Cardiac Care Unit (Ccu) Clinical Care Technician

It takes a lot of very smart, hard-working and talented people to provide the level of care that we give to our patients. Tufts Medical Center is an internationally respected academic medical center and we pride ourselves not only on the sophistication of the care we deliver, but the compassionate way in which we provide it. And that starts with our employees.

The Cardiomyopathy Center (CMC) is a 16 bed intermediate Care Unit specializing in the care of patients with advanced heart failure. 

Per diem requirements are a minimum of 4 shifts per month on rotating shifts (days, evenings, nights, weekends, holidays). Must be available for 2-3 shifts per week for the first 3 weeks of employment to complete new employee and unit-based orientation.

The Clinical Care Technician works under the supervision of the professional nurse and collaborates to meet the needs of the patient within the scope of the role.  The Clinical Care Technician assists in direct patient care, provides environmental support and facilitates patient safety on designated unit and other units as needed. The Clinical Care Technician has successfully completed and maintains competencies in role specific skills. The Clinical Care Technician provides an environment supportive of the patient and family centered model of care.

PRINCIPLE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical Skills Assists the professional registered nurse in the functional care of patients, ensuring efficient and patient centered care appropriate to the developmental age of the patient population. Performs delegated tasks and communicates all findings/concerns to the professional nurse.

• Provides, or assists patients with activities of daily living in a safe, efficient and respectful manner
• Greets patients, families, visitors and other staff utilizing the principles of Tufts Medical Center service standards
• Collects, records, and communicates the patient’s clinical data to the assigned nurse in a timely manner
• Prepares room for admission/transfer/discharge, assuring standardize equipment is ready for use
• Transports or accompanies patients as necessary to other areas of the hospital in an efficient, safe, and respectful manner
• Provides comfort measures such as positioning, changing linen, back rubs, etc. to patients in an efficient, safe, and respectful manner
• Maintains patient and family confidentially at all times
• Promotes patient activity by assisting with mobility and range of motion exercises as assigned
• Sets up for procedures as requested by nursing/medical staff
• Cleans and discards used equipment and supplies following procedures
• Collects specimens and performs specimen testing, while maintaining Standard Precautions; prepares specimens for the lab
• Responsible for care of biomedical equipment, checking par levels and working order for BP cuffs, EKG cables, leads, oximeter cables, etc. Sends malfunctioning equipment to Medical Engineering per established procedure
• Cleans wounds and applies DSD after wound is assessed by nurse
• Performs 12 lead EKG
• Connects monitoring equipment to patient under the direction of the nurse
• Cares for patient belongings. Completes belongings list
• Primes intravenous tubing with solution containing no medication
• Responds to patient and family requests promptly, seeking nurse’s supervision as needed
• Assists with patient care procedures as directed by the nurse, using proper body mechanics and ensuring patient dignity
• Performs and documents patient’s admission, transfer, and discharge tasks as requested by the nurse
• Acts as a sitter as requested by the nurse, adhering to the sitter guidelines, to ensure patient safety at all times
• Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients being cared for
• Answers call lights and seeks appropriate personnel/action
• Performs hourly rounding per established guidelines
• Performs other similar and related duties as required or directed
• Promotes quality, safety, regulatory and patient and family satisfaction

Communication and Collaboration: The Clinical Care Technician contributes to a positive work environment by maintaining open communications with others.

• Introduces self to patients and family, asking patients and family how they would prefer to be addressed
•  Supports and promotes open communication with co-workers to ensure a positive environment
• Negotiates all scheduled breaks with nurse to ensure adequate coverage to meet the patient and unit needs

Climate and Environment: The Clinical Care Technician performs tasks to ensure a clean, clutter-free, and safe work environment for patients and staff

• Maintains a clean and safe work environment for patients and staff
• Cleans and stocks equipment and supplies to ensure adequate par levels to meet patients’ needs
• Reports non-functioning equipment and other environmental problems to the appropriate individuals in a timely manner
• Appropriately and safely utilizes equipment common to the clinical area
• Promotes responsible and efficient use of resources
• Covers for the Unit Coordinator in answering the telephone, call lights and greeting visitors to the unit

Hospital Standards: As a member of the hospital community, the Clinical Care Technician participates in the patient-family centered model of care, continually improving environment.

• Maintains attendance standard as per policy
• Begins work at the assigned time and remains until the end of the assigned shift
• Completes mandatory education requirements
• Uses resources appropriately and in a cost-effective manner
• Attends educational offerings when staffing on the floor allow.
• Attends and participates in unit-based staff meetings when appropriate. If unable to attend, reads and initials minutes
• Notifies the nurse whenever he/she leaves unit
• Maintains positive customer relations in all interactions
• Utilizes resources in a careful manner

JOB KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Possesses and applies the skills and knowledge necessary to provide care to patients throughout the life span, with consideration of aging processes, human development stages and cultural patterns in each step of the care process.
• Ability to assist in providing care for a designated group of patients under the direction of a licensed nurse and according to unit guidelines hospital policies, procedures and protocols.

AGE SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES

Has the skills and knowledge to provide care to the age groups of the population served including:

• Knowledge of growth and development
• Provide age-appropriate communication

EDUCATION 

• High School Diploma or equivalent required 
• Current BLS Certification required

EXPERIENCE

One of the following preferred:

• One year of previous experience as a nursing assistant or
• Current enrollment in an accredited nursing program or
• Successful completion of a certified nursing assistant (CNA) training or
• Successful completion of a certified medical assistant (MA) training program or
• Successful completion of an EMT-B training or
• Bachelor’s degree in arts or sciences or
• Associate degree in arts or science

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORKING CONDITIONS

• Prolonged, extensive, or considerable standing/walking
• Lifts, positions, pushes and/or transfer patients and equipment
• Considerable reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling, crouching
• Frequent exposure to hazardous chemicals, sick patients, bodily substances, noise and possible exposure to radiation, lasers, electric shock, etc.
• Regularly exposed to the risk of blood borne diseases and other transmissible infections
• Contact with patients under wide variety of circumstances
• Subject to varying and unpredictable situations
• Subjected to irregular hours
• May have contact with hazardous materials