Patient Care Assistant (PCA), Emergency Department. Part-time, Nights

A Patient Care Assistant (PCA) in the Emergency Department provides direct, culturally sensitive, and age-appropriate care to patients by assisting with daily living activities, monitoring vital signs, collecting specimens, and supporting clinical procedures under the direction of a registered nurse. They ensure patient safety, maintain a clean and organized environment, communicate effectively with patients, families, and staff, and respond appropriately to the diverse physical and behavioral health needs of the ED population.

About University of Cincinnati Medical Center  

As the pioneering hospital of UC Health, Greater Cincinnati’s academic health system, UC Medical Center has served greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky for nearly 200 years. Each year, hundreds of thousands of patients receive care from our world-renowned clinicians and care teams utilizing the most advanced medical knowledge and technology available. UC Medical Center has 724 licensed beds and more than 5,800 employees.  

We're increasing our rates by 14% over the next 3 years. At UC Health, we're dedicated to providing our registered nurses with the best working environment and compensation packages possible. That is why we’re increasing our nursing pay rates by 14% over the next three years and increasing differential pay. Apply to this position to learn more!  

Unit Details:  

• UC Medical Center is the region’s only adult Level I trauma center and Cincinnati’s first Comprehensive Stroke Center certified by the Joint Commission.  
• The unit provides development opportunities to grow your personal, professional, and leadership skills through dynamic resources and education.  
• Our newly renovated department brings state-of-the-art equipment, SRU rooms and trauma bays, behavioral health pods, a more manageable nursing station, and a larger waiting room. 

PATIENT POPULATION - (CLINICAL ONLY):

• Engages in population appropriate communication.
• Has knowledge of growth and development milestones and tasks.
• Gives clear instructions to patients/family regarding treatment.
• Involves family/guardian in the assessment, initial treatment and continuing care of the patient.
• Identifies any physical limitations of the patient and deploys intervention when necessary.
• Recognizes and responds appropriately to patients/families with behavioral health problems.
• Interprets population related data and plans care appropriately.
• Identifies and responds appropriately to different needs resulting from, unique psychological needs or those associated with religious / cultural norms. Performs treatments, administers medication or operates equipment safely.
• Recognizes and responds to signs/symptoms of abuse or neglect.

Patient Care:

• Provides all patient care in a manner that is culturally based and age specific.
• Measures vital signs, records observation of skin integrity, intake & output, height & weight (bedside or w/c scale); reports all changes including mental status.
• Specimen collection: routine urine, clean catch urine, 24-hour urine, collection of self-expectorant sputum.
• Assists with activities of daily living (ADL’s), skin care, tube and catheter care, turning, positioning, transfer and ambulating, range of motion (ROM), hot and cold compresses.
• Provides hygiene and comfort measures to include Bathing/showering, Pericare.
• Changes linens as needed.
• Empties drainage bags and records outputs, disposes of bodily fluids/waste.
• Utilizes patient care equipment such as manual/hydraulic/electronic lift/hoyer lift/bed scale.
• Removes and reapplies splints, braces, cervical collars, skin and skeletal traction, anti-embolic stockings.
• Performs post-mortem care.
• Distributes and removes food trays, sets up meal trays, positions and prepares patient for meals, assists and/or feeds patient, assists with menu selection, records calorie counts, provides snacks and fluids, monitors head of bed (HOB) with patients receiving tube feedings.
• Assists with turning, coughing and deep breathing; provides follow-up to incentive spirometry; reapplies O2 cannula/mask, provide portable oxygen tank for transport.
• May perform EKG’s, mobile care phlebotomy (MCP), and blood glucose.

Communication:

• Communicates patient observations to RN timely and appropriately.
• Orients patients and visitors to room and unit and updates the white boards appropriately.
• Records measurements and patient data.
• Documents treatments and procedures performed.
• Responds to and utilizes nurse call system.
• Reception and phone duties, as directed.
• Retrieves i