Patient Care Nurse Assistant (PCNA), PACU

About the Role

This Patient Care Nurse Assistant (PCNA) position is in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) at Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital. The PACU, also known as the recovery room, is where patients are closely monitored as anesthesia wears off. Caregivers in this unit check and monitor vital signs, including heart rhythm, blood pressure, temperature, pulse, and breathing, and assess patient pain levels, providing medication as needed. This role offers an opportunity to start a nursing career in a supportive healthcare setting and coordinate with fellow caregivers to create a welcoming, healing, and warm environment for patients.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist nursing caregivers, promote patient comfort, and carry out nursing orders.
• Transport patients by wheelchair, bed, or stretcher from the department/unit.
• Conduct EKG and phlebotomy duties.
• Attend to patient and family needs and problems.
• Assist patients with activities of daily living, such as dressing, bathing, toileting, and hygiene.
• Report pertinent information regarding patient condition to appropriate nursing staff.
• Assist patients with tray set up and feeding.
• Restock supplies daily and order supplies from Central Supply.
• Document care provided in the medical record.
• Collect and transport specimens.
• Provide RNs/LPNs with accurate and timely intake/output data, vital signs, blood glucose results, and other data, noting changes from prior measurements and communicating accordingly.
• Respond to call lights within five minutes or communicate inability to do so.
• Report patient needs to an RN/LPN immediately.
• Assist in the removal of equipment (e.g., IV pumps, commodes, PAS) in preparation for room cleaning.

Schedule

• Evenings and on-call shifts from 1:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.
• Weekend and holiday requirements.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through the American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross upon or within the new hire period.
• For Nursing Students: Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through the American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross prior to hire.

Qualifications

• Preferred: Graduate of an approved program for nursing assistants or previous hospital training.
• Preferred: Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification.
• Preferred: Six months of experience in an acute care hospital setting.

Physical Requirements

• Requires a considerable amount of physical work not to exceed 50 pounds.
• Workload exceeding 50 pounds will require assistance.
• Ability to pull up or reposition patients in bed, lift supplies, place equipment or supports, and push beds throughout the hospital.
• Ability to bend over to perform certain duties (e.g., check chest tube drainage, check urine output).
• Ability to quickly maneuver throughout halls, stairways, and patient rooms in response to hospital emergencies.
• Requires visual and auditory skills for interpretation of environmental input.
• Heavy lifting may be required to carry patients to safety in the event of building evacuation.

Mental Demands

• Ability to work at a fast pace and prioritize multiple assignments/projects.
• Ability to respond to numerous requests.
• Ability to resolve conflicts among staff and work collaboratively with the department director, physicians, and other members of the Healthcare team.
• Ability to ensure operational efficiency.
• Ability to problem-solve and make decisions.
• Ability to exercise self-control and tolerate stress when dealing with multiple requests and/or conflicting demands.

Special Demands

• Essential Sensory Requirement: Ability to visually assess patients and implement the plan of care.
• Essential Technical/Motor Skill: Finger dexterity and eye/hand coordination necessary for charting, using equipment, and providing direct patient care.

Personal Protective Equipment

• Follows standard precautions using personal protective equipment as required.