Patient Care Assistant - Same Day Surgery

JOB SUMMARY:

• All employees are expected to perform their duties in alignment with the vision and values of the organization. The Patient Care Assistant (PCA) is responsible for a variety of tasks leading to a high level of customer satisfaction in the most cost-effective manner while treating patients with respect and dignity. Under supervision of the Registered Nurse, the PCA assists in the care and preparation of surgical patient in accordance with individual needs, physician orders, and hospital policy and standards of patient care.

EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS:

• 2-5 years of operating room experience in an acute care setting is preferred.

EDUCATION:

• High School Graduate or equivalent.

LICENSURES/CERTIFICATION:

• LA County Fire Card certification at the time of hire or within the first 30 days of employment
• Must successfully complete and maintain BLS Certification

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (These are the essential job functions for this position. The essential functions of this job include, but may not be limited to those listed in this job description. Employees hired for this position must be able to perform the essential function of this job without imposing significant risk of substantial harm to the health or safety of themselves or others):

• Adheres to established hospital/departmental policies and procedures, objectives, Performance Improvement Program, Infection Assessment and Improvement Program, legal, safety, environment control standards and Patient’s Bill of Rights.
• Performs other related duties as assigned or requested.
• Reviews the day’s surgical schedule and plans for timely transportation of patients to surgery and from PACU to SDS or Nursing Unit.
• Manages movement of Perioperative gurneys returning them to SDS for cleaning and storage.
• Afternoon shift cleans all gurneys from the day and sequesters them to SDS.
• In accordance with hospital policies and procedures, demonstrates transportation: Transporting patients to surgery, SDS and nursing units using the ticket to ride form; appropriate patient identification; handling patient and families, and demonstrating patient safety.
• Transports specimens to the lab and retrieves blood from the blood bank.
• Carries phone at all times in order to respond timely to transportation requests
• Must demonstrate knowledge/understanding of Surgical Environment: Unrestricted, Semi-restricted, and Restricted areas.
• With Charge Nurse, plans and coordinates the orientation and training of new employees.
• Demonstrates appositive cooperative manner when dealing with all members of the health are team
• Early morning shift ensures department is open and ready to receive patients and adequate gurneys, oxygen and gurneys for the GI lab.
• Demonstrates an understanding of the approaches to and methods of Performance improvement

The following job accountabilities are not unique to this particular job but are common to all jobs at VPH:

• Communicates accurately, honestly, supportively and in a timely manner with department and interdepartmental team members.
• Demonstrates knowledge of and follows safety practices. Understands the importance of safety, including patient safety in the work place. Maintains a safe environment for self and others.
• Participates in operational aspects of the department, and maintains/participates in performance improvement activities within the department.
• Participates in all departmental specific training, Environment of Care (injury/illness prevention, fire/life safety, hazardous materials, emergency preparedness, utilities management, medical equipment management, safety and security management), infection control (standard precautions, TB Exposure Control Plan, Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control Plan).
• Complies with VPH policies and procedures on customer satisfaction and service excellence.
• Works effectively and collaboratively with others toward common goals.
• Participates in education activities and process implementation.
• Identifies sentinel events/near misses and responds per defined organization processes.
• Conducts self in a professional, respectful and courteous manner during all interactions.
• Demonstrates effective business writing and oral communication skills, handwriting is clear and legible.
• Demonstrates professionalism and cultural sensitivity in coordinating activities and communicating with all customers, peers, and the community at large.
• Demonstrates advocacy for the patient/customer and appropriately acknowledges patients, customers and visitors.
• Must demonstrate knowledge/understanding of Infection Control: Hand washing, use of gloves and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and decontamination of equipment prior to and after use.
• Actively participates in the Patient Safety Program, including event reporting.

The above statements reflect the essential functions considered necessary to describe the principle content of the job. They are not intended to be a complete statement of all work requirements or duties that may be inherent in the job.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Answers phones or pages; may carry a beeper/pager, and/or use a two-way radio.
• Fast and continuous work pace with variable workload.
• Primarily an inside building/office environment, well lighted and ventilated, which may consist of multiple treatment and/or work sites.
• Occasional travel may be required.
• Handles emergency/crisis situations in accordance with Hospital policy.
• Subject to many interruptions from multiple calls and inquiries and potentially emotional situations involving accidents, injuries, illness and/or death.
• Frequent contact with staff and public under a variety of circumstances. Requires ability to communicate clearly (in English) verbally and in writing for effective communication with other staff members, physicians, vendors, community members, patients and patient families, employees and applicants of all socio-economic levels from a diverse cultural and ethnic population.
• Potential risk of exposure to hazards from chemicals (toxic and non-toxic), flammable materials, gas or electrical or radiant energy or equipment with/without moving parts.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Patient Care

• Frequent reaching above shoulder level and overhead.
• Continuous use of near vision to read medical equipment such as monitoring devices and reading documents and computer screens; hearing and verbal communication to interact with patients, co-workers, and other customers.
• Continuous use of bilateral upper extremities in fine motor activities requiring fingering, grasping, and forward reaching between waist and shoulder level to handle/operate medical equipment/devices.
• Frequent forward bending, twisting, squatting and kneeling; occasional climbing.
• Occasional/intermittent pushing of gurneys, wheelchairs, bed and other medical equipment over tiled and carpeted surfaces.
• Continuous standing/walking and occasional/intermittent sitting.
• Occasional repositioning and transferring patients weighing up to 200 pounds between bed, chair, and gurney.
• Occasional lifting and carrying equipment weighing up to 25 pounds.

Salary Range: $18.65 - $26.72 per hour