Patient Care Associate - Same Day Surgery

JOB PURPOSE OR MISSION : Works collaboratively with and under the direct supervision of a registered nurse to participate in the delivery of patient care for the improvement of quality of life for patients and families.

Provides assistance to the nursing staff and physicians in preparing the patient and the Same Day Surgery environment for procedures.

Job is performed appropriately for the age population served, as defined in the department’s scope of service.

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

CRITERIA A : Everyday Excellence Values - Employee demonstrates the Everyday Excellence values in the day-to-day performance of their job.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS :

• Demonstrates courtesy and caring to each other, patients and their families, physicians, and the community.
• Takes initiative in living our Everyday Excellence values and vital signs.
• Takes initiative in identifying customer needs before the customer asks.
• Participates in teamwork willingly and with enthusiasm.
• Demonstrates respect for the dignity and privacy needs of customers through personal action and attention t the environment of care.
• Keeps customers informed, answers customer questions and anticipates information needs of customers.

CRITERIA B : Corporate Compliance - Employee demonstrates commitment to the Code of Conduct, Conflict of Interest Guidelines, and the GHS Corporate Compliance Guidelines.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

• Practices diligence in fulfilling the regulatory and legal requirements of the position and department.
• Maintains accurate and reliable patient / organizational records.
• Maintains professional relationships with appropriate officials; communicates honesty and completely; behaves in a fair and nondiscriminatory manner in all professional contacts.

CRITERIA C : Personal Achievement - Employee demonstrates initiative in achieving work goals and meeting personal objectives.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

• Uses accepted procedures and practices to complete assignments.
• Uses creative and proactive solutions to achieve objectives even when workload and demands are high.
• Adheres to high moral principles of honesty, loyalty, sincerity, and fairness.
• Upholds the ethical standards of the organization.

CRITERIA D : Performance Improvement - Employee actively participates in Performance Improvement activities and incorporates quality improvement standards in his / her job performance.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

• Optimizes talents, skills, and abilities in achieving excellence in meeting and exceeding customer expectations.
• Initiates or redesigns to continuously improve work processes.
• Contributes ideas and suggestions to improve approaches to work processes.
• Willingly participates in organization and / or department quality initiatives.

CRITERIA E : Cost Management - Employee demonstrates effective cost management practices.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

• Effectively manages time and resources
• Makes conscious effort to effectively utilize the resources of the organization material, human, and financial.
• Consistently looks for and uses resource saving processes.

CRITERIA F : Patient & Employee Safety - Employee actively participates in and demonstrates effective patient and employee safety practices.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

• Employee effectively communicates, demonstrates, coordinates and emphasizes patient and employee safety.
• Employee proactively reports errors, potential errors, injuries or potential injuries.
• Employee demonstrates departmental specific patient and employee safety standards at all times.
• Employee demonstrates the use of proper safety techniques, equipment and devices and follows safety policies, procedures and plans.

JOB FUNCTIONS

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS include, but are not limited to :

1. Assists with the delivery of personalized care for Same Day Surgery patients.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS :

• Performs surgical shave preps as required by procedures and following protocols.
• Maintains and practices universal precautions and aseptic technique.
• Handles and / or delivers blood, medications and other items for patients undergoing surgery following department protocols.
• Retrieves medications from pharmacy in accordance with BRGMC policy.

2. Performs technical procedures appropriate for patients.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS :

• Provides assistance with Same Day Surgery procedures according to protocol.
• Obtains appropriate equipment and supplies for procedures.
• Cleans equipment as required and follows departmental procedures for proper cleaning.

3. Transports patients to and from Same Day Surgery.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS :

• Provides transport, positioning and turning of patients, utilizing good body mechanics and following department procedure.
• Identifies self to staff on unit; retrieves patient charts / notes as needed.
• Transfers patient from bed to stretcher or wheelchair, following proper Infection Control and body mechanic procedures.
• Properly drapes / covers patient.
• Transports patient to destination, following all BRGMC rules and regulations.
• Notifies Same Day Surgery staff of patient’s arrival.
• Cleans stretchers, wheelchairs, etc. according to established Infection Control guidelines.
• Reports repair needs to supervisor upon discovery.
• Returns all equipment to proper location at end of shift.

4. Assist in the maintenance of a clean, orderly and safe environment.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS :

• Assists in cleaning assigned Same Day Surgery rooms between cases on a timely basis.
• Routes all instruments and equipment to appropriate area for cleaning / processing.
• Assists in the inventory and orderly storage of supplies.
• Reports any unsafe conditions to RN in charge immediately upon discovery.
• Ensures patient safety by maintaining Same Day Surgery tables and stretchers in low positions, beds locked, side rails up, and properly securing patients on stretchers when transporting.

5. Performs all other duties as assigned.

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

Hospital experience desirable.

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

High school diploma or equivalent preferred.

SPECIAL SKILL, LICENSE AND KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS

Certified Nursing Assistant Certification or Basic EMT Certification or Military Medic experience or Nursing Student with completion of fundamental nursing clinical in RN program desired.

HIPAA REQUIREMENTS :

Maintains knowledge of and adherence to all applicable HIPAA regulations appropriate to Job Position including but not limited to : Medical records without limitation both paper and electronic, patient demographics, lab and radiology results, films or cine, patient information related to surgery or appointment schedules, medical records related to quality data, patient related complaints, information related to patient location, and / or patients’ religious beliefs.

SAFETY REQUIREMENTS :

Maintains knowledge of and adherence to all applicable safety practices appropriate to Job Position including but not limited to : Incident reporting, handling of wastes, sharps and linen, PPE, exposure control plans, hand washing, environment of care, patient identification, transports patients, transporting medications and blood, and monitoring clinical alarms.