Nursing Assistant - UPMC St. Margaret

Nursing Assistant Opportunity

UPMC St. Margaret Hospital is seeking compassionate and dedicated full-time Nursing Assistants to join our inpatient care teams. This role offers an excellent opportunity to begin or grow a career in healthcare while providing meaningful, hands-on patient care in a hospital setting. Nursing Assistants work rotating 12-hour day and night shifts, including rotating weekends and holidays, and play a vital role in delivering high-quality, patient-centered care across our hospital.

All newly hired Nursing Assistants will complete required training at UPMC's Energy Innovation Center in Pittsburgh, PA, scheduled 7:30 a.m. 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday during the first week of hire. Available positions are located on our 4A Inpatient Rehab, 4B Orthopedic, 5A Oncology, 5B Pulmonary, and 6A General Surgical Units. Candidates will participate in a group interview with leaders from each unit, with final placement determined by unit leadership based on clinical fit and preference.

As a Nursing Assistant, you will provide direct patient care under the direction of a Registered Nurse and support patients with activities of daily living, including bathing, feeding, toileting, ambulation, transporting, turning, and repositioning. Responsibilities also include performing point-of-care testing (such as blood glucose monitoring), obtaining vital signs, weights, intake and output measurements, assisting with telemetry monitoring, collecting urine specimens, supporting restraint application and removal as directed, and assisting with safe intra-hospital patient transport.

In addition, Nursing Assistants help maintain a safe, clean, and supportive care environment by completing safety checks, changing linens, cleaning and organizing patient rooms and unit spaces, stocking supplies, setting up patient care equipment within scope, delivering patient nourishments, filling water pitchers, and distributing patient mail.

This position is posted as a Nursing Assistant, which is a valued step in UPMC's Patient Care Support Career Ladder. The final candidate will be placed in the appropriate title and salary based on education and experience.

Responsibilities:

• Provides direct patient care as directed by the RN including all activities of daily living such as but not limited to bathing, feeding, transporting, toileting and ambulating patients. Maintains an environment conducive to patient safety and recovery including, but not limited to, completing safety checks, keeping the department and patient rooms clean and organized, cleaning department specific equipment, changing bed linens, emptying linen hampers, keeping hallways clear of equipment and returning equipment. Acquires and distributes supplies and equipment to facilitate patient care delivery including, but not limited to, performing messenger functions, ordering, charging/crediting supplies, setting up patient care equipment within the scope of the nursing assistant position and stocking patient rooms and unit supply areas. Delivers patient nourishments, fills water pitchers and distributes patient mail. Performs the UPMC nursing core responsibilities for nursing assistants: blood glucose, weights, vital signs, I&O, specimen collections and Foley care. Provides feedback to the RN regarding patient care and reports changes in patient status. May apply, monitor and remove patient restraints per physician or hospital protocol.
• Constructively receives feedback and direction. Identifies and communicates learning needs to the unit director. Takes action to improve knowledge, skills and performance. Requests assistance in planning and prioritizing activities as needed. Participates in self-review as requested by the unit director.
• Demonstrates the ability to communicate clearly and effectively with all members of the health care team. Demonstrates understanding of cultural diversity, horizontal violence and impairment in the health professions. Cares for patients and self by supporting safety in the workplace. Develops and maintains productive working relationships internally and externally by demonstrating accountability for actions, enthusiasm, motivation and commitment to patients and colleagues.
• Suggests and supports changes within the department. Assumes responsibility for assignment and views problems as challenges. Demonstrates awareness of behavior on the efficient functioning of the department.
• Assures equipment malfunctions are reported to the appropriate department. Establishes appropriate and effective communication strategies. Establishes professional and respectful interpersonal relationships. Contributes to the universal unit activities including, but not limited to, responding to call lights and telephones, passing meal trays and transporting patients.
• Provides diversional activities to reduce or prevent use of restraints. Documents in the medical record according to established procedures. Completes clerical functions as needed by department. Complies with safety policies and procedures including standard precautions and understands policies and procedures for blood borne pathogen exposure. *Strictly adheres to all policies and practices relative to patient care and hospital related information.*Responds within the scope of the nursing assistant role to emergent situations. *Provide companionship/supervision one in one with patients as required.
• Performs the UPMC nursing core responsibilities for nursing assistants: ADLs (bathing, feeding, transporting, toileting, ambulating, turning and repositioning patients. PLUS point of care testing (inc. blood glucose), weights, vital signs, I&O, telemetry monitor application/reapplication, Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) & patient safety indicator prevention, urine specimen collection, restraint placement and removal, and ticket to ride (intra-hospital transportation).
• Assures equipment malfunctions are reported to the appropriate department. Contributes to the universal unit activities including, but not limited to, responding to call lights and telephones, passing meal trays and transporting patients. Identifies and communicates learning needs to the unit director or direct leader. Request's assistance in planning and prioritizing activities as needed. Provides diversional activities to reduce or prevent use of restraints. Documents in the medical record according to established procedures. Completes clerical functions as needed by department. Complies with safety policies and procedures including standard precautions and understands policies and procedures for blood borne pathogen exposure. Access to medications is limited to the distribution of the medication to the nurse.
• *Strictly adheres to all policies and practices relative to patient care and hospital related information. *Responds within the scope of the nursing assistant role to emergent situations. *Provide companionship/supervision one on one with patients as required.

• High school diploma or GED.
• Successful completion of UPMC nursing assistant training program
• Knowledge of body mechanics and transfer techniques.
• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) preferred.
• Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances: CPR required based on AHA standards that include both a didactic and skills demonstration component within 30 days of hire
• Basic Life Support (BLS) OR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran