Patient Care Technician

Patient Care Technician (Emergency Department)

Distinguishing Features of the Class: Under the supervision of a Registered Professional Nurse, a Patient Care Technician (Emergency Department) provides direct patient care to patients in the Emergency Department, preparing patients for treatment and procedures and assisting in their general care. Other responsibilities include ensuring area preparedness, cleanliness and safety, performing equipment checks, and assisting in trauma resuscitations. Supervision is not typically a responsibility of this position, but may provide leadership for lower level aides or act as preceptor for new staff. Does related work as required.

Examples of Work: (Illustrative Only)

Assists the nursing staff in the care of patients in the Emergency Department;

Documents trauma room checks, including stocking trauma rooms to par for trauma preparedness, checking code and defibrillator carts, and ensuring organization of the trauma supply closet;

Completes equipment checklist, confirms availability and function of regular and specialized equipment and supplies in each room or area, documents equipment issues in the equipment log book and alerts nurse and biomedical engineering about malfunctioning equipment;

Obtains vital signs and weights, collects blood, urine and culture specimens as directed by nurse or physician, records all results in the EMR and immediately notifies the nurse of abnormal results;

Performs EKG's as directed by nurse or physician and confirms the availability of at least two working EKG machines at all times;

Performs glucose checks as directed by nurse or physician and performs glucometer quality control checks, decontamination, downloading and charging;

Organizes orthopedic casting area, stocking the orthopedic cart and alerts housekeeping when fine cleaning is needed;

Transports patients to and from tests, procedures or other areas of the hospital, as directed;

Documents all procedures performed in the medical record and signs/titles appropriately, ensuring all charts are countersigned by a Registered Nurse;

Provides end of shift, face to face hand-off to incoming Patient Care Technician, including information regarding supplies, equipment, and items needed to be completed;

Reports to supervising nurse when duties are not able to be completed on the shift so that additional support can be arranged and the assignment completed prior to the next shift;

Observes, records and reports general condition of patient, identifies significant changes in patient's clinical status, such as increased confusion, restlessness or lethargy or decreased response, and communicates to appropriate member(s) of the treatment team;

Meets patient need for comfort and safety by providing orientation, including maintaining time-appropriate lighting, providing orienting stimuli such as clock, TV, and newspaper, and providing eyeglasses and hearing aids, as needed;

Assists with patient's nutritional and hydration needs, including setting up meal trays, feeding patient, filling out menu, providing supplemental nutrition as ordered by medical staff;

Assists in patient admission by making sure the room is ready and assisting with transfer and settling of patient into their room, and complies with hospital policies and procedures to ensure that patient's equipment, supplies and personal belongings are secure and protected;

Assists in patient discharge by assisting patient with gathering their belongings and removing any medical equipment at the direction of the supervising nurse;

Responds to intercom requests and obtains needed services from nurses, physicians, or other hospital personnel when necessary;

Implements nursing safety interventions or the use of protective devices and equipment that maintain the safety of patients who have been identified as at risk for preventable injury;

Assists registered nurse with turning appropriate patients every 2 hours;

Participates in classes, patient-centered conferences, workshops, in-service programs and unit and departmental meetings, as directed.

Full Performance Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Attributes : Good knowledge of accepted standards of caring for and comforting the sick, disabled, injured or others requiring mental health or personal assistance; skill in customer service as it relates to the delivery of care; ability to prioritize the delivery of patient care using time and resources efficiently; ability to maintain good interpersonal relationships with patients, co-workers and all members of the healthcare team; ability to handle individual and critical situations in an effective manner; ability to maintain personal composure when unit priorities quickly change; ability to follow oral and written instructions as well as communicating patient information both verbally and in writing; computer literacy sufficient to perform the duties of the position; good judgment; tact; initiative; positive attitude; neatness; physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.

Minimum Acceptable Training and Experience: (1) Certification as either a Nurse Aide or Emergency Medical Technician, with EKG and Phlebotomy training, or as a Patient Care Technician or Medical Assistant; and (2) one year of experience performing patient care duties in a hospital or other health care setting.

Substitutions : Satisfactory completion of 30 college credits* in a patient care related field may be substituted for the one year of patient care experience required above.

Special Requirement : BLS or CPR certification by the American Heart Association or American Red Cross must be obtained within 90 days of employment and maintained throughout subsequent employment in this title.