Patient Care Tech - Operating Room - Rotating

vcuhealth; Richmond (VA); On-site; USD 36,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

VCU Health is seeking a Patient Care Technician for the OR to provide age-appropriate, direct patient care under RN guidance. Responsibilities include assisting with transfers, positioning, and preparing cases, while maintaining safety and stocking supplies.

The role emphasizes teamwork, safe patient handling, and adherence to hospital policies, with opportunities to contribute to patient experience and quality care in a fast-paced surgical environment.

Qualifications

• High School Degree or equivalent is required.
• Preferred CNA certification or training.
• Experience in healthcare settings is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Provide safe, direct patient care in the OR setting under supervision.
• Assist with transfers, positioning, and prep of patients for procedures.
• Maintain safe, clean, stocked environment and proper equipment handling.
• Complete safety checklists for emergency and OR carts and supplies.
• Identify patients accurately and report changes to the care team.

Skills

Safe patient care

PPE compliance

Communication

Teamwork

Education

High School Degree or equivalent

Certified Nursing Assistant

Job description

The Patient Care Technician - OR provides direct, age-specific care to a patient or group of patients based on medical orders and the plan of care under the direction of the RN or licensed independent practitioner.

Essential Job Statements

Provide safe and direct care to patients in their assigned unit making age-appropriate adjustments as needed. Monitor patients' conditions and provide updates to the health care team.

Provide direct and indirect care to patients with and without medical/surgical complications to meet their comfort, personal hygiene, and safety needs. Assists with the transfer of patient in the OR under the direction of anesthesia and/or nursing staff. Assists in positioning and prep of the patient under the direction of a Registered Nurse.

Provide care in accordance with nursing and medical plans of care and deliver per VCUHS Nursing and Hospital policy and procedure.

Ensure assigned clinical location is maintained as a safe, clean, stocked environment to facilitate meeting patient needs and unit/healthcare team functioning. Maintain supplies, educational material, equipment, sterilization of supplies, instruments, and the environment to promote quality, safe patient care outcomes (as applicable).

Contribute to efficient patient care to include, but not limited to, preparing all necessary supplies, suture, and equipment for cases based on surgeon preference cards, transporting dirty case carts/instrumentation to Sterile Processing or HLD as applicable, and opening sterile supplies for cases.

Completes daily safety checklists for the assigned areas to include, but not limited to, all emergency resuscitation/code carts, emergency supply carts, and scope cabinets.

Contribute to the patient experience by accurately identifying the patient, by observing safety goals and reporting to a licensed independent practitioner, manager and/or Registered Nurses regarding the patient's physical and mental responses to the plan of care or any incident posing harm or threat to a patient.

Attend all mandatory in-services and trainings and adhere to online training requirements.

Ensure patient safety in the performance of job functions and through participation in hospital, department, or unit patient safety initiatives

Establish and maintain courteous and effective rapport with patients, visitors, co-workers, and other members of health care team; demonstrate sensitivity and awareness to needs of patients, visitors and co-workers and respond promptly to verbal and/or written instructions.

Additional Duties

Donning sterile gown and gloves to hold an extremity during a procedure. Passing sutures during wound closure, holding retractors during the procedure under the direction of the surgical technologist, the attending surgeon and or the RN. Assist with breakdown of the sterile field to include management of reusable instruments according to policy under the direction of the surgical tech and/or RN.

Operates laser and other designated specialty equipment under the direction of the RN

Patient Population

Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide equitable care appropriate to the age of the patients served on their assigned unit.

Demonstrates knowledge and related competencies of the principles of growth and development of the life span and possesses the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interprets the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to their age, specific needs and to provide the equitable care needed as described in departmental policies and procedures.

• Neonates (0-4 weeks)
• Infant (1-12 months)
• Pediatrics (1-12 years)
• Adolescents (13-17 years)
• Adults (18-64 years)
• Geriatrics (65 years and older)

Employment Qualifications

Required Education:

High School Degree or equivalent

Preferred Education:

Certified Nursing Assistant

Licensure/Certification Required:

AHA BLS HCP Certification or equivalent

Licensure/Certification Preferred:

N/A

Minimum Qualifications

Years and Type of Required Experience

Certification/Completion of one of the following:

• Certified Nursing Assistant
• Medical Assistant
• Emergency Medical Technician
• Military Corpsmen/Medic
• Nursing Aide Training Program
• Experience within a healthcare environment
• Completion of foundations/ clinical nursing course and one clinical rotation.

Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

• Ability to provide safe, compassionate care
• Accountability for completion of assigned tasks
• Ability to wear personal protective equipment as needed

Cultural Responsiveness

Demonstrates a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through continuous development, modeling inclusive behaviors, and proactively managing bias

Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Preferred:

• Procedural or Operating Room experience as a nursing assistant or aide experience

Working Conditions

Periods of high stress and fluctuating workloads may occur.

May be exposed to physic