Job OverviewPerforms delegated nursing functions to assigned patients including personal care, ambulation, exercise, nutrition, specimen collection and vital signs:
- Assists patients with personal cares.
- Assures patient privacy and safety.
- Recognizes patient/family needs for comfort.
- Provides appropriate comforting measures.
- Responds to patient call lights.
- Recognizes when different approaches are needed due to age or cultural background.
- Utilizes equipment properly.
Performs special procedures (eg: skin care) as defined by patient care unit practice guidelines:
- Uses appropriate infection control techniques.
- Uses supplies and equipment appropriately.
- Seeks assistance when faced with abnormal situations.
Observes patients and reports any changes in status to appropriate staff:
- Documents care provided.
- Reports unusual data or changes in patient condition to nurse in a timely manner.
- Responds appropriately to emergent situations.
- Assists the nurses in monitoring patient condition.
Communicates effectively with all members of the health care team:
- Maintains patient confidentiality.
- Provides updates and report to maintain continuity of care and keeps staff informed of changes in patients schedules.
- Uses established communication system to contact staff members.
- Responds appropriately to emergent situations.
Performs environmental and other responsibilities as assigned:
- Maintains order and cleanliness in patient care rooms, central desk area, and other areas as assigned.
- Assists with patient admissions, transfers, and discharges.
- Provides courier and escort services as needed.
- Responsible for the maintenance of desk area and patient supplies and equipment according to designated standards.
Maintains the medical record:
- Assures that each medical record is complete, in appropriate order, and current.
- Assures that all medical orders are transcribed in an accurate, timely manner and in accordance with unit guidelines.
- Files chart reports in a timely manner.
- Anticipates needs and prepares charts for admission, transfer, and discharge including copying appropriate information for discharge to other health care facilities.
- Utilizes correct medical terminology and proper abbreviations and uses proper abbreviations and symbols per procedures.
Schedules patient tests and procedures:
- Considers patient needs and changing condition to schedule tests and procedures accordingly.
- Works with other members of the health care team to prioritize tests and procedures when multiple requests are requested.
- Communicates clearly to other departments and services to assure they have all essential information including special requests and needs of the patient.
- Recognizes when different considerations are needed due to age, or cultural background.
Maintains unit communication systems and central desk area:
- Records scheduled tests and procedures on kardexs and communication boards.
- Handles specimens and patient equipment according to proper infection control practices.
- Notifies appropriate team members when tests or procedure results and other information are available.
- Responsible for the completion of clerical duties in an organized and priority-based manner.
Receives all patients, family members, visitors and other members of the health team:
- Notices and greets people as they approach the desk.
- Responds to everyone in a welcoming and positive manner.
- Answers telephone and responds to calls according to unit guidelines and customer service principles.
- Coordinates activities of the desk area to provide prompt, accurate and courteous handling of communication. Consistently answers patient intercom promptly and relays patient requests in a timely manner.
Maintains unit stock/supplies/equipment:
- Monitors and coordinates ordering and stocking of supplies, forms, and equipment per designated standards on routine basis.
- Orders individual patient supplies as directed by a nurse or as indicated on physician orders.
- Notifies appropriate department per procedure for equipment requiring maintenance and follows through on status of equipment as necessary.
- Demonstrates general knowledge of cost containment and awareness of cost control by following designated standards of the patient care area. (PAR levels, etc.)
Participates in staff development:
- Participates in orientation of new staff on the patient care unit.
- Demonstrates and shares knowledge of priority-based job responsibilities in an organized manner with the new staff.
- Demonstrates and shares knowledge of policies specific to FRH or include: patient confidentiality, safety/emergency procedures, infection control.
Organization Expectations, as applicable:
- Demonstrates ability to provide care or service adjusting approaches to reflect developmental level and cultural differences of population served
- Partners with patient care giver in care/decision making.
- Communicates in a respective manner.
- Ensures a safe, secure environment.
- Individualizes plan of care to meet patient needs.
- Modifies clinical interventions based on population served.
- Provides patient education based on an assessment of learning needs of patient/care giver.
- Fulfills all organizational requirements
- Completes all required learning relevant to the role.
- Complies with and maintains knowledge of all relevant laws, regulation, policies, procedures and standards.
- Fosters a culture of improvement, efficiency and innovative thinking.
- Performs other duties as assigned.