Patient Care Assistant

Job Purpose: 

The Patient Care Assistant is responsible for assisting the nursing and surgical team and provide excellent care by performing basic medical and personal care to patients.  Assists surgical case preparation and coordinating efficient patient flow through Pre-Op, OR, and Post-Op. 

Primary Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Performs basic patient care tasks in Pre-Op, OR and Post-Op as follows: 
• Room patients, perform vital signs and prepare surgical site.  Reports and potential issues to the RN 
• Administering tests including but not limited to UCG, 12-lead EKG, and accucheck 
• Cleans the pre-op room once patient moves to operating room and prepare pre-op room for next patient  
• Assist in preparing operating rooms; check and record temperatures and check cleaning supplies ready for the day 
• Ensures all ORs are stocked appropriately, sets-up needed supplies, and correctly positions equipment for every case 
• Uses aseptic technique during setting up with opening all sterile packs and supplies 
• Assists surgery staff to transport patient, move to surgical table, and position for surgery 
• Assists with hook-up to monitors and any needed equipment  
• Helps with sterile prepping of patient’s surgical limb/site  
• Prepares to be called upon to retrieve any needed equipment or supplies during the procedure 
• Assists in room turnovers  
• Prepares room for patient’s arrival to PACU Assist RN’s with patient care (repositioning, providing drinks and snacks) 
• Assists nurse with ambulating patients 
• Discontinue of IV catheters when directed 
• Assists patient with putting on slings/surgical shoes, provide crutch training if  needed, getting dressed, going to the restroom, and safe transportation to vehicle upon discharge  
• Assists Materials Manager with inventory by checking outdates, counting supplies and inventory and storing new supply and inventory arrivals  
• Assists in restocking supplies in all areas 
• Completes and documents daily, weekly and monthly duties in all areas 
• Able to transport patient labs to the hospital or retrieve supplies as directed 
• Maintaining yearly required programs including but not limited to: 
• Infection Control/OSHA 
• Fire Safety 
• All codes 
• Locate MSDS 

Competencies: 

• Service:  We align our actions and decision making with the organization’s guiding platform keeping our patients at the center of all we do. 
• Change Agent:  We support and contribute to positive change in the organization. 
• Communication and Interpersonal Relations:  We communicate honestly and with compassion to build connections with our patients and each other. 
• Effectiveness:  We take ownership of work, doing the right thing for our customer and doing it well. 

Organizational Culture:

All OrthoIllinois employees focus on service by putting the mission, vision, and value statements into practice and using the guiding principles of Compassion, Respect, Trust, Integrity, Innovation, Education Fiscal Responsibility, Practice Independence, Accountability, and Empowerment to direct their interactions and decision making.  Employees promote and model the service standards to create lasting impressions, extraordinary moments, exceptional on-stage experiences, and meaningful and compassionate connections.     

Education and Experience Requirements: 

• High school diploma or GED required 
• Minimum of 2 year patient care experience required 
• Previous surgical setting experience preferred 
• CPR certification required 
• Basic working knowledge of Microsoft and Google suites 
• Basic working knowledge of EMR systems 

Environmental/Working Conditions:  

Working environment is an ambulatory surgery center. Occasional work required outside normal business hours including evenings and weekends.  

Physical/Mental Demands:   

• Stand, walk, sit for extended periods of time 
• Requires lifting, carrying, or moving heavier objects (i.e. pushing or pulling up to 100 pounds and lifting and carrying up to 50 pounds 
• Possess full range of motion in shoulders and arms, including reaching above or below the shoulder. 
• Finger dexterity, the ability to twist hands/wrists repetitively, and type on a keyboard 
• Excellent vision, hearing, smell, and balance. 

This description is intended to provide only basic guidelines for meeting job requirements.  Responsibilities, knowledge, skills, abilities and working conditions may change as needs evolve.