Patient Care Assistant - Medicine Specialties - FT Day shift -

Interested in a career with both meaning and growth? Whether your abilities are in direct patient care or one of the many other areas of healthcare administration and support, everyone at Parkland works together to fulfill our mission : the health and well-being of individuals and communities entrusted to our care. By joining Parkland, you become part of a diverse healthcare legacy that’s served our community for more than 125 years. Put your skills to work with us, seek opportunities to learn and join a talented team where patient care is more than a job. It’s our passion.

Primary Purpose

Performs specified patient care activities under the direction of a Registered Nurse and is committed to the provision of patient centered / patient valued care.

Minimum Specifications

Education

• Must have completed or hold one of the following :
• A formal nurse aide course
• A current certified nurse aide registry
• A medical assistant course
• A current medical assistant certificate
• A patient care technician course
• A current patient care technician certificate
• Must be a currently enrolled in an accredited school of professional nursing and must have documentation of basic fundamentals of nursing from the school
• Must be a graduate from an accredited school of nursing
• Parkland's job specific training program

Experience

Certification / Registration / Licensure :

American Heart Association or American Red Cross.

Skills or Special Abilities :

Responsibilities :

1. Performs specified patient care activities, under the direction of a Registered Nurse, including providing basic hygiene care, unsterile treatments, taking vital signs, and range of motion exercises. Lifts, ambulates, and feeds patient in accordance with the provision of patient centered / patient valued care, while providing optimal care services to patients and their families.

2. Serves as a patient advocate by responding to a patient's needs and special requests. Maintains open communication, and honors patient's rights and confidentiality, while providing optimal service to patients and their families.

3. Monitors ongoing patient status and responds to a patent's change in condition by notifying and assisting nurses and other health team members in handling patient care needs.

4. Makes appropriate notations and records activities performed, such as vital signs, ambulation, feeding outcomes, etc. in accordance with standards established by the nursing unit.

5. Maintains, updates, and utilizes knowledge of sanitation, infection control, safety, supplies and equipment usage to optimize customer care and services. Monitors conditions of patient environment and equipment, i.e. wheelchairs, bed rails, scales, floor conditions, and corrects the condition and / or reports the deficiencies or defects for immediate correction as appropriate.

6. Escorts patients to other areas, clean designated or special area, provide or request translation services when applicable, perform quality control checks, and deliver patient specimens when applicable in order to provide optimal patient care.

7. Identifies ways to improve work processes and procedures or methods. Makes recommendations to supervisor and / or nursing department for appropriate changes to improve effectiveness, productivity, efficiency, and customer satisfaction that support the overall goals of the nursing unit, the hospital and PHHS.

8. Takes responsibility for own education and professional growth by attending in service sessions, department meetings, workshops, and reading magazines or journals on nursing care. Integrates knowledge gained into current work practices.

9. Maintains knowledge of applicable rules, regulations, policies, laws and guidelines that impact the patient care area. Develops effective internal controls that promote adherence to applicable state / federal laws, and the program requirements of accreditation agencies and federal, state, and private health plans. Seeks advice and guidance as necessary to ensure proper understanding.

Parkland Health and Hospital System prohibits discrimination based on age (40 or over), race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, disability, national origin, marital status, political belief, or veteran status. As part of our commitment to our patients and employees’ wellness, Parkland Health is a tobacco and smoke-free campus.