Medical Surgical Patient Care Associate (PCA) - Tower 16CD
Brigham & Women's Hospital(BWH)

Job Info

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Patient Care Assistant - Per Diem Rotating - BWH Medical Surgical 16CD

Excellent Care to Patients and Families • The Best Staff • In the Safest Environment

Nursing at Brigham and Women's Hospital is known for their excellent clinical practice and for keeping patients and their families at the center of all they do. We understand that great care is shaped by relationships with patients and their families. That's why we're committed to knowing our patients on a deeper level - not just as patients, but as individuals - to ensure that they, and their families, feel known and cared for.

At BWH, we proudly work together with a spirit of inquiry and a deep commitment to providing the highest quality, evidence-informed and theory-guided care in an inclusive environment. We work each day to achieve our vision - to provide excellent care to patients and families, with the best staff, in the safest environment.

Just as we have been able to reinvent health care, we have also transformed health care careers. Whether measured in terms of lives saved, awards earned, or the personal satisfaction of stretching your talents - a career with BWH is unlike any other in the health care field. Here you'll find a workplace where collaboration and teamwork are the norm, not the exception - physicians, nurses, technicians, staff and management form a close-knit bond, based on mutual respect and devotion to our patients. If you want an enormously fulfilling career, there's no better place to be.

The PCA will be responsible for:

1. Assists with meeting direct patient care needs
2. Consistently fosters a healing environment with respect and kindness demonstrating respect for all individuals with sensitivity to cultural diversity
3. Contributes to the plan of care through ongoing communication with the RN
4. Assists with patient data and specimen collection
5. Assists with equipment preparation and set up
6. Supports a Culture of Safety by providing a safe and comfortable patient/family experience where risks are reduced and/or eliminated
6.1. Completes hourly patient care rounds, anticipating patient needs proactively
6.2. Maintains patient and family privacy and confidentiality
6.3. Responds to patient and family requests, including answering patient call lights in a timely manner
6.4. Seeks registered nurse assistance to meet patient/family needs when necessary.
6.5. Communicates in a respectful manner with all members of the interdisciplinary team
6.6. Monitors patient and environment for safety concerns and immediately reports changes to RN/licensed nurse
6.7. Maintains a safe and clean patient care environment
6.8. Follows Infection Prevention Practices
a. Proper hand washing demonstrated 100% of the time
b. Utilizes 2 patient identifiers for proper patient identification prior to all specimen collections
6.9 Follows Safe Patient Handling principles to maintain safety for both patients and staff
7. Documents aspects of care on approved forms or electronic medical record
8. Participates as a member of the Interdisciplinary team to meet patient/family and unit/department needs
9. Proactively provides assistance to others
10. Performs delegated responsibilities and demonstrates willingness to adapt to changing unit demands
11. Provides care appropriate to age group of patients on assigned unit(s) as described in the relevant unit profiles
12. Mentoring and teaching is provided for new PCAs to meet performance expectations
13. Other duties as assigned
In collaboration with the Nursing Manager/Director and Clinical Nurse Specialist/Nursing Practice Specialist/Nursing Professional Development Specialist identifies and meets learning needs. Completes annual required training and updates knowledge through periodic inservices.
Direct Patient Care:
• Assists with activities of daily living (i.e. personal hygiene/grooming, bathing/showering, toileting, dressing, and functionality/mobility)
• Sets up food trays and assist patients with meals as indicated
• Performs preventative skin care
• Assists patients with positioning, turning, mobilization, ambulation, passive and active range of motion per plan of care
• Applies/removes pneumatic sequential compression sleeves
• Adheres to standard precautions
• Adheres to hand hygiene guidelines
• Assists with admission/discharge process
• Provides safe patient transportation
• Orients patients and families/visitors to surroundings
• Ensures safekeeping of patient valuables including packing and storing
• Checks patients for ID bands, and notifies nurse if replacement is needed
Patient Data and Specimen Collection:
• Utilizes 2 patient identifiers for proper patient identification prior to all specimen collections
• Obtains and records vital signs, pulse oximetry and non-invasive B/P and immediately reports changes to RN/licensed nurse
• Performs blood glucose testing
Equipment:
• Retrieves equipment from other areas
• Cleans equipment between patient use
• Follows equipment management protocols on assigned unit for patient use:
• Cardiac monitors
• Portable oxygen cylinder
• Nasal cannula/face mask
• Pulse oximeter and probe
• Suction canister-liner system
• Patient lifting equipment
• Scales: Standing/Chair/Wheelchair
• Provides a Safe and Comfortable Patient/Family experience
• Adheres to service excellence standards during care provision with respectful, courteous, culturally sensitive care
• Responds to call lights in a timely manner and prioritizes call light response appropriately
• Participates in hourly rounding per unit protocol
• Provides constant observation for patients at risk for injury in person or virtually
• Reapplies soft restraints/roll belt per unit protocol
• Uses principles of Safe Patient Handling
Documentation on Approved Forms and in Medical Record
• Records intake of fluids and food
• Records height and weight
• Records output of urine, stool, vomitus, and drain output
• Records vital signs, pulse oximetry and noninvasive BPs
• Records blood glucose results
Addendum: Lists essential areas of responsibility, major job duties, special projects and key objectives for this position that are applicable to a specific unit that may not be all inclusive. As there is variability in delegated tasks depending on the population of a particular patient care unit, these items should be evaluated throughout the year and included in the written annual evaluation.
Patient Data and Specimen Collection
Depending on unit requirements as outlined may perform the following:
• Records 12 lead ECG
• Performs phlebotomy
• Performs Pulse Volume Recording (PVR)
• Performs bladder scanning
• Collects and tests stool for fecal occult blood

Qualifications
To qualify you must have:

• Certification as a nursing assistant required upon hire, unless incumbent is a nursing student who has completed her/his fundamentals of nursing with a clinical component (clinical rotation or simulation lab). For nursing students hired as PCAs, strongly prefer nursing students enrolled in BSN programs or direct-entry Masters' programs.
• Bi-lingual skills preferred.
• Prior experience in a clinical setting preferred.
• Knowledge of medical terminology.
• May not currently hold a valid nursing license.

EEO Statement
BWH is an Affirmative Action Employer. By embracing diverse skills, perspectives, and ideas, we choose to lead. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and/or other status protected under law. We will ensure that all individuals with a disability are provided a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.

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