Patient Care Tech

About This Role

This patient care technician role in the CCU involves assisting nurses with direct patient care, including daily living activities, vital signs, and patient transport. The position requires a compassionate individual dedicated to providing quality healthcare services while maintaining dignity and respect for all patients and their families.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrate knowledge and skills specific to a patient care technician in the CCU (e.g., ADLs, patient hygiene, vital signs, obtaining weights, emptying and documenting intake and output, obtaining blood sugar checks, positioning, lifting, turning, and ambulating patients)
• Perform transports as requested (of patients, medications, supplies, and specimens)
• Perform and record nursing care activities, such as changes in a patient's condition, behavior, and unusual incidents consistent with established policies, procedures, and protocols, as delegated by the registered nurse responsible for the patient
• Regularly perform job tasks in accordance with hospital and department policy and procedure, including appropriate use of equipment, machines, and physical barriers and safety equipment
• Assist in emergencies and codes according to established protocols
• Promote the Vision and Mission Statements of The Medical Center at Princeton and the philosophy of the Nursing Department
• Demonstrate regard for the dignity and respect of all patients, their families, guests, and representatives of other organizations, as well as fellow employees, volunteers, and medical staff in support of the Medical Center's mission
• Provide assistance in obtaining EKG on patients in urgent conditions, setting up tube feedings, A-lines, and wound care
• Report (and when appropriate, record) any changes observed in condition or behavior of patients and unusual incidents
• Maintain established Princeton HealthCare System Standards for customer service
• Demonstrate and explain the importance of answering call bells promptly, with courtesy and with appropriate follow-up
• Explain the importance of patient satisfaction, relaying complaints from patients, visitors, or other departments to the nursing staff promptly
• Demonstrate telephone courtesy skills including answering calls properly, identifying unit and self, and coordinating messages
• Establish and maintain interpersonal relationships with patients, visitors, and other hospital personnel, while assuring confidentiality of patient information
• Be accountable for improving patient care through adherence to all patient safety and quality standards, regulations, and best practices
• Participate in quality assurance activities on the unit by attending unit staff meetings and meeting annual required in-services standard
• Maintain competency through annual in-services and/or education
• Clean patient care equipment as directed
• Obtain, stock, and organize patient care and unit supplies as assigned
• Identify and report broken or malfunctioning equipment or needed repairs on the unit
• Assist with admission or discharge of Critical Care patients according to specific duties: Admit/discharge patient in Affinity, admit patient to cardiac monitor, assign patient to nurse into the WestCall System, direct physicians and visitors to nurse caring for patient
• Prepare charts and maintain pages for documentation with patient labels
• Print patient labels
• Copy charts for patients being transferred to other facility
• Help facilitate transfer or discharge arrangements by contacting the contracted ambulance provider and adhere to established protocols
• Ensure completion of EMTALA forms
• Participate in keeping the nursing unit (patient rooms, workstations, and hallways) clean and well organized
• Maintain strict standards of confidentiality and adherence to HIPAA standards
• Attend PHCS activities such as Town Meeting and CNO Chats or other organizational activities

Requirements

• Basic Cardiac Life Support (Required)
• BLS/CPR certification
• H.S. Diploma/GED (Required)
• Six months of Nursing Assistant experience or currently enrolled in LPN/RN nursing program with successful completion of Nursing I

Benefits

• Comprehensive compensation and benefits program
• Prepaid tuition assistance programs

About the Company

Penn Medicine is dedicated to a tripartite mission of providing the highest level of care to patients, conducting innovative research, and educating future leaders in the field of medicine. Working for this leading academic medical center means collaboration with top clinical, technical, and business professionals across all disciplines. Penn Medicine employees are actively engaged and committed to its mission to make medical advances that help people live longer, healthier lives.