LVN

Patient Care Assistant

Job Summary: Under direct supervision of an RN or provider performs routine patient care, excluding administration of IV medications and venipuncture, following established policies, procedures and standards; follows Quality of Service Standards; follows Universal Precautions. Essential Responsibilities:

• May perform nursing care functions such as vital signs, removal and/or application of dressings for assessment by licensed provider.
• Cleaning or irrigating wound after providers assessment and instructions, shaving and skin preparation, ear washes, NG insertion & lavage, urinary catheter insertion & irrigation.
• Reinforce standardized self care procedures as directed by licensed provider.
• Recognizes and responds to acute emergency situation following established procedures.
• Orients patients to system policies and practices.
• Provides appropriate instruction sheets based upon provider direction.
• Reviews instruction sheet with patient.
• Administers medications, excluding IV medications, as ordered by provider.
• Observes and documents patients response to medications and therapy.
• May perform tuberculin, coccidioidin and histoplasmin skin tests, provides such tests are part of a tuberculosis control program.
• May perform immunizations provides they are based upon written protocols.
• Completes necessary arrangements or organizes treatment rooms prior to surgical and/or examination procedures by setting up or laying out instruments, drapes and sponges contained in sterile trays and assembling equipment items as required for particular procedures as directed.
• May assist licensed provider with patient examinations and treatments by positioning, restraining patients, and assisting as directed.
• Provides assistance in treatment rooms during minor surgical procedures and/or various diagnostic examinations by positioning and draping.
• May hold clamps or retractors, sponge vascular areas, and pass instruments as specifically directed by the physician.
• Assures safety of patient during procedures.
• May prepare and transport items such as medical equipment and laboratory specimens.
• May clean and disinfect instruments/equipment according to standardized procedures.
• Follows Universal Precautions. Reports incidents of failure to follow procedures to Department Administrator or designee.
• Maintains departmental files, performing duties such as pulling file and assembling forms prior to appointment, and filing returned diagnostic reports as directed.
• Initiates and/or completes diagnostic rest forms per provider order, telephones prescriptions to pharmacies, relays medical information from physician to patient, and relays information from patient to physician.
• Charts in patients medical record as indicated.
• May perform lab tests including urine dip-tests, acetone tests, hemoccult tests, tests to determine. PH, protein, PKU.
• May perform hearing and vision tests, glaucoma tests and visual acuities.
• Collects, by non-invasive and invasive techniques, and preserves specimens for testing, including urine, and sputum and stool.
• Participates in Department Quality Assurance activities.
• Performs other duties, as required, such as checking patients medical records for incomplete data and relaying message to staff personnel.
• Note: Specific duties may vary depending on assignment.
• Note: Bold print indicates the differences between an MAII & LVN.