Observation Assistant, Emergency Department, 24 Hours, Evenings

C100 UMass Memorial Medical Center, Inc.; United States; On-site; USD 25,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

UMass Memorial Health is seeking an Emergency Department Observation Assistant to provide constant observation for high-risk patients and support patient safety throughout shifts.

Responsibilities include monitoring, de‑escalation and restraint assistance under RN/MD direction, documenting behaviors, and coordinating with nursing staff to maintain a safe environment.

Qualifications

• High School graduate or equivalent.
• Must be able to complete de-escalation training.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) or Heart Saver certification.
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Responsibilities

• Provide constant observation of high-risk patients as assigned.
• Monitor patients and perform safety checks every 15 minutes.
• Assist with patient mobility and participate in de-escalation and restraints when required.
• Report changes to the nurse and escalate safety concerns promptly.
• Document patient behavior every 15 minutes and hand off to the next shift.

Skills

Communication Skills

Calm under pressure

Restraint assistance

Education

High School graduate

Job description

Are you a current UMass Memorial Health caregiver? Exemption Status: Non-Exempt Hiring Range: $18.20 - $24.45 Please note that the final offer may vary within this range based on a candidate’s experience, skills, qualifications, and internal equity considerations. Schedule Details: Holidays - Every Other Holiday, Sunday through Saturday, Weekends - Every Other Weekend Scheduled Hours: 3p-11p Shift: 2 - Evening Shift, 8 Hours (United States of America) Hours: 24 Cost Center: 10020 - 2340 Emergency Room Union: SHARE (State Healthcare and Research Employees) This position may have a signing bonus available a member of the Recruitment Team will confirm eligibility during the interview process.

Everyone Is a Caregiver At UMass Memorial Health, everyone is a caregiver – regardless of their title or responsibilities. Exceptional patient care, academic excellence and leading-edge research make UMass Memorial the premier health system of Central Massachusetts, and a place where we can help you build the career you deserve. We are more than 20,000 employees, working together as one health system in a relentless pursuit of healing for our patients, community and each other. And everyone, in their own unique way, plays an important part, every day.

Major Responsibilities

1. Provides constant observation of high-risk patients as assigned by the Emergency Department Resource Nurse.
2. Assists the patient to get undressed, removes items that could injure the patient or staff, secures belongings.
3. Monitors the patient’s and conducts patient safety checks every 15 minutes for an assigned group of patients.
4. Escorts and supervises patients in the bathroom depending on level of care, under the direction of the RN, assists patients with meals and comforts and de‑escalates patients by using sensory techniques and distraction techniques as needed.
5. Attempts to prevent unsafe patient movement and actions.
6. Notifies the nurse of changes in patient activity, mood, behavior, requests for medication and calls for assistance when necessary.
7. Reminds patients about the importance of their safety and fall prevention attempts to redirect patient’s attention from equipment, and emergently prevents patients from dislodging equipment.
8. Works to utilize de‑escalation techniques to redirect the patients and if unsuccessful, under the direction of the RN or MD participates in restraints in accordance with training and education.
9. Obtains report on each assigned patient from nurse at the beginning of each shift.
10. Monitors patients and reports any potentially unsafe behaviors, or patients that appear to be escalating to the assigned nurse throughout the shift.
11. Reports concern to nurse if patient’s family or visitors are contributing to escalating behavior.
12. Performs environmental safety check of patient and patient’s room and removes potentially harmful items at the beginning of each shift and between discharges from rooms.
13. Constantly checks for and remedies potentially hazardous situations such as improperly open doors and windows.
14. Reports any potentially unsafe environmental issues that cannot be remedied to the assigned nurse throughout the shift.
15. Follows the Policy & Procedure(s) for Constant Observation.
16. Accompanies the patient for therapeutic procedures unless otherwise ordered by the assigned nurse and or physician.
17. Documents patient behavior every fifteen minutes on the Constant Observation documentation record.
18. Places this information in patient’s bedside chart. Provides handoff to the on‑coming ED Observation Assistant.
19. Performs a variety of duties to support patient care and the operations of the department.
20. Engages patients in activities as appropriate.
21. Maintains work area in neat and orderly manner. Stocks carts & supplies. Transports patient or equipment.
22. Answers telephones, takes messages, and completes light clerical duties such as filing as assigned.
23. Follows department/hospital policy and procedure on Infection Control, Fire Safety, etc., including training programs (including de‑escalation and restraint training) and demonstrates competency and proficiency as required.

Standard Staffing Level Responsibilities

1. Complies with established departmental policies, procedures, and objectives.
2. Attends variety of meetings, conferences, seminars as required or directed.
3. Demonstrates use of Quality Improvement in daily operations.
4. Complies with all health and safety regulations and requirements.
5. Respects diverse views and approaches, demonstrates Standards of Respect, and contributes to creating and maintaining an environment of professionalism, tolerance civility and acceptance toward all employees, patients and visitors.
6. Maintains, regular, reliable, and predictable attendance.
7. Performs other similar and related duties as required or directed.

Position Qualifications

License/Certification/Education

1. High School Graduate or equivalent.
2. Must be able to complete de‑escalation training.
3. Current Basic Life Support or Heart Saver certification.

Experience/Skills

Required

1. Communication Skills: Ability to read, write, speak effectively in English and have good interpersonal skills, required.
2. Demonstrates the ability to remain calm when under stress or in emergency situations.
3. Must be able to assist in the physical restraint of disturbed patients.

Preferred

1. Previous experience in patient care, mental health/intellectual disabilities, teaching/child care/special needs students or public safety preferred.

Physical Demands and Environmental Conditions

Position requires work indoors in a patient care environment. Work requires continuous visual inspection and auditory monitoring of patient movements and activities. Work requires frequent rapid physical response to unsafe patient movements; this includes standing, walking, running, reaching, bending, lifting and stooping.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

We’re striving to make respect a part of everything we do at UMass Memorial Health – for our patients, our community and each other. Our six Standards of Respect are: Acknowledge, Listen, Communicate, Be Responsive, Be a Team Player and Be Kind. If you share these Standards of Respect, we hope you will join our team and help us make respect our standard for everyone, every day.

As an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, UMass Memorial Health recognizes the power of a diverse community and encourages applications from individuals with varied experiences, perspectives and backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, gender identity and expression, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at [e-mail]. We will make every effort to respond to your request for disability assistance as soon as possible.

At UMass Memorial Health, everyone is a caregiver. No matter their responsibilities or title, every employee or "caregiver" fills an important role for our patients and their families every day. Who is a caregiver? It’s not just the person who delivers the care. It’s all the people who make it work … and make it better. Caregivers give everything that helps patients heal, from expertise to extra attention. They give clean, comfortable rooms. Fast, accurate answers. And an easier, less stressful experience. They give warm, reassuring smiles, and helping hands. We are more than 20,000 employees, working together as one health system in a relentless pursuit of healing for our patients, our community and each other. And everyone, in their own unique way, plays an important part, every day.