Unit Assistant - PICU - Part Time, Nights

Overview

Reports to the Director, Patient Care Services. Receives guests, answers the telephone, communicates information and performs a variety of clerical duties. Performs designated patient care services under the direction of a Registered Nurse. Specific tasks to be performed are determined based upon patient care unit assignment and may include some or all of the duties listed below.

• MISSION: We deliver outstanding care, inspire health, and connect with heart.
• VALUES: Trust. Respect. Integrity. Compassion.
• SERVICE GOALS: Personally connect. Keep everyone informed. Be on their team.

• Greeting visitors, patients, personnel and physicians in a pleasant and courteous manner.
• Answering the telephone promptly and taking and relaying messages for physicians, nurses, patients, etc. in a timely, courteous and accurate manner.
• Preparing patient charts for admission, transfer, discharge and surgery.
• Monitoring and communicating medical record data received via printers and fax machines.
• Transcribing and inputting physicians  orders into the computer accurately and in a timely manner.
• Entering all charges daily and immediately upon discharge or transfer.
• Entering and updating transfers, discharges, conditions and other clinical data with information provided.
• Maintaining an orderly work area, requesting repairs or services of Bio Engineering, Plant Operations or Environmental Services, as necessary.

• Assisting with patient admission (setting up patient room, orienting patient to room and recording basic patient information) and discharge.
• Bathing patients, assisting with oral hygiene, making beds, straightening rooms and providing ongoing care throughout the shift.
• Giving, placing and emptying bedpans/urinals/commodes.
• Turning, positioning, moving, lifting, transferring and ambulating patients (including chest tube patients); also assisting with range of motion exercises using proper techniques.
• Preparing patients for meals (feeding or assisting); distributing and collecting meal trays.
• Taking and recording vital signs including temperatures, blood pressure, pulse and respirations; also measuring and recording standing or bed scale weights.
• Answering patient call lights, addressing the need and/or relaying messages appropriately.

• Performing skin care including cleaning patients  skin, surgical/procedural skin preps (clips, shaves, etc.) and applying skin products under the direction of a Registered Nurse.
• Performing wound care including sterile/unsterile dressing changes, hot/cold applications, suture/staple removal and documenting observations on the medical record.
• Conducting, performing and recording procedures (i.e., catheter insertion or removal, blood glucose monitoring, external monitors, hematest, incentive spirometry, sputum collection, IV site observation, discontinued peripheral IVs/reseals, NG suction set-up, maintaining/adding feeding, recording intake, cardiac monitoring, EKG, checking arterial pressure lines, implementing deep vein thrombosis prevention measures, etc.) as directed by a Registered Nurse.
• Emptying, measuring and recording foley, ileostomy/colostomy and/or gastric drainage bags and making ostomy pouch/dressing changes (established); emptying or changing oral suction containers; also recording, calculating and totaling intake and output records.
• Preparing and administering perineal (catheter) care, ice bags/collars and non-medicated enemas as assigned.
• Performing emergency procedures including calling a Code Blue, gathering equipment, performing CPR and using AED.
• Implementing isolation precautions including standard precautions, respiratory or strict isolation.
• Obtaining specimens as directed including urine, stool, hemoccult, gastroccult, sputum or nasal cultures (including MRSA).
• Assisting with postmortem care as directed by RN.

• Observing, reporting and following up on patient complaints, unusual behavior, abnormal condition changes, incidents, concerns, questions or complaints expressed…