Patient Care Technician - Med-Surg * Days - 36hrs/wk

University of Michigan Health-West; Wyoming (MI); Hybrid; USD 38,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Michigan Health-West is seeking a Patient Care Technician (PCT) for Med-Surg on day shifts, 36 hours per week (0.9 FTE). Under the supervision of a Registered Nurse, the PCT provides basic nursing care and supports the unit with essential tasks.

The role requires a high school diploma or GED, current BLS/CPR, and enrollment or equivalent experience in a health science program. Prior acute care experience is preferred and the PCT will complete unit competencies.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Must have current CENA certification or be enrolled in a health science program with nursing fundamentals or equivalent.
• Basic understanding of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology is preferred.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS/CPR) required.
• Acute care or extended care facility experience preferred.
• Able to complete unit-specific core competencies.

Responsibilities

• Assist patients with activities of daily living and comfort, including bed mobility and transfers.
• Help with hygiene, nutrition, and recording intake as directed by RN.
• Perform basic specimen collection and vitals measurement.
• Maintain infection control practices and document care in charting.
• Communicate observations to the RN and support unit efficiency.

Skills

BLS/CPR

Medical terminology

Patient confidentiality

Education

High School Diploma or GED

CENA certification

Job description

Patient Care Technician - Med-Surg * Days - 36hrs/wk

Requisition #: req12631

Shift: Days

FTE status: 0.9

On-call: No

Weekends: Yes

General Summary:

Under the direction of a Registered Nurse (RN), the Patient Care Technician (PCT) provides basic nursing care to patients and performs related tasks necessary to support the unit.

Requirements:

1. Minimum High School Diploma or GED required.


2. Must meet one of the following requirements:
   
   
   • Current Certified Nurse Aide (CENA) certification, or
   
   
   • Current enrollment (and continued progression) in a health science program required with completion of nursing fundamentals course and/or one clinical rotation preferred. Equivalent enrollment considered will include but is not limited to: Nursing School, Pre-PA School, Medical School, or closely related health science program, or
   
   
   • Equivalent experience. Equivalent experience considered will include but is not limited to: Medical Assistant, Paramedic, Medical First Responder, EMT, Nurse Tech, Resident Aid/Assistant, or LPN.


3. Basic understanding of Medical Terminology, Anatomy, Physiology, and Patient Confidentiality is preferred.


4. Current Basic Life Support (BLS/CPR) provider required.


5. Experience in acute care or extended care facility preferred.


6. Able to successfully complete unit-specific core competencies as defined in the orientation check-list.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

1. ACTIVITY / COMFORT: Assist patients with activity of daily living and provides for patient comfort. This responsibility includes making occupied and unoccupied beds; turning and positioning patients in bed; ambulating and dangling patients; transfers patients; performs passive and assisting with active range-of-motion exercises.


2. HYGIENE: Assist patients with hygiene activities.


3. PROCEDURES: Indwelling urinary catheter care (excluding insertion, removal and irrigation); changing non-sterile dressings; providing ileostomy/colostomy care.


4. Assisting with postmortem care.


5. NUTRITION: Assist patients with nutrition including passing trays, snacks and drinking water; feeding patients; and measuring and recording intake from dietary trays.


6. ELIMINATION: Assist patients with elimination needs recording accurate input and output. Empties other drains as designated by the RN.


7. SPECIMEN COLLECTION: Collects and labels sputum, urine, and stool specimens for laboratory testing; testing urine for sugar, acetone, blood or pH; straining urine for kidney stones; and using the glucometer to test blood glucose levels.


8. VITAL SIGNS / MEASUREMENT: Measures and record accurate vital signs and weight including oral and tympanic temperature, radial and apical pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate; and using standing, chair, sling and bed scales to measure weight.


9. EQUIPMENT: Uses equipment and supplies safely and appropriately. This includes assisting patients with incentive spirometry; setting up oxygen flow meters; setting up suction equipment and disposing of suction canisters; and applying and removing ice bags, moist or dry heat, ace bandages, arm slings, binders, supports, anti-embolism stockings, sequential compression devices (SCDs), restraints.


10. INFECTION CONTROL: Assists with controlling the spread of infection by using aseptic technique; adhering to universal/standard precautions; caring appropriately for patients with special isolation precautions; passing clean linen and bagging and disposing of soiled linen; replacing full sharps containers; cleaning equipment between patients’ use; and cleaning equipment prior to return to Central Processing Department (CPD).


11. DOCUMENTATION: Document care given as directed by the RN.


12. COMMUNICATION: Communicates effectively using Vocera, unit paging system, telephone system and pneumatic tube system; answering patient call lights; reporting observations to the RN; keeping the RN informed of care delivered; maintaining patient confidentiality.


13. Performs other duties as assigned. These may include but are not limited to: Performing tasks assigned by the Registered Nurse in charge to facilitate department efficiency. Maintaining a current knowledge base of department processes and procedures for patient care, pursuing self-directed learning and continuing education opportunities, and participating on committees, task forces, and work groups as determined by management.