Job Summary

Provides direct and indirect patient care under the direction of a registered nurse and/or physician. Provides for personal care, comfort and assists with safe, clean environment, maintains equipment and supplies. Meets the communication needs of the patient/family, departmental staff and medical staff. Prepares and compiles records on the patient care unit. Floats to different patient care units as necessary. Initiates directions from physician and nursing staff. Participates in performance improvement activities. Maintains regulatory agency requirements, nursing and hospital policies and procedures and standards.

Demonstrates Competency in the Following Areas

• Provides general nursing care such as positioning patients, lifting and turning patients, transferring patients and assisting patients with ambulation.
• Notifies appropriate licensed staff when patient complains of pain.
• Performs all aspects of patient care in an environment that optimizes patient safety and reduces the likelihood of medical/health care errors.
• Supports and maintains a culture of safety and quality.
• Takes and records temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure, weight and intake-output, as well as other medical information.
• Obtains patient specimens; delivers specimens to the laboratory; retrieves x-ray films, etc.
• Performs dressing changes using aseptic technique.
• Assists the registered nurse and/or physician with sterile procedures; ensures sterile supplies are available.
• Prepares patients for tests and surgery according to policies and procedures.
• Prepares patients for meals; serves and removes food trays and assists with meals or feeds patients if necessary.
• Distributes water pitchers and other nourishments to patients.
• Assists visitors and family members with patient’s care needs.
• Operates medical equipment.
• Answers patient’s calls and determines how to assist them.
• Demonstrates appropriate patient care centered courtesy and respect for others.

Professional Requirements:

• Meets dress code standards; appearance is neat and clean.
• Completes annual educational requirements.
• Maintains regulatory requirements.
• Reports to work on time and as scheduled; completes work in designated time frame.
• Wears identification while on duty; uses computerized punch time system correctly.
• Attends a minimum of 2/3 of the number of staff meetings annually; reads and returns all monthly staff meeting minutes or as required by the manager.
• Maintains patient confidentiality.
• Complies with all organizational policies regarding ethical business practices.
• Actively participates in the department's performance improvement and continuous quality improvement (CQI) activities.
• Communicates the mission, ethics and goals of the facility, as well as the focus statement of the department.

Regulatory Requirements:

• High School graduate or equivalent.
• Current Basic Cardiac Life Support Certification (BLS) at the time of hire date.
• May require certification as a Certified Nurse Aid (CNA) in the state of Texas, or have matriculated from the first semester of an accredited Registered Nursing program in Texas or a Compact state.

Language Skills:

• Able to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing.

Skills:

• Basic computer knowledge.
• Knowledge of nursing care methods and procedures, sterile technique, medical terminology.
• Knowledge of safe use of various medical equipment.

Physical Demands:

• For physical demands of position, including vision, hearing, repetitive motion and environment, see following description.
  • Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position without compromising patient care.