Patient Care Assistant - Float Pool

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) provides nursing staff support in the areas of patient care delivery, clerical functions, and organization of the unit environment, as well as set-up and maintenance of equipment. The emphasis on each of these areas will depend on the unit assigned.

Essential Duties:

• Knows and utilizes all computerized systems to send messages, document care, and communicate patient/unit needs to various departments.
• Ensures that the unit is in continuous survey readiness
  • No food/drink in nurses station
  • No open containers in patient pantry
  • No outside food in patient refrigerator
  • No boxes etc. or floor
  • Staff refrigerator kept clean
  • Linens covered at all times
  • Keep fire door closed
  • Maintain clean/tidy nurses station, locker room, pantry
• Tables/Chairs
• Appropriately prioritizes patient needs
• Actively collaborates with the RN at the beginning and throughout the shift regarding patient care and data collection.
• Maintains clear and organized patient rooms
• Ensures safe physical environment and ensures safe operation of patient-care equipment
  • Call light/telephone with reach
  • Floors clear of fall hazards
  • Maintains uncluttered and easy access to bathroom, ambulation, and emergency equipment.
  • Commodes
  • Walkers
  • Shower chairs
  • IV poles
  • Beds
  • Tables/Chairs
• No open containers in patient pantry
• Provides fresh water at beginning and end of shift and prn
• Performs essential skills which contribute to positive patient outcomes per routing, MD orders, and RN direction
  • Vitals
  • Daily weight
  • I & O
  • Hygiene: bath, peri-care, oral care, HS care, hair care
  • Maintains clear and organized patient rooms
  • Assist with meals/feeding
  • Ambulation/mobility; turn bed patients every 2 hours, transfers from bed to chair
  • Provides fresh water at beginning and end of shift and prn
  • Appropriately prioritizes patient needs
• No food/drink in nurses station
• Vitals
• Hygiene: bath, peri-care, oral care, HS care, hair care
• Documents all care provided, including vital signs, intake and output, meal percentages, equipment used, and patient care.
• Responds to patient call within 10 minutes.
• Walkers
• I & O
• Keep fire door closed
• Commodes
• Provides RN with necessary data related to patient assessment.
• Anticipates pts needs
• Staff refrigerator kept clean
• Proactively makes rounds to reduce patient calls
• Ensures confidentiality of patient records and other written information
• Does not engage in inappropriate discussions regarding other patients and unit operations
• No boxes etc. or floor
• No outside food in patient refrigerator
• IV poles
• Daily weight
• Call light/telephone with reach
• Shower chairs
• Assist with meals/feeding
• Knows and follows line of communication within the department.
• Ambulation/mobility; turn bed patients every 2 hours, transfers from bed to chair
• Maintains uncluttered and easy access to bathroom, ambulation, and emergency equipment.
• Floors clear of fall hazards
• Explains plan of care to the patient
• Linens covered at all times
• Smiles and is pleasant during all interactions
• Makes presence known before entering a room or private area
• Contributes input into the patient’s plan of care and accurately implements interventions on the patient’s plan of care, in collaboration with the RN.
• Maintain patient confidentiality
• Beds
• Reports to RN/Charge Nurse pertinent information/significant change in patient condition/patient and family concerns and patient refusal of care in a timely manner.
• Maintain clean/tidy nurses station, locker room, pantry
• Identifies/introduces self to patient and visitors
• Reports to RN/Charge Nurse patient’s inability to perform self-care and describes actions taken which were ineffective.
• Patient Satisfaction:
  • Responds to patient call within 10 minutes.
  • Anticipates pts needs
  • Proactively makes rounds to reduce patient calls
  • Maintains positive behaviors toward patients and visitors
  • Smiles and is pleasant during all interactions
  • Provides RN with necessary data related to patient assessment.
  • Contributes input into the patient’s plan of care and accurately implements interventions on the patient’s plan of care, in collaboration with the RN.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
• Maintains positive behaviors toward patients and visitors

Required Qualifications:

• Specialized/technical training Graduate from an accredited Certified Nursing Program. (*Grandfathered from CNA Certification requirement, if hired/transferred prior to 8/2016.)
• High school or equivalent

• Ability to communicate effectively in English both verbally and in writing.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 1 year Experience in a health care setting

Required Licenses/Certifications:

• Certified Nursing Assistant (CA DPH) *Grandfathered from CNA Certification requirement, if hired/transferred prior to 8/2016.
• Fire Life Safety Training (LA City) If no card upon hire, one must be obtained within 30 days of hire and maintained by renewal before expiration date. (Required within LA City only)
• Basic Life Support (BLS) Healthcare Provider from American Heart Association

The hourly rate range for this position is $18.20 - $30.97. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.