PATIENT CARE ASSISTANT

Covenant Health; Morristown (TN); On-site; USD 34,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Morristown-Hamblen Healthcare System is hiring a Patient Care Assistant for the Surgery Unit in Morristown, TN. This full-time role runs 72 hours per pay period during night shifts, providing hands-on care under RN supervision.

The position emphasizes direct patient care, ADL assistance, and collaboration with the nursing team to ensure patient comfort and safety. CPR certification is required, and no specific prior experience is mandated.

Qualifications

• CPR certification is required.
• No formal degree required; HS diploma or GED acceptable.
• Willing to function as a sitter for patients needing full-time supervision in hospital.

Responsibilities

• Take and record vital signs and measurements.
• Assist patients with ADLs and mobility needs.
• Provide basic patient care including hygiene, feeding, and comfort.
• Support infection control and safety policies.
• Document patient information accurately.
• Answer call lights promptly and respond to patient requests.
• Assist in setting up equipment and transporting patients as needed.
• Gathers equipment and ensures proper functioning of bedside devices.

Skills

Patient care

ADL support

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

Overview

Patient Care Assistant, Surgery Unit

Full Time, 72 Hours Per Pay Period, Night Shift

Morristown-Hamblen Overview:

Morristown-Hamblen Healthcare Systemis a 170-bed hospital serving an eight-county region in East Tennessee’s Lakeway Area. The facility includes more than 20 emergency suites, advanced laboratories, radiology, and therapy services, and a Breast Imaging CenterofExcellence for mammograms, biopsies, and nurse navigation. The Women’s Center features six modern labor and delivery suites and a secure nursery for newborn care. Withstate-of-the-arttechnology and a dedicated team, Morristown-Hamblen provides exceptional, patient-focused care close to home.To meet the needs of our growing community, we continue to develop services, attract new physicians, and embrace innovation, all to promote an improved quality of life.

Position Summary:

Functions as a direct patient caregiver performing tasks to assist registered nurses. Performs hands-on care, assistance with ADL’s and specified technical tasks for a group of patients under the supervision of the Team Leader. May also function as a sitter for patients in need of full-time supervision in the hospital.

Responsibilities

• Take and record temperature, pulse, respiration rates, blood pressures, weights, heights, and intake-output measurements.
• Encourage patients to turn, cough, and take deep breaths and to use incentive spirometry as specified by Plan of Care.
• Ambulate, and assist patients in and out of bed, into wheelchairs and transport when necessary.
• Attends to nutritional needs of patient which may include distributing meal trays, feeding, filling and passing out water pitchers,
• Provides morning or evening care, which may include bed bath, oral hygiene, combing hair, back care, dressing patient, changing bed linen, cleaning over-bed table and bedside stand, straightening room, and other supportive care as needed.
• Empty drains, canisters, urine bags, bedpans and emesis basins and record intake and output.
• Assists in maintaining a safe environment, which may include reporting equipment that is out of order, appropriate handling of linen and storing of supplies.
• Provides general care such as positioning, lifting or turning patients; assisting in use of bedpan, urinal or commode; preoperative supportive care; and application/removal of abdominal binders or anti-embolism stockings and sequential compression devices.
• Empty & clean ostomy bag, per procedure.
• Collect urine, stool and sputum specimen as ordered.
• Perform tasks such as ROM, assist with ambulatory devices as specified by the patients' plan of care.
• Perform phlebotomy (requires additional training). To include correct labeling using two patient identifiers, maintenance of lab-draw supplies, rotating and restocking.
• Perform EKG (requires special training).
• Promptly answer patient call lights and respond to patient requests.
• Report significant changes in patients' condition to RN.
• Help to maintain clean and orderly patient and work environment.
• Employ all established infection control policies including standard precautions, transmission-based isolation precautions, OSHA standards, safety measures and proper body mechanics in performance of job.
• Document/maintain patient record as appropriate.
• Gathers equipment for O2 set up. Checks O2 for connection and proper placement.
• Checks for proper functioning of equipment at patient bedside
• Ambulate patients with oxygen.
• Set up suction equipment and check for proper function.
• Demonstrates ability to perform skills on the Nursing Assistant checklist.
• Follows policies, procedures, and safety standards. Completes required education assignments annually. Works toward achieving goals and objectives, and participates in quality improvement initiatives as requested.
• Must be trained and willing to function in a Sitter capacity for patients who need full-time supervision in the hospital.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Education:

None specified; will accept any combination of formal education and/or prior work experience sufficient to demonstrate possession of the knowledge, skill and ability needed to perform the essential tasks of the job, typically such as would be equivalent to a high school diploma or GED. Preference may be given to individuals possessing a HS diploma or GED.

Minimum Experience:

None

Licensure Requirement:

CPR required