Covenant Health

Patient Care Support Assistant, Float Pool

PRN/OCC, Hours and Shifts vary

**For High School Students Only**

Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center is an award-winning, certified, and accredited facility with 541 beds. As a Joint Commission Comprehensive Stroke Center, Fort Sanders offers state-of-the art care that maximizes recovery from stroke.  We are also the region’s leader in technology in areas such as bariatric surgery, robotic surgery and minimally invasive spine surgery. Our door-to-balloon times for heart attack patients are below the national average, and our hip fracture center offers advanced diagnosis, surgery and recovery procedures for hip patients.

Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center is a member of Covenant Health, a locally-owned, non-profit health system based in Knoxville, TN, with a “patient-focused” culture. It has been recognized by Forbes Magazine as its 2020 “Best-in-State-Employer” for Tennessee. The CEO of our company, Jim VanderSteeg, attends every new employee orientation and will ask you to sign our pledge of excellence to always put patients first, strive for excellence in everything we do, and make Covenant Health the first and best choice for patients in our region. As you’d expect, we offer our employees a robust benefits package, including: offering unmatched medical insurance, tuition reimbursement; student loan repayment assistance, certification bonuses; leadership and professional development programs; an employer-matched 401(k); and a generous Combined Time Off (CTO) program.

Position Summary:

The Patient Care Support Assistant functions as direct support in patient care performing tasks to assist nurses and providers. Performs hands-on care, assistance with ADL’s, and specified technical tasks for a group of patients under the supervision of the nurse. Duties include supporting the Medical Surgical Unit and Emergency Room with patient care, housekeeping, HUC, sitter, and transporting of patients.

If you have any questions please contact Recruiter: Jennifer Gordon || jgordon2@covhlth.com || 865-374-8107

• Provides morning or evening care, which may include bed bath, oral hygiene, combing hair, back care, dressing patient, changing bed linen, cleaning over-bed table and bedside stand, straightening room, and other supportive care as needed.
• Takes and records temperature, pulse, respiration rates, blood pressures, oxygen saturation, weights, heights, and intake-output measurements.
• Documents/maintains patient record as appropriate.
• Promptly answers patient call lights and responds to patient requests.
• Answers telephone and intercoms; relays and documents messages. Helps to ensure that follow-up to patients request is timely.
• Ambulates and assists patients in and out of bed, into wheelchairs, and transport when necessary (on oxygen if required).
• Monitors and utilizes the patient flow board for assignments.
• Reports observed changes in patient condition to nurse or provider.
• Attends to nutritional needs of patient which may include distributing meal trays, feeding, filling, and passing out water pitchers.
• Helps to maintain clean and orderly patient and work environment.
• Maintains open lines of communication between patients, family, physicians, peers, and leadership.
• Encourages patients to turn, cough, and take deep breaths as specified by plan of care.
• Empties canisters, urine bags, bedpans, and emesis basins and records intake and output.
• Provides general care such as positioning, lifting, or turning patients; assisting in use of bedpan, urinal, or commode.
• Performs EKG (requires special training).
• Assists in maintaining a safe environment, which may include checking equipment daily for proper function and reporting equipment that is out of order, appropriate handling of linen, and storing of supplies.
• Gathers equipment for O2 set up. Checks O2 for connection and proper placement.
• Orders patient care supplies and keeps patient care supplies stocked in proper amounts in rooms, carts, and other areas as appropriate.
• Checks for proper functioning of equipment at patient bedside.
• Sets up suction equipment and checks for proper function.
• Demonstrates knowledge and competency in providing for age-specific needs of the population served.
• Demonstrates ability to perform skills as assigned on the Nursing Assistant checklist.
• Employs all established infection control policies including standard precautions, transmission-based isolation precautions, OSHA standards, safety measures, and proper body mechanics in performance of job.
• Follows policies, procedures, and safety standards. Completes required education assignments annually. Works toward achieving goals and objectives, and participates in quality improvement initiatives as requested.
• Performs defined safety protocols (i.e., double identification, various isolation procedures, equipment maintenance and cleaning, etc.).
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Education:           

None specified; this is an internship for high school students 16 years of age or older who are enrolled in healthcare courses and intending to pursue a career in healthcare. Individuals remain eligible for the role until July 15^th of the year of high school graduation. Those who are 17 at the time of graduation may remain in the role until their 18^th birthday.

Minimum Experience:         

Medical terminology a plus. Must be able to operate computer and possess excellent interpersonal skills. Must be able to read with comprehension, write legibly, and perform basic arithmetic computation. Must successfully complete Covenant’s orientation and Nursing Assistant in-house training program before being permitted to work with patients.

Licensure Requirement:      

None

Restrictions due to Age (for minors under 18):

• Cannot load, unload, or use the compactor or baler.
• Cannot use any type of power-driven hoisting apparatus.
• Cannot use personal or company vehicle to make any type of deliveries or run errands while on or off the clock.
• Sitter – Cannot sit for behavioral health or suicidal patients.
• Unable to work in the Radiation department (only allowed to transport patients).
• Unable to work during school hours and must be clocked out and off property by 10pm.