, G-tube,etc.
• Applies binders, ACE wraps, hot and cold applications; provides soaks and special baths.

Respiratory Care

• Assist with tracheostomy care on stable tracheotomies including such duties as cleaning and redressing area; assists with tape and tie changes.
• Performs endotracheal/tracheostomy tube suctioning after assessment by RN of patient stability.
• Provides ventilation to the intubated/trached patient with an Ambu bag.
• Assists with Endotracheal tube care and tape changes.
• Assists with P&PD by holding the patient.
• Measures and records chest tube drainage; sets-up Pleurevac; checks Pleurevac water levels and notifies RN prn.
• Coaches/prompts patient to use incentive spirometer, and in coughing and deep breathing.
• Performs routine nasal and/or oral suctioning.

Other Interventions

• Measures and obtains TED hose; applies Sequential Compression Devices.
• Performs post-mortem care and transports deceased patients to the morgue/pathology.
• Responds to call lights and alarms; answer unit telephone and relay messages prn.
• Empties and measures drainage collection and emesis.
• Assists RN with admissions, discharges, and transfers.
• Provide skin care at the direction of the RN, applying select topical emollients containing medication (ie, cortisones, tar, silvidine, butt cream, and dermatology lotions).
• Initiates emergency care utilizing the ABCs?Airway, Breathing, Circulation.
• Transports materials, supplies, medications, specimens, patient belongings, equipment and medical records.
• Performs patient care comfort-safety rounds per unit routine.
• Assists with application and maintains restraints.
• Documents care provided.
• Performs 12-lead ECG.

Environment

• Stocks supplies and equipment in patient care spaces.
• Sets up patient rooms for admission or procedure.
• Makes up beds with linen, changes bed linens and linen hamper during patient stay.
• Maintains orderliness of the patient room and unit, including equipment/cords, linen, trash, patient belongings, etc.
• Cleans and maintains inventory and outdates of equipment and supplies in patient care spaces.
• Clean assigned equipment and areas of work.
• Obtains, opens and arranges sterile instruments and supplies for specific procedures.
• Clean, packs, sterilizes and stores instruments.
• Checks emergency equipment.
• Performs clerical duties prn.

Required Qualifications