Patient Care Tech - Acute Care Medicine

**$2,500 Sign On Bonus for offers accepted by September 30, 2023. Terms and Conditions apply**

Acute Care Medicine Unit
North Hospital, 1st and 2nd Floors

• 31 private bed unit caring for general and progressive levels of care
• Subspecialty of caring for adults with cystic fibrosis
• AACN Gold Beacon Award recipient - consecutive winner

Our Medicine Units:

• Create a supportive and nurturing environment for experienced and new graduate nurses with an emphasis on work-life balance
• Deliver exceptional care through Interprofessional collaboration
• Offer access to multiple Watson rooms, a unique space for team members to practice mindfulness
• Serve patients through the continuum of care
• Promote nursing autonomy, professional development and advancement
• Practice evidence-based care for patients with complex medical and surgical diagnoses
• Provide 24-hour accessibility to hospitalists and teaching physician services

The Patient Care Technician provides direct, age-specific care to a patient or group of patients based on medical orders and the plan of care under the direction of the RN or licensed independent practitioner.

Essential Job functions:

• Obtain or assist in the collection of specimens for diagnostic or waived tests.
• Maintain supplies, educational material, equipment, sterilization of supplies, instruments and the environment to promote quality, safe patient care outcomes (as applicable).
• Contribute to the patient experience by accurately identifying the patient, by observing safety goals and reporting to a licensed independent practitioner, manager and/or Registered Nurses regarding the patient’s physical and mental responses to the plan of care or any incident posing harm or threat to a patient.
• Provide direct and indirect care to patients with and without medical/surgical complications to meet their comfort, personal hygiene and safety needs.
• Ensure patient safety in the performance of job functions and through participation in hospital, department or unit patient safety initiatives.
• Obtain and record initial and ongoing patient information throughout the cycle of care, including admissions data, vital signs, height and weight, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, intake and output, calorie counts, and other patient information as outlined by VCUHS policy
• Performs other duties, as assigned
• Provide care in accordance with nursing and medical plans of care and deliver per VCUHS Nursing and Hospital policy and procedure.
• Attend all mandatory in-services and trainings and adhere to online training requirements.
• Establish and maintain courteous and effective rapport with patients, visitors, co-workers, and other members of health care team; demonstrate sensitivity and awareness to needs of patients, visitors and co-workers and respond promptly to verbal and/or written instructions.
• Provide safe and direct care to patients in their assigned unit making age-appropriate adjustments as needed. Monitor patients’ conditions and provide updates to the health care team.
• Ensure assigned clinical location is maintained as a safe, clean, stocked environment to facilitate meeting patient needs and unit/healthcare team functioning.

Patient Population:

Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide equitable care appropriate to the age of the patients served on their assigned unit.

Demonstrates knowledge and related competencies of the principles of growth and development of the life span and possesses the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interprets the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to their age, specific needs and to provide the equitable care needed as described in departmental policies and procedures.

Neonates (0-4 weeks), Infant (1-12 months), Pediatrics (1-12 years), Adolescents (13-17 years), Adolescents (13-17 years), Adults (18-64 years), Geriatrics (65 years and older)

Employment Qualifications:

Required Education:

High School Degree or equivalent

Preferred Education:
Certified Nursing Assistant

Licensure/Certification Required:

AHA BLS HCP Certification or equivalent

Licensure/Certification Preferred: N/A

Minimum Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:

Certification/Completion of one of the following:

• Emergency Medical Technician
• Military Corpsmen/Medic
• Nursing Aide Training Program
• Certified Nursing Assistant
• Experience within a healthcare environment
• Medical Assistant

OR

Completion of foundations/ clinical nursing course and one clinical rotation.

Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

• Knowledge of basic hygiene and activities of daily living care
• Knowledge of patient data collection and documentation (i.e. vital signs, intake/output, change in patient condition)
• Ability to assist with ambulation and patient mobility
• Accountability for completion of assigned tasks
• Ability to assist with feeding, hydration, and nutrition
• Ability to provide safe, compassionate care
• Ability to wear personal protective equipment as needed

Cultural Responsiveness:
Demonstrates a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through continuous development, modeling inclusive behaviors, and proactively managing bias.

Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Preferred:

Acute care experience as a nursing assistant or aide experience

Working Conditions:

• May be exposed to human blood and other potentially infectious materials. *
• May be required to use physical restraints.
• May be exposed to limited hazardous substances or body fluids. *
• May be exposed to physical altercations and verbal abuse.
• May be exposed to high noise levels and bright lights.
• Periods of high stress and fluctuating workloads may occur.
• May have periods of constant interruptions.

• Individuals in this position are required to exercise universal precautions, use personal protective equipment and devices, and learn the policies concerning infection control.

Physical Requirements:

Physical Demands: Lifting/ Carrying (0-100 lbs), Push/Pull (0-100 lbs.), Climb, Stoop, Kneel, Squat, Balance, Bend

Work Position: Sitting, Walking, Standing

Additional Physical Requirements/ Hazards:

Physical Requirements:

Manual dexterity (eye/hand coordination); Perform shift work; Maneuver weight of patients; Hear alarms/telephone/tape recorder; Reach above shoulder; Repetitive arm/hand movements; Finger Dexterity

Hazards:

Depth perception; Exposure to toxic/caustic/chemicals/detergents; Exposure to moving mechanical parts; Exposure to x ray/electromagnetic energy; Exposure to high pitched noises

Mental/Sensory - Emotional:

Mental/Sensory: Strong Recall, Reasoning, Problem solving, Hearing, Speak clearly, Write legibly, Reading, Logical Thinking

Emotional: Fast pace environment, Able to handle multiple priorities, Frequent and intense customer interactions, Noisy environment, Able to adapt to frequent change

EEO Employer/Disabled/Protected Veteran/41 CFR 60-1.4.