Nursing Assistant - Full-time, Nights - Cardiology ICU/PCU at HUP

Penn Medicine; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A top academic medical center in Philadelphia is seeking a Certified Nursing Assistant to support patient care in a dynamic medical environment. This role requires effective communication and teamwork, along with essential certifications. The chosen candidate will work closely with nurses to ensure the highest quality of care for patients in critical conditions. This position offers a comprehensive benefits program to support employee well-being.

Benefits

Comprehensive compensation program

Prepaid tuition assistance

Employee health benefits

Qualifications

• Must have Basic Cardiac Life Support certification.
• CNA Certification by the State of Pennsylvania is required.
• Must be a nursing student if not certified.

Responsibilities

• Reports to the registered nurse each shift.
• Assists in data collection for nursing history.
• Promotes infection control and patient safety.
• Documents patient findings and interventions.
• Evaluates nursing care effectiveness.

Skills

Basic Cardiac Life Support

Patient communication skills

Infection control awareness

Documenting patient care

Education

H.S. Diploma/GED

Graduated from a certified nursing assistant program

Job description

Penn Medicine is dedicated to our tripartite mission of providing the highest level of care to patients, conducting innovative research, and educating future leaders in the field of medicine. Working for this leading academic medical center means collaboration with top clinical, technical and business professionals across all disciplines.

Today at Penn Medicine, someone will make a breakthrough. Someone will heal a heart, deliver hopeful news, and give comfort and reassurance. Our employees shape our future each day. Are you living your life's work?

Schedule: Full-time, Nights, 36hrs/week, every 3rd weekend

The Cardiology Intensive Care Unit (CICU)/Progressive Care Unit (PCU) is a 24-bed unit in the HUP Pavilion. All staff members in our unit are trained to care competently for both CICU and PCU patients. Once orientation is complete, they will split their time between caring for both levels of care.

We manage a wide range of complex cardiac conditions, including cardiogenic shock, life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias, acute myocardial infarction, advanced heart failure, adult congenital heart disease, postpartum cardiomyopathy, pulmonary hypertension, and acute coronary syndrome. Our unit is equipped to handle critically ill patients requiring advanced hemodynamic monitoring and interventions, including central venous, arterial, and pulmonary artery catheters, mechanical ventilation, intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) therapy, continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), targeted temperature management (TTM), and ventricular assist devices (VADs and Impellas).

Primarily a medical cardiology unit, we care for patients before durable VAD implantation, before organ transplant, and during any recurrent admissions, separate from the postoperative care area for invasive cardiothoracic/vascular surgery. Additionally, we provide care for patients undergoing pre- and post-cardiac catheterization, electrophysiology studies, and other minimally invasive cardiac procedures.

Summary:

• The certified nursing assistant is an integral member of the health care team who delivers quality care through collaboration and communication with team members. They work under the direct supervision of the registered nurse to support and assist the nurse in the delivery of quality care to patients and families. Some of the major responsibilities will include collection and reporting of patient data, incorporating organizational competencies of superior quality care and assuming responsibility and accountability for their role performance outcomes while supporting HUP's Standards of Excellence.

Responsibilities:

• Report: Receives written/verbal report at the beginning of each shift from the registered nurse (RN) regarding the care that is to be delivered to the assigned group of patients, or for patient needing constant observation. Gives report when leaving unit, and at the completion of the shift regarding the care that was delivered.

• Any abnormalities that occur during the shift are to be reported as they occur to the RN as well as to the oncoming CNA.

• Assists in Assessment: Identifies the patient per hospital policy before carrying out functions. Assists with data collection for nursing history and physical e.g., vital signs, height, weight, blood sugar results, functional status and communicates changes to the RN in a timely fashion. Participates in respectful communication with patients, families and co-workers. Provides patient and family information to the registered nurse for coordination of care and discharge planning. Observes skin changes and reports discoloration, abrasions, infestations or skin breakdown.

• Planning: Assists in setting mutually agreed upon realistic individual patient goals. Integrates the RN’s directions regarding the patient’s plan of care into the care given to the patient. Gives RN report before the end of the shift regarding the patient’s response to the plan of care issues, and at various times during the shift to report unusual findings e.g., abnormal blood sugar results, vital sign changes, pain etc.

• Intervention: Promotes infection control by using the appropriate hand washing techniques. Follows standard precautions and any other isolation precautions as dictated by the patient’s condition. Maintains a safe environment and protects the patient from injury by observing the patient who may be at risk for falls, confusion, disorientation, wandering or suicidal behaviors.

• Follows Constant Observation Policy. Applies and monitors patients in restraints per policy and per medical order. Observes or monitors behavior/health state and responses to therapy. Communicates pertinent observations to appropriate members of the health care team in a timely fashion. Participates in multidisciplinary rounds on the patient care unit. Performs patient care rounds per unit policy. Participates in staff and unit council meetings.

• Documentation: Documents findings, interventions and patient outcome results on patient documents. This may include I&O, VS, Bladderscanner results, pulse ox results, glucometer results or other findings. Documents using complete signature, status “CNA” and date and time on all charted entries.

• Evaluation: Assists in evaluating nursing care given by comparing the patient's functional status from day to day and discussing this with the nurse.

Credentials:

• Basic Cardiac Life Support (Required)

• Certified Nurse Aid (Required)

• CNA Certification by the State of Pennsylvania

Education or Equivalent Experience:

• H.S. Diploma/GED (Required)

• Graduate of a certified nursing assistant program - in lieu of certification, must be a nursing student matriculated in an accredited BSN nursing program having minimally completed the nursing foundations/fundamentals clinical course with a 3.0 GPA overall and in the nursing major and continue to maintain a 3.0 GPA in all nursing major subjects.

We believe that the best care for our patients starts with the best care for our employees. Our employee benefits programs help our employees get healthy and stay healthy. We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits program that includes one of the finest prepaid tuition assistance programs in the region.

We are an Equal Opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, familial status, genetic information, domestic or sexual violence victim status, citizenship status, military status, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable law.