Patient Care Technician

Job Description

Under direction and supervision of registered Nurse, assists with activities of daily living, provides basic nursing care, and assists in maintenance of a safe and clean environment.

Job Responsibility

• 1. Functions as a co-worker to the nurse and a key member of the nursing care team:

• Organizes patient care assignment and sets priorities.

• Alerts RN co-worker to changes in patient status i.e., alteration in comfort, skin integrity, alterations in breathing pattern, etc.

• Documents patient care and patient status changes on the appropriate chart forms.

• Communicates routine information to RN periodically during shift i.e., intake and output.

• 2. Assists RN in providing for ADL needs of patients:

• Prepares patients for meals, and feeds or assists with meals.

• Provides between meal nourishment and fresh water to patients.

• Bathes or assists patient to bathe, provides oral hygiene.

• Toilets patients as necessary.

• Maintains patient’s mobility with range of motion exercises and ambulation.

• Grooms patient, including shaving, as needed.

• Participates with the RN in the development of a plan of care for assigned patient.

• Utilizes a plan of care in carrying out patient assignments.

• 3. Maintains patient care units in a neat and orderly condition:

• Changes and makes beds.

• Cleans and straightens bedside table and over-bed tables, as needed.

• Strips patient units upon discharge of patient, in preparation for cleaning by Housekeeping Department.

• Removes equipment from room. Cleans and place it in appropriate are.

• Prepares room for new admissions, transfers and post-operative patients.

• 4. Assists Registered Nurse by performing selected procedures and simple treatments:

• Takes and records temperature, pulse, respiration rate and B.P. on admission and as assigned.

• Measures and records fluid intake and output; totals at shift end.

• Perform, mount and process EKG’s.

• Draw and process blood, as appropriate, within State and County guidelines.

• Obtains specimens, such as urine, stool and sputum.

• Administers enemas, as directed.

• Weighs and records patient weight on admission and as indicated.

• Shave patients as instructed in preparation for procedures.

• Performs simple procedures utilizing aseptic technique (i.e. – applying and changing simple dressings).

• Performs simple respiratory treatments, as required (i.e. oral suctioning).

• 5. Performs a variety of related duties:

• Assists patients in and out of bed, ambulates patients, lifts, turns and positions patients.

• Assists with serving of meals; positions patient, cleans over-bed table, and helps distribute and collect trays.

• Transports and accompanies patients to various departments, as directed.

• Reports missing or damaged equipment to Nursing Unit Secretary.

• Maintains non-patient rooms (i.e., utility rooms, linen rooms, kitchens, etc.) in a neat and orderly condition.

• Maintains cleanliness of patient care equipment.

• Performs constant observation on selected patients as assigned.

• Follows medical Center’s policies and procedures to support QA/QI efforts in patient care and services.

• Performs post-mortem care and transports body to morgue.

• 6. Takes part in Nursing’s continuing education policy by:

• Attending nursing attendant course during orientation program.

• Participating and completing annual mandatory educational requirements.

• Attending nursing attendant staff development programs offered throughout the year.

7. Performs related duties, as required.

• ADA Essential Functions

Job Qualification

• High School Diploma or equivalent, required.

• Completion of Nurse Assistant course or equivalent, required.

• OR

• Prior experience as a Nursing Attendant or equivalent, required.

• NYS Nurse Attendant certification, preferred.

• Ability to communicate effectively, and follow written and/or oral instructions.

• Ability to work in diversified settings.

• Ability to lift, turn, position, etc. Patients, as required