Job Description

Location: UCMC
Department: Emergency Department
Hours: 32 Hours Week
Shift: Second 3P-11P

Description for Internal Candidates

The Patient Care Assistant provides basic direct patient care as delegated by clinical professional personnel in accordance with delegation law and rules and current education. The PCA maintains an orderly, clean, and safe environment for patients and visitors.

About University of Cincinnati Medical Center

As part of the Clifton Campus of UC Health, Greater Cincinnati's academic health system, University of Cincinnati Medical Center has served Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky for nearly 200 years. Each year, hundreds of thousands of patients receive care from our world-renowned clinicians and care team. Our experts utilize the most advanced medical knowledge and technology available, providing a level of specialty and subspecialty medical care that is not available anywhere else in Greater Cincinnati.

UC Medical Center is also home to medical breakthroughs- our physician experts conduct basic, translational and clinical research, leading to new therapies and care protocols, and connecting patients to the latest and most advanced treatments. UC Medical Center houses Greater Cincinnati's only Level I adult trauma center, which includes the right mix of specialist and medical resources available at a moment's notice for a wide variety of the most complex medical conditions and injuries.

Unit Details (selling points):

• Only level one trauma center in Cincinnati
• Greater Cincinnati's only comprehensive organ transplant program
• Staffing ratios is 1:4
  

Responsibilities

Job Responsibilities

The Patient Care Assistant provides basic direct patient care as delegated by clinical professional personnel in accordance with delegation law and rules and current education. The PCA maintains an orderly, clean and safe environment for patients and visitors.

Responsibilities for Internal Candidates

PATIENT POPULATION - (CLINICAL ONLY)

• Engages in population appropriate communication. Has knowledge of growth and development milestones and tasks. Gives clear instructions to patients/family regarding treatment. Involves family/guardian in the assessment, initial treatment, and continuing care of the patient. Identifies any physical limitations of the patient and deploys intervention when necessary. Recognizes and responds to signs/symptoms of abuse or neglect.
• Recognizes and responds appropriately to patients/families with behavioral health problems. Interprets population related data and plans care appropriately. Identifies and responds appropriately to different needs resulting from, unique psychological needs or those associated with religious/cultural norms.
• Performs treatments, administers medication, or operates equipment safely.

Patient Care:

• Measures vital signs, records observation of skin integrity, intake & output, height & weight (bedside or w/c scale); reports all changes including mental status.
• Specimen collection: routine urine, clean catch urine, 24-hour urine, collection of self-expectorant sputum. Assists with activities of daily living (ADL's), skin care, tube and catheter care, turning, positioning, transfer and ambulating, range of motion (ROM), hot and cold compresses.
• Provides hygiene and comfort measures to include Bathing/showering, Peri-care. Changes linens as needed. Empties drainage bags and records outputs disposes of bodily fluids/waste. Utilizes patient care equipment such as manual/hydraulic/electronic lift/hoyer lift/bed scale. Removes and reapplies splints, braces, cervical collars, skin and skeletal traction, anti-embolic stockings. Performs post-mortem care.
• Distributes and removes food trays, sets up meal trays, positions, and prepares patient for meals, assists and/or feeds patient, assists with menu selection, records calorie counts, provides snacks and fluids, monitors head of bed (HOB) with patients receiving tube feedings.
• Assists with turning, coughing and deep breathing; provides follow-up to incentive spirometry; reapplies O2 cannula/mask, provide portable oxygen tank for transport. May perform EKG's mobile care phlebotomy (MCP), and blood glucose.

Communication:

• Communicates patient observations to RN timely and appropriately. Orients patients and visitors to room and unit and updates the white boards appropriately. Records measurements and patient data. Documents treatments and procedures performed. Responds to and utilizes nurse call system. Reception and phone duties, as directed. Retrieves information from the computer.

Environment:

• Facilitates the maintenance of a clean, safe and organized environment for patients and coworkers. Removes equipment when no longer in use to appropriate area for cleaning. Re-orders and stocks materials as necessary. Reports maintenance issues.

Teamwork:

• Participates in patient admission, transfer, and discharge. Demonstrates helpfulness, cooperation, and respect for team members in pursuit of unprecedented patient care. Other duties as delegated.

Safety Measures:

• Ensures call lights are within reach of patients. Answers call lights promptly. Ensures placement of patient identification bands. Ensures that side rails and restraints are applied for patient safety and per policy. Uses proper body mechanics and universal precautions.
  

Qualifications

Education: High school diploma or GED, required. STNA registry required for State Tested Nursing Assistant. STNA required for Daniel Drake Center

Years of Experience: Minimum required: Zero - six months experience required. Preferred: One to two years equivalent experience.

Required Skills and Knowledge:

• Trained and maintains proficiency in AHA CPR and patient care skills. Completes unit-specific hospital safety education.
• One of the following criteria is required for this role:
  • State Tested Nursing Aide Training; Acute Medical Surgical Training or Hospital Specific Training.
  • May be a student from an accredited RN program that has successfully completed a medical surgical rotation or another acute care rotation.
  • If candidates do not have either of the initial two requirements, the candidate must successfully complete the UC Health competency training for PCA's and additional orientation before being permitted to care for patients.