Intermediate Care Technician

Intermediate Care Technician

Intermediate Care Technicians (ICTs) are advanced Health Technicians who have graduated from intensive specialized military medical training programs and served as combat medics, medical technicians, and corpsman. They possess fundamental knowledge, background and experience in emergency medicine, critical care, medical readiness, field medicine, bedside care, and primary care.

Patient Screening: Duties include performing observation-based screening and collecting patient information in collaboration with licensed personnel. This may involve obtaining patient health history for chief complaints, medication history, and information about health-related or high-risk conditions that may impact the patient's health status. The incumbent will complete approved templates and tools, for example the MiniCog screening established by the agency.

Mental Health Services: The incumbent assists in behavioral/psychiatric situations in an emergency setting. This can include assisting licensed personnel with crisis intervention, assists with the management of aggressive or suicidal psychiatric patients, by providing one-to-one observations and applying prevention and management of disruptive behavior techniques (PMDB). The incumbent performs duties focused on communication techniques required to complete the questioners and templates approved for use in the ED, including active listening, restating, and mirroring.

Clinical Tasks: The incumbent assists ED licensed personnel with the delivery of care to patients with complex, specialized, and potentially life-threatening situations. This may include setting up equipment and passing instruments in the event of: cardioversions, insertion of thoracostomy tubes, or initiation of mechanical ventilation to restore normal physiological function or prevent deterioration of patient's condition. The incumbent must possess the knowledge to recognize life threatening situations and act to correct these emergent situations according to established national or local protocols. Clinical responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Vital signs. Examples: vital signs, 12-lead electrocardiogram (EKG).
• Point-of-care (POC). Examples: Abbott hand-held blood analyzer (I-STAT), glucometer.
• Equipment and surgical instrumentation set up . Examples: chest tube insertion, filling water chambers, handing instruments in a sterile field, and hooking up to suction when ordered.
• Observations and interventions. Examples: oxygen therapy and splinting.
• Wound care. Examples: bandaging, application of dressings and wound measurements.
• Specimen collection and Preparation. Examples: collecting and labeling venous blood samples and mucous specimens.

ICTs may perform tasks after proper education, training and competency, demonstrating knowledge, skills and abilities. Thoroughly and continually documents actions, interventions and patient response in the health record. Emergency Care: In addition to ongoing ED duties, the incumbent may be asked to respond to medical emergencies on the facility grounds, and sometimes encounters situations which may be life threatening as part of the Rapid Response Team (RRT), Code Blue, or medical transport team. The incumbent appropriately implements emergency care in accordance with established protocols and policies. Works in concert with other members of these teams to determine the nature, extent, and seriousness of the patient's condition including the search for medical alert symbols and medications. ICTs will obtain and maintain certification in basic life support (BLS), and other certifications as pertinent to their local facility and may assist within the scope/guidelines of their role and qualifications. Medication Administration: Medication administration will comply with national and local directives and policies. Administration methods may include intramuscular, oral, topical, eye drops, ear drops, intranasal, rectal suppositories, local anesthetics, nebulized medications, subcutaneous, and intradermal. Follows national and local pharmacy and facility guidelines for disposal of medications. Other duties: Conducts or assists with the training of personnel in CPR, and advanced emergency medical care techniques if appropriately trained, certified and/or qualified, for example: facility formal preceptors and BLS instructors. Can conduct or assist with stand-downs, community health programs, healthcare screenings, and immunizations. May be members of hospital-wide committees to enhance emergency care for Veterans.

Work Schedule: 24/7 shift work scheduling which encompasses proportional day, evening, night shifts, weekends and holidays as dictated by the published accepted emergency department operating procedures.