Patient Care Technician I – Estelle Unit

UTMB Health; Huntsville (TX); On-site; USD 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

UTMB Health in Texas seeks a Nurse Assistant to provide basic patient care and support in a correctional health setting. You will collect vital signs, assist with hygiene, feeding, mobility, and daily activities under the direction of the charge nurse.

The role requires maintaining patient privacy, adhering to infection control, and ensuring a safe environment within a prison/jail context. Completion of an approved Nurse Assistant or related program and current BLS-HP are required; security

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent and completion of one listed nursing support program or equivalent.
• Completion of Nurse Assistant, Medical Assistant, Medical Corpsman, EMT, or UTMB Hospital Aide training, or two years of direct patient care experience.
• Current BLS-HP certification is required.

Responsibilities

• Collect, report and document vital signs and basic measurements.
• Perform and report point-of-care testing as assigned.
• Assist with patient activities and care per plan of care.
• Provide for patients' personal hygiene and feeding support.
• Assist with mobility, positioning and safety.
• Maintain patient privacy and confidentiality at all times.
• Ensure proper aseptic technique and infection control.
• Maintain cleanliness and supply levels in care areas.

Skills

BLS-HP

Patient care basics

Privacy & confidentiality

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Nurse Assistant program

Medical Assistant program

Medical Corpsman program

EMT program

UTMB Hospital Aide training program

Two years of direct patient care experience

School of Nursing program (clinical concepts)

Current BLS-HP certification

Job description

The mission of Correctional Managed Care is to address the healthcare needs of underserved patient populations within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) and the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD).

JOB SUMMARY:

Provides basic technical assistance and supportive patient care to meet the needs of individual patients throughout assigned areas.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Collects, reports and documents data: vital signs, height and weight, intake and output, pulse oximetry, and collects specimens.
• Performs and reports POCT.
• Assists with patient activities and care as assigned by the charge nurse/designee as indicated by the patient’s plan of care.
• Provides for patients’ personal hygiene.
• Assists with feeding.
• Ambulates, positions, and turns patients and cares for the patient with altered mobility.
• Assists with patient safety related to age and condition.
• Assists with patient restraints, patient specific safety precautions, collects, reports and documents data related to patient needs/emergencies and usual patient and family behavior, and cares for the patient from a correctional environment.
• Maintains patient privacy and confidentiality of information and records at all times.
• Provides and maintains a clean, safe environment and performs and/or assists others to perform proper aseptic technique, isolation procedures, and infection control measures.
• Maintains patient care areas with appropriate supplies.
• Adheres to internal controls and reporting structure established for department.
• Performs related duties as required.

EQUIPMENT:

Standard patient care supplies, equipment and mechanical devices.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• May be exposed to such occupational hazards as communicable diseases, blood borne pathogens, ionizing & non-ionizing radiation, hazardous medications and disoriented or combative patients or others.
  Located within the confines of a prison, jail or juvenile detention center. Security clearance is required; pre-employment drug testing is also required.

REQUIRED EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:

• High school or equivalent AND completion of one of the following technical programs:
• Completion of a recognized Nurse Assistant program, or
• Completion of a Medical Assistant program, or
• Completion of Medical Corpsman program, or
• Completion of EMT program, or
• Completion of UTMB Hospital Aide training program, or
• Two (2) years of experience in a direct patient care environment, or
• Currently enrolled in a recognized School of Nursing program and completed the first semester of education which contains clinical concepts and health assessment or the equivalent.
• Current BLS-HP is required.

Salary is commensurate with years of relevant work experience.

Equal Employment Opportunity

UTMB Health strives to provide equal opportunity employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. As a Federal Contractor, UTMB Health takes affirmative action to hire and advance protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.
Compensation