Patient Care Associate (PCA)

Summary:

• Shift: 7:00P - 8:00A (EOW)

Responsibilities:

• Function as a member of a multidisciplinary team providing a full range of services to patients admitted to the inpatient psychiatry service.
• Participate in the patients' admission and orientation to the inpatient unit.
• Assist patients with changing, searching of patients, securing of valuables, reviewing unit rules and regulations, and providing orientation to room and unit.
• Assist with preparation and updating of the Nursing Care Plan and Interdisciplinary Treatment Team Plan.
• Assist with therapeutic interventions to implement the established plans.
• Perform selected direct care duties including therapeutic intervention, taking of vital signs, and other health-related data (e.g., height, weight), simple dressing changes, sputum, blood and urine collection, urine testing, personal hygiene (e.g., feeding, bathing, shaving, dressing), and EKGs.
• Assist with the provision of concrete services, such as transportation, obtaining clothes, and check cashing.
• Lead and co-lead various patient activity groups, both recreational and therapeutic in nature.
• Assist with the preparation and implementation of discharge plans, including arranging transportation and maintaining contact with family/others to facilitate the patient’s discharge.
• Act as a patient escort both on and off the Medical Center (e.g., radiology for tests, day treatment and residential programs, recreational patient outings as ordered by MD).
• Intervene with physical restraints of violent/aggressive patients.
• Assist with the care of patients in seclusion/restraint as per departmental policy.
• Initiate CPR when necessary and assist the nursing team in carrying out the Code 77 protocol.
• Practice and maintain infection control.
• Maintain an assigned patient caseload providing ongoing supportive counseling to both the patient and family.

Requirements:

• Minimum 2 years of experience in a psychiatric unit.
• If no Associate's degree: 2 years’ experience working in law enforcement, Nursing, or Psychiatric/Behavioral Health; or with Mental Health Population, Counseling, or Group Family Dynamics.
• Venipuncture experience.
• EKG skills.

Preferred Skills:

• N/A