Patient Care Assistant Specialist - Traditional Care Unit - Days

At Houston Methodist the Patient Care Assistant (PCA) Specialist position is responsible for functioning as an expert and demonstrates highly competent knowledge necessary to communicate appropriately and carry out delegated nursing assistant level tasks for assigned patient populations for providing high quality support of patient care and services.

This position exercises sound judgement and executes proficient clinical skills necessary for assisting with patientcare procedures.

The PCA Specialist position performs basic patient care activities of daily living (ADLs) within unit specific defined limits and job scope such as assistance with patient elimination hygiene comfort safety nutrition and progress activity and practices Patient and Family Centered Care.

Other duties for this position include independently and expertly performing the duties and responsibilities of preceptor and clinical resource to PCAs training and orienting others.

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Promotes a positive work environment that actively assists interprofessional care team to achieve optimal department results.

Makes contributions to the work effort as a whole by leading and initiating problem resolution within the work unit. Facilitates teamwork by anticipating the need for assistance and responding positively to requests for assistance.

Collaborates with all members of the interprofessional health care team by actively communicating and reporting pertinent patient care information and data in a comprehensive manner.

Teaches peers to critically think by verbally expressing rationale for decisions and follows up consistently. Facilitates open professional communication to achieve mutual understanding role modeling by example.

Independently executes the duties and responsibilities of preceptor serves as a clinical resource in the department using advanced skills and competencies guiding and mentoring colleagues through processes to provide optimal patient care.

Provides structured feedback with examples.

Conducts self in a manner that is congruent with cultural diversity equity and inclusion principles. Initiates contributions towards improvement of department scores for employee engagement i.

e. peertopeer accountability.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Role models the patient and familycentered care standards and provides direct patient care under the direction of a registered nurse.

Documents where applicable care administered diagnostic measurements treatments and procedures in accordance with established policies and procedures.

Responds to the call light system contacting nursing personnel as appropriate and follows through with meeting patient needs.

Assists with maintaining cleaning and stocking of equipment and supplies as established on assigned unit. May serve as an inhouse courier which may include retrieving blood hand delivering labs tele boxes etc.

Organizes the workflow problemsolves basic and routine matters and manages multiple ongoing priorities seeking guidance and assistance from preceptor licensed nurse or management.

Role models behaviors and skills through peertopeer accountability towards improving department score for patient satisfaction i.

e. bedside shift handoff / report.

QUALITY / SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Reports observations conditions and problems of patients to licensed personnel to achieve desired patient outcomes. Provides for the privacy of patients and families keeping the safety of the patient in mind.
• Provides appropriate handoff at change of shift at patient bedside to communicate and collaborate promoting patientcentered care.
• Conducts hourly rounding to ensure patient needs are met (four Ps). Reports near misses and collaborates with the interprofessional health care team to improve patient safety.
• Offers innovative solutions in performance improvement projects and shared governance activities. impacting quality and safety target through peertopeer accountability reporting near misses and collaborating with the interprofessional team.

Supports initiatives to prevent conditions such as pressure injuries patient falls and hospitalacquired infections.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Assists with patient and staffing needs (floats) across the service line or hospital as competencies allow. Utilizes time between heavy workloads efficiently.
• Utilizes resources with cost effectiveness and value creation in mind. Selfmotivated to independently manage time effectively and prioritize daily tasks minimizing incidental overtime assisting coworkers as needed.

Role models effective time management and coordinates colleagues to meet the overall demands of the department.

GROWTH / INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Develops skills of team members and continually assists with improving skills performance and outcomes. Fosters a positive and constructive patient care environment by engaging coworkers in learning opportunities that are valuable and in alignment with department objectives.
• Seeks opportunities to identify selfdevelopment needs and takes appropriate action. Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management.

Completes and updates the My Development Plan on an ongoing basis including the development of advanced skills.

This job description is not intended to be allinclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business / job duties as assigned.

Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

High School diploma or equivalent education (examples include : GED verification of homeschool equivalency partial or full completion of postsecondary education etc.)

WORK EXPERIENCE

Three years acute care hospital or postacute care experience or two years Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) / Paramedic experience or Graduate Nurse (GN) who will be retaking the NCLEX for RN licensure.

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS REQUIRED

• BLS Basic Life Support (AHA) AND
• CNA Certified Nursing Assistant State Licensure For Skilled Nursing Facility(SNF) / Rehab departments only

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job determined through ongoing skills competency assessments and performance evaluations
• Sufficient proficiency in speaking reading and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
• Ability to effectively communicate with patients physicians family members and coworkers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles
• Performs basic patient care activities of daily living (ADLs) within unit specific defined limits and job scope such as assistance with patient elimination hygiene comfort safety nutrition and progress activity
• Demonstrates independence and exercises judgment in interactions with physicians interprofessional care team patients and their families
• Displays strong time management skills
• Adapts to multiple ongoing priorities with minimal supervision including but not limited to organizing workflows and actively participating in problemsolving
• Demonstrates ability to access information both in the department and within the hospital system to support the department and interprofessional health care team as appropriate
• Possesses competent computer knowledge. Operates multiple computer systems including electronic health records i.e. Epic and Microsoft Office (Word PowerPoint & Excel) to maintain patient information

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs Yes
• Business professional No
• Other (department approved) Yes

ONCALL*

• Note that employees may be required to be oncall during emergencies (ie. DIsaster Severe Weather Events etc) regardless of selection below.
• On Call* No

TRAVEL

Travel specifications may vary by department

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area No
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No

Company Profile :

Houston Methodist Hospital is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the No. 1 hospital in Texas (twoway tie) and one of Americas Best Hospitals.

As a fullservice acutecare hospital located in the Texas Medical Center and the flagship hospital of Houston Methodist it has evolved into one of the nations largest nonprofit teaching hospitals and a leader in innovative medical research with a comprehensive residency program.

Two of Houston Methodists primary academic affiliates are among the nations leading health care organizations : Weill Cornell Medicine and New YorkPresbyterian Hospital.

Houston Methodist also has affiliations with Texas A&M University and the University of Houston. With 948 operating beds 85 operating rooms and more than 8400 employees Houston Methodist Hospital offers unparalleled care for thousands of patients from around the world.

Houston Methodist is an equal opportunity employer inclusive of women minorities disabled persons and veterans.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Equal employment opportunity is a sound and just concept to which Houston Methodist is firmly bound. Houston Methodist will not engage in discrimination against or harassment of any person employed or seeking employment with Houston Methodist on the basis of race color religion sex sexual orientation gender identity national origin age disability status as a protected veteran or other characteristics protected by law.

VEVRAA Federal Contractor priority referral Protected Veterans requested.

Remote Work :