Patient Care Tech - Short Stay Observation Unit (0.6 Weekend Option Nights)

Mercy Cedar Rapids; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 25,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Mercy Cedar Rapids is seeking a Patient Care Technician to support patient-centered care under the supervision of a licensed nurse. This role performs tasks and support functions to enhance safe, effective care in a fast-paced unit.

Weekend option available (Saturday & Sunday, 6pm–6:30am) with 24 scheduled hours. Responsibilities include accurate handoffs, documentation, patient privacy, and timely communication of changes in patient condition.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent preferred.
• Completion of a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) or Health Support Professional program.
• A minimum of 2 years in a baccalaureate program.
• One year in an Associate’s Degree in Nursing program.
• Comparable education, training and experience in the absence of successful completion of a CNA or Health Support Professional program.

Responsibilities

• Ensure accurate and clinically relevant information is communicated at hand offs and other times as needed.
• Ensure necessary information is communicated to allow for the best possible patient outcome.
• Provide safe patient care under the supervision of the licensed nurse by performing tasks and support functions as delegated by department.
• Observe and communicate any changes in patient condition to the licensed nurse and pertinent information for patient needs.
• Demonstrate effective and age-appropriate communication including understanding cultural and language barriers.
• Maintain accurate, real-time documentation of patient care.
• Protect patient privacy by knocking, closing curtains and safeguarding information.
• Respond within scope of practice to emergencies and life-threatening conditions.
• Support changes in practice to improve performance.
• Organize and prioritize daily work considering patient needs and staff.
• Maintain cleanliness of patient rooms and department areas.
• Identify quality improvement opportunities and support changes in practice.
• Prioritize tasks and suggest changes with supervisor.
• Follow Mercy safety guidelines and report unsafe conditions.

Skills

Patient Care

Communication

Teamwork

Stress Management

Clinical Documentation

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

CNA or Health Support Professional program

2 years in a bachelor’s program

1 year in an Associate’s Degree in Nursing program

Comparable education or training

Job description

Work Shift

Weekend Option, Saturday & Sunday 6pm-6:30am

Work Shift

Weekend Option

Scheduled Weekly Hours

24

Summary

This position supports Mercy's philosophy of patient centered care by providing safe and effective patient care by performing tasks and support functions under the supervision of a Licensed Nurse. Patient Care Technicians may fulfill an expanded role by performing additional tasks and responsibilities as delegated by their department.

Job Duties

• Ensure that accurate and clinically relevant information is communicated with patients, their families, and co-workers at hand offs and other times as needed.
• Take all measures necessary to ensure that the appropriate and involved parties have communicated necessary information in order to allow for the best possible patient outcome
• Provide safe and effective patient care under the supervision of the licensed nurse by performing tasks and support functions as delegated by department
• Observe and communicate to the licensed nurse any changes in patient condition and pertinent information regarding the needs of the patient and/or significant others
• Demonstrate effective and age-appropriate communication as well as the ability to understand the needs of the patient including non-verbal communication, fears, anxieties and language/cultural barriers
• Maintains accurate and real time documentation of patient care provided
• Assures patient privacy by knocking on doors, closing curtains and protecting patient information
• Responds within scope of practice to emergencies and life-threatening conditions
• Demonstrates support for changes in practice designed to improve performance.
• Organize and prioritize daily work, taking into account the needs of patients, families and other health care workers
• Maintain cleanliness and organization of patient rooms and department work areas
• Assist in identifying quality improvement opportunities and demonstrate support for changes in practice designed to improve performance
• Ability to prioritize tasks, identify needs for changes in priorities and takes the initiative to recommend and implement changes in concert with their supervisor.
• Follows Mercy's safety guidelines, carries out job-specific safety duties and responsibilities, and promptly reports any unsafe conditions, situations, incidents and injuries.

Department Specific Duties

Short Stay Observation Unit:

• Obtains equipment and CPMs needed for patients, with correct set up and removal as per physician orders and/or delegated to.
• Prepares rooms and pre-operative beds for surgery as trained and delegated to.
• Participates in regular stocking of supplies in patient rooms and alcoves as required by dept. standards.
• Demonstrates competency in computer navigation to access and find needed information effectively and efficiently as evidenced in hand-offs and documentation.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Role Models exemplary customer service skills including verbal and non-verbal skills and proper phone etiquette
• Creates a welcoming environment for all healthcare team members.
• Demonstrates the ability to provide safe and effective patient care
• Must have the ability to remain focused in stressful situations and perform multiple tasks quickly.

Professional Experience

• Previous Patient Care Tech or Certified Nursing Assistant experience preferred

Education

• High School diploma or equivalent preferred
• In addition, ONE of the following is preferred:
  • completion of a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) or Health Support Professional program
  • a minimum of 2 years in a baccalaureate program
  • one year in an Associate’s Degree in Nursing program
  • comparable education, training and experience in the absence of successful completion of a CNAor Health Support Professional program

Licensure, Certification, Registration

• Current certification in Basic Cardiac Life Support, in accordance with the American Heart Association required.
• Iowa Dependent Adult Abuse and Iowa Child Abuse Mandatory Reporter training required. Employee must submit certification of completed training to Human Resources prior to start or transfer date.

Physical Requirements

Heavy: Exert 50-100 lbs. of force occasionally and/or 25-50 lbs. of force frequently

Pay Rate Type

Hourly

_ Mercy is an independent, community-based organization supporting the Cedar Rapids area for over 120 years. _

Mercy is an equal-opportunity employer. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion and therefore evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, civil union status, parental status, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.