Patient Care Technician

Responsibilities:

• Attends to patient and family's immediate needs and problems by acknowledging and providing required attention.
• Assists the patient with activities of daily living, including dressing, bathing, and hygiene needs.
• Carries out nursing orders according to established policies and procedures.
• Reports all pertinent information regarding patient's condition to the appropriate nursing staff.
• Assists in providing patients with nutritional needs as per physician order; assists patients with tray setup and feeding as needed.
• Interacts with the Food and Nutrition Services to maintain an adequate supply of nourishment for the patients.
• Provides patients with hygiene, nutritional needs, ambulation, toileting, and linen changes.
• Provides patients with respect, dignity, and privacy at all times.
• Organizes and prioritizes workload by determining order of importance of task to be performed and within agreed upon time frame.
• Follows up with appropriate personnel.
• Attentive when receiving instructions and follows through work with minimum guidance and supervision.
• Works cooperatively with other team members.
• Restocks necessary supplies on a daily basis and as needed.
• Maintains orderliness and appearance of the unit by keeping work area clean and tidy.
• Orders supplies from Central Supply to keep the par levels with an acceptable range.
• Transports patients on stretchers and beds in accordance within required safety guidelines.
• Documents care provided on the medical record as appropriate.
• Interacts with the Environmental Department to insure an adequate supply of clean linen or daily patient care.
• Collects and transports specimens as directed and in accordance with hospital policy.
• Provides RN/LPN with accurate and timely intake/output data, vital signs, blood glucose results and other data as assigned.
• Notes changes from prior measurement and communicates accordingly.
• Responds to call lights within a maximum of FIVE minutes or communicates inability to do so to assure the response target is met.
• Reports patient needs to RN/LPN immediately.
• If primary nurse is not available the PCT makes the Clinical Shift Manager or Relief Charge Nurse aware. Demonstrates the ability to obtain vital signs and reports results to RN/LPN in a timely manner.
• Notes changes from prior measurement and communicates accordingly.
• Treats all customers including other members of the healthcare team with courtesy and respect.
• Assists in the removal of equipment (I.e. IV pumps, commodes, PAS) in preparation for room cleaning.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education:

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Graduate of approved program for Nursing assistants or previous hospital training preferred.

Certifications:

• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification preferred.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) through American Heart Association (AHA).

Complexity of Work:

• All employees are expected to meet the standards of performance outlined in the Organizational-Wide Competencies listed below as applied to the position: World Class Service Orientation: Demonstrates courteous, polite, friendly and cooperative behaviors toward others.
• Supports and participates in activities that promote customer satisfaction.
• Utilizes approved hospital scripts.
• Courteously answers the telephone utilizing approved script (department, name and "How can I help you").
• Assists in answering call lights when on the nursing units (includes ancillary and non-patient care personnel). Answers call lights within 4 rings.
• Acknowledges patients/guests/others immediately upon entering the department/work area.
• Communicates and follows the organizational chain of command for notification of patient care/service issues, when appropriate. (Calls are answered within 4 rings.)
• Attitude: Chooses to have a positive attitude every day.
• Customer waiting: Updates waiting patient/family per protocol. (Scheduled visit every 10 minutes, unscheduled every 30 minutes.
• Adaptability: Exhibits good communication and listening skills.
• Speaks clearly, actively listens.
• Able to work with diverse populations (patient, staff, physicians) under difficult and stressful situations.
• Supports the team approach.
• Committed to Customer Service standards.
• Encourages patients and family members to ask questions.
• Avoids jargon.
• Teamwork: Understands and supports the needs of individuals in other departments, works as a team to achieve mutual goals. Offers assistance and promptly responds to requests (patient, physician, manager and others).
• Performs any other duties or responsibilities that may be assigned.
• Carries Spectralink phone at all times.
• Updates patient boards with numbers. (Appropriate personnel) Attends 80% of all staff meetings.
• Participates in coordination/delivery of approved Facility events.
• Efficiency and Effectiveness: Offers suggestions for departmental and/or hospital-wide performance/process improvement. Intervenes to correct problems (patient and system) as they occur.
• Notifies manager/director of actions and outcome.
• Participates in the performance/process improvement process.
• Completes required logs and quality controls as per hospital/department requirements.
• Work Habits: Readily accepts work assignments in a positive manner.
• Performs work that is accurate, neat and consistent.
• Documentation is legible.
• Safety: Keeps work area neat and maintains equipment in accordance with health and safety codes.
• Uses Standard precautions in all patient contacts.
• Provides a safe environment for patients/family and visitors, and reports safety issues and equipment failures appropriately.
• Confidentiality: Sensitive information including, but not limited to, patient records, charts, hospital documents and employee information is kept confidential without exception, according to HIPAA guidelines.
• Ensures that the rights of all patients are respected and maintained by allowing for privacy, cultural diversity and dignity in the provision of care.
• Demonstrates organizational skills in the form of prioritization and time management.
• Essential Job Requirements: Policies/Procedures: Is aware of and follows all hospital, corporate, regional, and departmental policies and procedures.
• Appearance: Projects a professional image, follows the hospital dress code policy and/or department requirements.
• Wears hospital ID badge at all times on duty.
• Attendance: Employee reports to work each regularly scheduled work day.
• Does not take advantage of sick time.
• Punctuality: Clocks in by the scheduled start time of the shift and is ready for work.
• Continues working until scheduled departure time. Leaves as scheduled unless overtime is approved by supervisor.
• Managerial Responsibilities: Makes suggestions to reduce waste.
• Ensures that personnel and supplies of the organization are used in a cost effective manner.
• Identifies cost saving strategies for department/hospital.
• Submits accurate and timely hospital charges for department/hospital.
• Offers opinions and information that reflect positively on Cleveland Clinic Florida.
• Will take the time to speak with an employee (privately) if they observe or overhear that an employee is not being an ambassador of the hospital.
• Understands how individual job performance affects department and hospital growth.
• Identifies and communicates opportunities to improve service or care.
• Participates in hospital/departmental committees to improve service and streamline organizational processes.
• Note: The above stated duties are intended to outline those functions typically performed by individuals assigned to this classification.
• This description of duties is not intended to be all inclusive nor to limit the discretionary authority of supervisors to assign other tasks of similar nature or level of responsibility.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of six months experience in an acute care hospital setting preferred.

Physical Requirements:

• The position requires a considerate amount of physical work not to exceed 50 pounds.
• Any workload exceeding 50 pounds will require assistance.
• The individual will be required to pull up or reposition patients in bed, lift supplies, place equipment or supports, and push beds throughout the hospital.
• The individual must be able to bend over to perform certain duties such as check chest tube drainage, check urine output, etc.
• The individual must be able to quickly maneuver throughout halls, stairways and patient rooms in response to hospital emergencies.
• Interpretation of environmental input requires visual and auditory skills.
• In the event there is a need to evacuate the building, heavy lifting will be required to carry patients to safety.
• Mental Demands: Ability to work at a fast pace and to prioritize multiple assignments/projects and respond to numerous requests; ability to resolve conflicts among staff and to work collaboratively with department director, physicians and other members of the Healthcare team; ability to ensure operational efficiency; ability to problem solve and make decisions; ability to exercise self control and tolerate stress when dealing with multiple requests and/or conflicting demands from multiple customers.
• Special Demands: Essential Sensory requirement - ability to visually assess patients and implement plan of care.
• Essential Technical/Motor Skill - finger dexterity and eye/hand coordination are necessary when charting, using equipment, and providing direct patient care.

Personal Protective Equipment:

• Follows standard precautions using personal protective equipment as required.