Care Partner - Neurology

Job Opportunity at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital

It's more than a career, it's a calling.

Care Partners are responsible for meeting the basic needs of patients by providing skilled levels of bedside patient care under the direction of the Registered Nurse. Care Partners also perform clerical duties necessary to the functioning of the nursing unit.

Job Responsibilities and Requirements:

Position Accountabilities and Performance Criteria (% of Time)

Essential Functions: The following are essential job accountabilities and performance criteria:

1. General Patient Care:
• Carries out the patient's plan of care as it relates to the patient's physical needs under the direction of the Registered Nurse.
• Delivers care requiring broad knowledge of aseptic technique, medical terminology and equipment.
• Assists nurses and physicians with procedures.
• Maintains knowledge of and operates equipment used in patient care safely.
• Retrieves patient care items that are not routinely available on the unit.
• Retrieves, recovers or follows up on patient care needs.
• Completed unit clerical duties including the coordination of designated unit activities, transcription of orders, medical record maintenance and serving as a unit receptionist.
• Prepares rooms prior to admissions and following discharges. Completes patient's belongings list on admission and transfer.
• Directs prompt and courteous attention to the needs of patients, families, and visitors.
• Rounds with purpose.
• Engages in service recovery activities referring unusual problems to Nurse Manager/ Designate.
• Rounds after dietary trays are passed to ensure all meals are appropriate or as required for patient satisfaction /care needs.
• Takes appropriate action when necessary including the resolution of issues related to late or wrong trays.
• Feeds and sets up trays as needed.
• Recognizes needs and initiates appropriate action in regard to maintaining supplies and equipment
• Notifies appropriate department in order to maintain a clean safe environment (housekeeping, maintenance, dietary, etc.)
• Functions as a resource person to co-workers, patients/families, medical staff, and ancillary personnel.
2. Safety and Comfort:
• Correctly places restraints; observes for constriction of circulation, changes to skin integrity, adequate breathing; knows when and how to change position; provides range of motion (ROM) and skin care, toileting, and opportunities for socialization.
• Operates Cardiac Monitor i.e.
• On/off switch
• Alarms/stand-by
• Obtaining strip
• Lead placement
3. Vital Signs/Measurement:
• Completes Point of Care Testing as approved by hospital and competency
• Obtains vital signs including temperature
• Measures abdominal girth
• Weighs patients
• Measures intake and output
4. Mobility and Exercise:
• Applies Pneumatic Air Stockings / Ted Hose
• Ambulates, turns and positions patients.
5. Respiratory Care:
• Assists with incentive spirometry and cough / deep breath.
• Sets up oxygen therapy such as, nasal cannula or mask as directed by Registered Nurse.
• Monitors pulse oximetry
• Completes tracheostomy care
• Performs suctioning
• Oral
• Tracheal: When the patient is assessed by the Registered Nurse to be stable.
6. Wound Care:
• Places patient on specialty bed
• Performs dressing changes (sterile and clean)
• Cares for pin care site after assessment has been completed by the Registered Nurse. Assists in monitoring that traction weights are hanging freely and in good alignment.
7. Bowel and Bladder Elimination:
• Administers enemas
• Performs straight catheterization. Provides catheter care.
8. Hygiene:
• Provides:
• Hygiene and grooming daily
• Mouth care (including dentures) at least twice/day.
• Fresh water at 0800, 1600, 2400 and as needed
• Perineal care
• Toileting
9. Specimen Collection:
• Obtains:
• Midstream (clean-voided) urine specimen.
• Timed urine specimen
• Sterile urine specimen from an indwelling catheter
• Urine specific gravity (5 South and 5 ICU only)
• Urine pH
• Expectorated sputum specimens
• Blood specimens by venipuncture
• Stool specimens
10. Clerical:
• Answers phone within 3 rings identifying self, title and nursing unit. Does not keep person on hold for extended periods.
• Provides directions to physicians, hospital personnel, and visitors to patient's room.
• Notifies the physician and nursing staff of new patient's arrival to unit.
• Assists in the receiving of articles brought to the nursing unit.
• Answers pneumatic tube promptly and returns carriers to the appropriate area.
• Prepares a daily worksheet and confirms all appointments concerning daily work (including blood work) and updates worksheet on each shift.
• Verifies census sheet, maintains and updates as necessary.
• Informs Admitting Department of all transfers, discharges, admissions, room changes, and deaths through the computer. Includes disposition of appropriate paperwork.
• Informs staff/charge nurses / nurse manager of nursing unit activities: return of patients to the floor, physician stat orders, new admissions, etc.
• Assist nursing staff and ancillary personnel to ensure appropriate and complete specimen labels/requisition orders.
• Reports critical lab values to appropriate personnel.
• Initiates and completes secretarial portion of the pre-op checklist.
• Completes the administrative data screen for all new admissions and updates daily.
• Assists the nursing staff with paperwork involved in the patient transfer and discharge procedure to include movement of medications.
• Gives a full report to the oncoming person. (Leaves a written report if unable to give verbal). Informs the Charge Nurse if additional orders are left for the night shift.
• Checks patient chart periodically throughout the shift for "stat", flagged and un-flagged orders.
• Checks physician orders daily for unsigned verbal/telephone orders and places appropriate flag.
• Enters orders into the computer accurately.
• Calls departments to order tests, procedures, and consults which cannot be ordered through the computer.
• Transcribes orders for tests/procedures/consults onto the TESTS/PROCEDURES section of the profile.
• Ensures labels are correctly placed on all forms
• Transcribes medication orders to the medication administration record accurately.
• Places all physician orders in pharmacy bin. Faxes all physician orders to pharmacy during night shift.
• Signs orders to indicate orders were taken off with date, time, signature and title
• Utilizes appropriate backup systems in the event of computer downtime.
• Ensures that stat and timed orders are transcribed promptly.
• Initiates and assembles charts
• Keeps chart in order; thins chart as needed and places