Patient Safety Attendant

Job Description

The Patient Safety Attendant (PSA) participates in high-quality, patient-centered care by providing continuous observation and monitoring for high-risk patients. In collaboration with the patient care team, the PSA ensures the patient environment is free of obstacles and minimizes the risk of falls and accidental or intentional self-harm. The PSA may also assist with basic activities of daily living.

Shift: Day Shift - 3 - 12 hour shifts/week including weekends and holidays.

Benefits Eligible:
Yes

• Maintain continuous line of sight of the patient at all times, including during bathroom use. Observe the patient while eating and drinking and assist as needed.
• Ensure the cleanliness and safety of the patient’s room.
• Accompany the patient to tests or procedures, remaining with them unless instructed otherwise. If asked to leave, wait outside and return as soon as the procedure is complete.
• Identify and promptly report any changes or concerns in the patient’s status to the assigned nurse. Report patient information and activities during hand-off with nursing present. Report any expression of ideas or intention to hurt self/others or desire to leave the facility against medical advice (AMA) to the assigned nurse. Communicate with team members to ensure the patient is not left alone.
• Listen attentively if the patient wishes to converse and encourage them to share concerns with the physician or assigned nurse. Avoid giving any advice.
• Follow all infection control policies. Complete the environmental safety checklist each shift and during hand-off, ensuring ligature risks are mitigated in coordination with the primary nurse.
• Consult with the nurse partner if the patient needs to be mobilized.

• Remain with the patient at all times, even if family or visitors are present. Ensure continuous line of sight and provide constant one-on-one visual observation to intervene immediately if necessary. Keep the environment low risk by removing all linen after use and ensuring no extra linens remain in the room. Ensure the patient is in a gown with no strings, and remove all patient clothing, shoes, jewelry, and belongings from the room, preferably sending them home with family.
  
  Secure any valuables not taken by the family. Do not allow visitors to give items to the patient or bring large bags into the room; consult nursing if visitors refuse.
• Only allow electric razors, remove any unnecessary electrical cords, and ensure only plastic utensils are used for meals. Observe closely during meals and remove utensils immediately afterward. Remove all plastic trash and linen bags from the room. Ensure windows remain closed and all sharps containers are removed. Remove all gloves and glove boxes. Ensure there are no supplies, equipment, or other devices that are sharp, metal, or plastic that could be used as ligatures or ligature-support devices.

• Patient Care
• Patient Safety
• Communication
• Teamwork
• Electronic Medical Records (EMR)
• Organization
• Health Care

• Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (BLS-HCP) certification upon hire or obtained within 60 days of hire with prior approval.

• One (1)+ year of experience working in a hospital setting
• Workplace Violence Prevention Training

• Ongoing need for employee to see and read information, labels, assess patient needs, operate monitors, identify equipment and supplies.
• Frequent interactions with patient care providers, patients, and visitors that require employee to verbally communicate as well as hear and understand spoken information, alarms, needs, and issues quickly and accurately, particularly during emergency situations.
• Manual dexterity of hands and fingers to manipulate complex and delicate equipment with precision and accuracy. This includes frequent computer use and typing for documenting patient care, accessing needed information, medication preparation, etc.
• Expected to lift and utilize full range of movement to transfer patients. Will also bend to retrieve, lift, and carry supplies and equipment.…