Job Description

JOB SUMMARY
At Houston Methodist, the Patient Care Assistant/Unit Administrative Assistant (PCA/UAA) position performs key functions that support the interprofessional team in delivering high quality, cost-effective care. The PCA/UAA demonstrates basic knowledge and skills necessary to communicate appropriately and carry out delegated nursing assistant level tasks for assigned patient populations, assisting in the delivery of patient care and services under the supervision of a licensed nurse. The PCA/UAA position performs basic patient care activities of daily living (ADL\'s) within unit-specific defined limits and job scope, such as assistance with patient elimination, hygiene, comfort, safety, nutrition, and progress activity and maintains competency requirements for computer medical terminology and other job-related functions, while practicing Patient and Family Centered Care in concert with Houston Methodist ICARE values: Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence.

PRIMARY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
Job responsibilities labeled EF capture those duties that are essential functions of the job.

PEOPLE - 25%

• Answers incoming telephone calls for the unit and transfers as appropriate. Facilitates and supports effective throughput with timely communication. Greets patients and visitors to the unit, assisting with directions, information and guidance. Works well with others to make contributions to the work effort as a whole and facilitates problem resolution and responds positively to requests for assistance. (EF)
• Interacts with peers, staff and physicians in a supportive and respectful manner. Encourages open communication to achieve mutual understanding. Communication to promote both work efforts and problem resolution is clear and professional. Collaborates with all members of the interprofessional team by actively communicating and reporting pertinent patient care information in a clear and timely manner. (EF)
• Provides contributions towards improvement of department scores for turnover/retention/employee satisfaction on unit-based scorecard, i.e. peer-to-peer accountability. (EF)

SERVICE - 25%

• Follows the patient and family-centered care standards and provides direct patient care under the direction of a registered nurse. Documents, where applicable, care administered, diagnostic measurements, treatments and procedures in accordance with established policies and procedures and cultural diversity and inclusion principles. Responds to the nurse call system, contacts nursing personnel as appropriate, and follows through with meeting patient needs. (EF)
• Pull/print daily reports per unit standard, which may include daily shift report, charge nurse reports, handoff reports and/or My Daily Care Plan. Assists with calls to physicians and their office, bed management, transfer services or other floors, coordinating with Operations Administrator as needed. Organizes the unit work flow, paperwork as needed, pro-actively problem-solves, anticipating needs, and managing multiple ongoing priorities with minimal supervision.. (EF)
• Coordinates the requests to Facilities Management/Maintenance and Biomed regarding department needs or broken equipment. Rounds through the unit, per unit expectations, to check for environmental or equipment needs, and other assistance that may be needed. Serves as an in-house courier which may include retrieving blood, hand delivering labs, tele boxes, etc. (EF)
• Contributes towards improving department scores for patient satisfaction on unit-based scorecard through peer-to-peer accountability, i.e. bedside shift handoff/report. (EF)

QUALITY/SAFETY - 35%

• Reports observations, conditions and problems of patients to licensed personnel to achieve desired patient outcomes. Provides for the privacy of patients and families, keeping the safety of the patient in mind. (EF)
• Provides appropriate hand-off at change of shift at patient bedside to communicate and collaborate, promoting patient-centered care. (EF)
• Conducts hourly rounding to ensure patient needs are met (four P\'s). Monitors and addresses noise level of unit to improve or impact patient satisfaction. Responds to patient calls promptly. Reports near misses and collaborates with the interprofessional health care team to improve patient safety. (EF)
• Contributes towards improving quality and safety scores on the unit-based scorecard, through peer-to-peer accountability. Supports initiatives to prevent conditions such as pressure injuries, patient falls, and hospital-acquired infections. (EF)

FINANCE - 10%

• Assists with patient and staffing needs (floats) across the service line or hospital within the scope of their role or validated competencies. (EF)
• Uses resources efficiently; does not waste supplies. Self-motivated to independently manage time effectively and prioritize daily tasks, minimizing incidental overtime. Utilizes time efficiently and helps other team members. (EF)

GROWTH/INNOVATION - 5%

• Identifies and assumes responsibility of own learning needs, consults with healthcare team experts and seeks continuing education opportunities to meet those needs. Completes and updates the individual development plan (IDP) on an on-going basis. Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. (EF)
• Offers innovative solutions through participation in performance improvement projects and shared governance activities. Follows up on action items as necessary to ensure completion of assignments. (EF)

This job description is not intended to be all inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• High School diploma or equivalent education (examples include: GED, verification of homeschool equivalency, partial or full completion of post-secondary education, etc.)

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Eighteen months of Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) or Patient Care Assistant (PCA) experience
• One year of secretarial/office, college/vocational training or six months of internal cross-training within Houston Methodist
• Prior health care experience and/or medical terminology preferred

CERTIFICATIOINS, LICENSES AND REGISTRATIONS REQUIRED

• American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS)
• For Skilled Nursing Facility(SNF)/Rehab departments only - Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations.
• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security.
• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles.
• Performs basic patient care activities of daily living (ADL\'s) within unit specific defined limits and job scope, such as assistance with patient elimination, hygiene, comfort, safety, nutrition, and progress activity.
• Completes required continuous training and education, including department specific requirements
• Ability to operate and troubleshoot equipment (fax, PC, printers, telephones, etc.)
• Proficient computer application skills

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
Work Attire Yes/No
Uniform Yes
Scrubs Yes
Business professional No
Other (dept. approved) Yes

On-Call* No (for Non-Exempt or Exempt jobs)
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (i.e. Disaster, Severe Weather Event, etc.) regardless of selection above.

Travel**
May require travel within No
Houston Metropolitan area

May require travel outside No
of Houston Metropolitan area

**Travel specifications may vary by department.

Please note any other special considerations to this job:

Company Profile:

Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital is committed to leading medicine in Montgomery County and the north Houston region by delivering the Houston Methodist standard of exceptional safety, quality, service and innovation. The growing campus offers 293 beds and access to the most innovative care. In January 2022, the hospital opened Healing Tower \xe2\x80\x93 a $250-million expansion project that added 106 beds, focused on medical/surgical and women\xe2\x80\x99s services and nine operating rooms. It also included the expansion of the endoscopy center, emergency department and diagnostic imaging department. Houston Methodist The Woodlands is recognized as a comprehensive stroke center, an orthopedic center of excellence by DNV, designated as a Level III neonatal intensive care unit, and has achieved Magnet Designation for nursing excellence from the ANCC. Houston Methodist The Woodlands is also ranked No. 1 nationally out of 148 members in the Complex Care Medical Centers cohort to be recognized for demonstrating excellence in delivering high-quality care based on the 2022 Vizient Quality and Accountability Ranking.

Houston Methodist