A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.
Under direct supervision from a Registered Nurse or other designated supervision, provides direct patient care and assists in the maintenance of a safe environment that supports patient care needs.
This is a multi-unit position -- 8A3 Acute Care Oncology and The Surgical Short Stay Unit (SSSU):
8A3 cares for primarily Hematology/Oncology patients as well as Acute Care Surgery patients. We provide comprehensive care for patients with benign and malignant disorders of the hematopoietic system such as Leukemia, Blood Disorders, Multiple Myeloma and Myeloproliferative Disorders. This patient population provides a wide variety of medical/surgical experiences while focusing on the specialty of Oncology.
SSSU is a surgical short-stay unit that provides comprehensive care for a wide variety of surgical patients requiring an overnight stay from the PACU or Procedural units. Medical patients from the ED requiring an overnight stay may also be placed in the SSSU.
Observation/Monitoring
- Obtains vital signs, temperature, height/length, weight, oxygen saturation and pain scores; reports abnormal values to RN. Obtains other measurements (i.e., head circumference, abdominal girth) per unit standard.
- Responds to monitor alarms.
- Utilizes palpation/auscultation and Doppler to determine heart rate and blood pressure.
- Observes, monitors and reports the overt physical condition of assigned patient(s).
- Responds to physiologic monitor alarms based on unit training and competencies. Alarms should be silenced or paused prior to an activity that will trigger an alarm such as bathing, drawing blood or getting a patient out of bed as delegated by RN. Ensures that alarms are on when activity is completed and/or before leaving the patient.
- Measures and records intake and output.
- Functions as a sitter.
- Assists physician/provider during diagnostic procedures; assists and supports patient before and during procedures; assists in specimen collection.
- Applies and changes ECG electrodes and pulse ox probe; attaches patient to travel (ECG and A-line) monitor.
- Places monitor strips on inpatient records.
Specimen Collection
- Performs point of care testing; maintains and calibrates equipment and supplies.
- Collects blood specimens from arterial, CVP and PIC lines.
- Collects specimens, including urine, stool, sputum and swabs, and performs urine determination including sugar, acetone, specific gravity protein, pH.
- Performs finger/heel stick blood collection and chemstick test.
- Initiates, maintains and records 24-hour urine collection.
- Transports blood and laboratory specimens.
Intravenous Lines
- Discontinues peripheral IVs. Removes peripheral IV dressings.
- Primes peripheral (without additives) and central/pressure heparin set-ups (after bag spiked by RN); times and dates bag/tubing per policy.
Patient ADLs
- Assists patients with, or administers routine personal hygiene including baths, oral care, skin care, umbilical cord and circumcision care.
- Performs preventative skin care, pre-operative preps, perineal care.
- Provides toileting/bedpan/urinal; remove/empty foley catheters; weighs diapers.
- Accompanies, escorts, ambulates, moves, turns, dangles, lifts, transports and attends/holds/positions patients.
- Assists with range of motion; applies rehabilitation equipment; releases and applies devices, i.e. wheelchair seatbelt, adaptive equipment, etc., in accordance with specific instructions, to position patients to limit movements.
- Provides patient nourishment by performing such duties as passing and collecting trays, providing snacks/beverages, assists with ordering meals/snacks; feeds patients. Double check breast milk with RN.
Tube Feedings
- Perform tube feedings of patients, at the direction of the RN, and after the RN has established placement just prior to each tube feeding (e.g. Change tube feeding bag, prime line and set rate after notifying RN, refill tube feeding bag as indicated per infection control guidelines and after verifying correct tube feeding to be administered).
Urinary Catheters
- Performs intermittent sterile urinary catheterizations.
- Performs clean urinary catheterizations (Pediatrics only-waiting for data).
- Connects, drains and disconnects urinary catheters.
- Assembles intermittent bladder irrigation supplies.
- Discontinues urinary catheters.
- Applies condom catheter.
- Determines bladder status with Bladder Scanner.
Enemas/Suppositories
- Administers cleansing enemas that do not contain medication.
- Applies external Fecal Incontinence Device bags.
Wound Care
- Cleanses and redresses non-sterile wounds.
- Performs simple sterile dressing changes, as in central line dressings.
- Assists RN with complex dressing changes.
- Cares for permanent drainage sites and apply appropriate collection device, i.e., ostomy, G-tube,etc.
- Applies binders, ACE wraps, hot and cold applications; provides soaks and special baths.
Respiratory Care
- Assist with tracheostomy care on stable tracheotomies including such duties as cleaning and
- redressing area; assists with tape and tie changes.
- Performs endotracheal/tracheostomy tube suctioning after assessment by RN of patient stability.
