Patient Care Associate (PCA) – Emergency Department

Beth Israel Lahey Health; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 28,000 - 37,000; Full time

Job summary

Beth Israel Lahey Health is looking for someone to support the Emergency Department nursing and clinical team in Cambridge, MA. This hands-on clinical role includes vital signs, EKGs, phlebotomy, mobility assistance and daily living tasks, with a rotating day/night schedule and three 12-hour shifts per week.

You will assist with admissions, transfers and discharges, provide safety-sensitive observation, and collaborate closely with ED staff.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent is required.
• Ability to read and write at level 8 on Invest software.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work in a fast-paced ED.
• Prior clerical experience preferred, healthcare setting advantageous.
• Comfort with vital signs, EKGs, phlebotomy and patient assistance.

Responsibilities

• Obtain and report vital signs, weights, intake/output, and glucometer results.
• Perform EKGs and phlebotomy and collect specimens.
• Assist with activities of daily living and mobility.
• Prepare equipment and supplies for procedures.
• Assist with patient positioning during procedures and admissions.
• Provide one-to-one and behavioral-health observation for safety.
• Maintain clean and stocked patient-care areas and respond to call lights.

Skills

Vital signs reporting

EKG

Phlebotomy

Mobility assistance

ADL support

Clinical procedure support

Behavioral-health observation

Team collaboration

Patient safety

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Invest

Job description

When you join the growing BILH team, you're not just taking a job, you’re making a difference in people’s lives.

Patients will receive care that meets their individual needs in all patient settings.

Job Description

Location

Mount Auburn Hospital – Cambridge, Massachusetts

Schedule

36 hours per week

• Three 12-hour shifts
• Rotating day and night schedules, generally every three weeks
• Day shifts may include:
  • 7:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.
  • 11:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m.
• Night shift:
  • 7:00 p.m.–7:00 a.m.

About The Role

Support the Emergency Department nursing and clinical team in providing direct, hands‑on care to a diverse patient population.

You will assist with vital signs, EKGs, phlebotomy, mobility, activities of daily living, procedure support, and behavioral‑health observation. This is primarily a clinical role.

What You’ll Do

• Obtain and report vital signs, weights, intake and output, and glucometer results
• Perform EKGs, phlebotomy, and specimen collection
• Assist patients with walking, toileting, dressing, feeding, positioning, and other activities of daily living
• Prepare equipment and supplies for procedures
• Assist physicians and nurses with patient positioning during procedures
• Support splinting and other delegated patient‑care activities
• Care for patients who are waiting for inpatient beds
• Assist with admissions, transfers, and discharges
• Provide one‑to‑one and behavioral‑health observation to support patient safety
• Answer call lights and promptly report patient needs or changes in condition
• Maintain clean, safe, organized, and fully stocked patient‑care areas
• Collaborate closely with nurses, physicians, and other members of the Emergency Department team

Training is available for clinical skills such as phlebotomy.

What Success Looks Like

You will be successful in this role if you are:

• Comfortable providing direct, hands‑on patient care
• Calm and adaptable when priorities change quickly
• Able to organize your work during frequent interruptions
• Attentive to patient safety and changes in condition
• Compassionate and professional with patients and families
• A clear communicator who promptly reports concerns
• Team‑oriented and willing to assist wherever needed
• Interested in learning and developing new clinical skills

Why Join This Team?

This position offers broad exposure to emergency care while working closely with nurses, physicians, and other clinical professionals.

It is well suited for someone who enjoys direct patient care, teamwork, learning new skills, and an environment where each shift may bring different patient needs and priorities.

Minimum Qualifications

• High school graduate or equivalent
• Previous clerical experience (preferably in a healthcare setting). Medical terminology is preferred.
• Ability to read and write at level 8, as documented on "Invest," the hospital's Employee Learning Laboratory software.
• An ability to set appropriate priorities and organize workflow.
• An ability to concentrate and pay attention to detail during frequent interruptions.
• Strong interpersonal skills are necessary to interface with support and professional staff and patients.

Pay Range

$20.00 - $26.92

The pay range listed for this position is the base hourly wage range the organization reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for this position at this time. Actual compensation is determined based on several factors, that may include seniority, education, training, relevant experience, relevant certifications, geography of work location, job responsibilities, or other applicable factors permissible by law. Compensation may exceed the base hourly rate depending on shift differentials, call pay, premium pay, overtime pay, and other additional pay practices, as applicable to the position and in accordance with the law.

As a health care organization, we have a responsibility to do everything in our power to care for and protect our patients, our colleagues and our communities. Beth Israel Lahey Health requires that all staff be vaccinated against influenza (flu) as a condition of employment.

More than 35,000 people working together. Nurses, doctors, technicians, therapists, researchers, teachers and more, making a difference in patients' lives. Your skill and compassion can make us even stronger.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled