Patient Care Assistant Novice

About the Role

The Patient Care Assistant (PCA) Novice position at Houston Methodist West Hospital is an entry-level role for individuals who have graduated from a Patient Care Tech (PCT) program or completed an internal internship. This position involves documenting care administered, diagnostic measurements, treatments, and procedures. PCAs demonstrate continuous progress in basic knowledge and skills necessary to communicate appropriately and carry out delegated tasks for an age-specific, diverse patient population under the supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN).

Key Responsibilities

• Respond to the call light system.
• Record data as established by policy and procedure.
• Report observations and patient problems to the licensed nurse.
• Perform assigned non-nursing functions.
• Practice Patient and Family Centered Care in concert with Houston Methodist ICARE values.
• Perform 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.
• Assist with maintaining, cleaning, and stocking of equipment and supplies as established on assigned unit.
• May serve as an in-house courier which may include retrieving blood, hand delivering labs, tele boxes, etc.
• Provide for the privacy of patients and families, keeping the safety of the patient in mind.
• Document, where applicable, care administered, diagnostic measurements, treatments, and procedures in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Seeks opportunities to identify self-development needs on knowledge base, skill level and decision-making.
• Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management.
• Completes and updates the My Development Plan on an on-going basis.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Patient Care Technician (PCT) program graduate
• Internal employee participating in the Houston Methodist PCA immersion program/ internship
• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
• Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) through an approved credentialing certification agency

Qualifications

EDUCATION

• High School diploma or equivalent education (e.g., GED, verification of homeschool equivalency, partial or full completion of post-secondary education)

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS

• BLS - Basic Life Support or Instructor (AHA) - American Heart Association within 1 month

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job.
• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job.
• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus.
• Self-motivated to independently manage time effectively and prioritize daily tasks.

Work Attire

• Scrubs
• Other (department approved)

Note: Employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (e.g., Disaster, Severe Weather Events).