Patient Care Assistant - Float Pool ICU - Full Time 12 Hour Days (Non-Exempt) (Union)

University of Southern California; Glendale (CA); On-site; USD 32,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Southern California's Keck Hospital of USC in Glendale, CA is hiring a Patient Care Technician to support nursing staff with patient care, clerical tasks, and unit organization. The role emphasizes vitals, hygiene, mobility, documentation, and effective teamwork with RNs.

The position pays $22.88–$38.90 per hour. Requirements include high school diploma, 1 year healthcare experience, English communication, and CA DPH Certified Nursing Assistant credential with BLS and LA Fire Life

Qualifications

• Req High School or equivalent.
• Pref 1 year Experience in a health care setting.
• Req Ability to communicate effectively in English both verbally and in writing.
• Req Certified Nursing Assistant (CA DPH).
• Req Basic Life Support (BLS) Healthcare Provider from American Heart Association.
• Req Fire Life Safety Training (LA City) If no card upon hire, one must be obtained within 30 days of hire and maintained by renewal before expiration date. (Required within LA City only).

Responsibilities

• Responds to patient call within 10 minutes and assists with care as directed by RN.
• Performs vital signs, daily weight, intake and output, hygiene, ambulation, and turns patients every 2 hours.
• Maintains clean, organized patient rooms; assists with meals and feeding.
• Operates and ensures safe use of patient-care equipment; keeps call lights within reach.
• Documents all care provided, including vital signs and intake/output.
• Communicates plan of care to patients and families; collaborates with RN/Charge Nurse.
• Ensures unit readiness and maintains safety standards (Fire Life Safety, housekeeping).
• Maintains patient confidentiality.

Skills

Communication skills

Education

High School or equivalent

Job description

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) provides nursing staff support in the areas of patient care delivery, clerical functions, and organization of the unit environment, as well as set-up and maintenance of equipment. The emphasis on each of these areas will depend on the unit assigned.

Essential Duties

• Patient Satisfaction: * Responds to patient call within 10 minutes. * Anticipates pts needs * Proactively makes rounds to reduce patient calls * Maintains positive behaviors toward patients and visitors * Smiles and is pleasant during all interactions * Provides RN with necessary data related to patient assessment. * Contributes input into the patient's plan of care and accurately implements interventions on the patient's plan of care, in collaboration with the RN.
• Performs essential skills which contribute to positive patient outcomes per routing, MD orders, and RN direction * Vitals * Daily weight * I & O * Hygiene: bath, peri-care, oral care, HS care, hair care * Maintains clear and organized patient rooms * Assist with meals/feeding * Ambulation/mobility; turn bed patients every 2 hours, transfers from bed to chair * Provides fresh water at beginning and end of shift and prn * Appropriately prioritizes patient needs
• Safety: * Ensures safe physical environment and ensures safe operation of patient-care equipment * Call light/telephone with reach * Floors clear of fall hazards * Maintains uncluttered and easy access to bathroom, ambulation, and emergency equipment. * Commodes * Walkers * Shower chairs * IV poles * Beds * Tables/Chairs
• Documentation * Documents all care provided, including vital signs, intake and output, meal percentages, equipment used, and patient care.
• Communication: * Makes presence known before entering a room or private area * Identifies/introduces self to patient and visitors * Explains plan of care to the patient * Does not engage in inappropriate discussions regarding other patients and unit operations * Knows and utilizes all computerized systems to send messages, document care, and communicate patient/unit needs to various departments. * Knows and follows line of communication within the department. * Reports to RN/Charge Nurse pertinent information/significant change in patient condition/patient and family concerns and patient refusal of care in a timely manner. * Reports to RN/Charge Nurse patient's inability to perform self-care and describes actions taken which were ineffective. * Actively collaborates with the RN at the beginning and throughout the shift regarding patient care and data collection.
• Regulatory agency i.e.: * Ensures that the unit is in continuous survey readiness * No food/drink in nurses station * No open containers in patient pantry * No outside food in patient refrigerator * No boxes etc. or floor * Staff refrigerator kept clean * Linens covered at all times * Keep fire door closed * Maintain clean/tidy nurses station, locker room, pantry
• Maintain patient confidentiality
• Ensures confidentiality of patient records and other written information
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Req High School or equivalent
• Pref 1 year Experience in a health care setting
• Req Ability to communicate effectively in English both verbally and in writing.
• Req Certified Nursing Assistant (CA DPH)
• Req Basic Life Support (BLS) Healthcare Provider from American Heart Association
• Req Fire Life Safety Training (LA City) If no card upon hire, one must be obtained within 30 days of hire and maintained by renewal before expiration date. (Required within LA City only)

Keck Hospital of USC, a 343-bed acute care hospital, provides exceptional and innovative care for complex medical and surgical conditions across a wide range of specialties. The hospital's world-renowned physicians deliver compassionate, customized, patient-centered care and treat the most acutely ill patients with highly innovative techniques and treatment plans. As a leading academic medical center, hundreds of clinical trials are currently taking place at Keck Hospital and its affiliated research institutions, giving patients access to novel and promising therapies that are generally not available elsewhere. Every day at Keck Hospital, physicians, nurses and staff go beyond the science of exceptional medicine to bring patients breakthroughs in the art of caring. Join this world-class team providing highly specialized care, up-to-the-minute research, and innovative clinical trials.

The hourly rate range for this position is $22.88 - $38.90.

When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.