PATIENT CARE TECHNICIAN (PRE-OP/PACU)

Main Function

The PCT is a committed and compassionate professional. They have great interpersonal skills and the ability to create a supportive environment. The PCT position serves in both a clerical and direct patient satisfaction role. The PCT will coordinate and maintain the patient flow through the pre and postoperative areas exhibiting strong written and verbal skills. The goal for the PCT is to facilitate the ease and recovery of patients before and after surgery.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Philosophy

1. Supports the facility’s ideology, mission, goals, and objectives
2. Performs in accordance with the facility’s policies and procedures
3. Follows the facility’s standards for ethical business conduct
4. Conducts self as a positive role model and team member
5. Recognizes patients’ rights and responsibilities and supports them in performance of job duties

2. General

1. Participates in facility committees, meetings, in-services, and activities
2. Punctual and comply with attendance guidelines
3. Gets along well with all employees and respects the rights of other employees
4. Demonstrates resourcefulness, independent thinking and seeks additional challenges and opportunities. Seeks to create new methods, techniques and processes.

3. Communication

1. Communicates effectively and professionally with vendors, physicians, coworkers, patients and visitors
2. Interacts with others in a positive, professional, respectful, and considerate manner

4. Financial practices

1. Uses facility resources appropriately and avoids wasteful practices
2. Reports wasteful practices
3. Analyzes work area and makes recommendations for potential cost-effective improvements

5. Compliance program

1. Assists in the implementation and maintenance of the organization’s adopted compliance program
2. Performs according to established compliance policies and procedures

6. Performance-improvement program

1. Contributes to the progress and development of the organization's adopted performance-improvement program, policies, and procedures
2. Performs according to established performance-improvement policies and procedures

7. Safety/risk-management program

1. Adheres to safety policies and procedures in performing job duties and responsibilities
2. Reports observed or suspected safety violations, hazards, and policy/procedure noncompliance to the safety officer or other designated person
3. Complete annual education requirements

8. Professional competence

1. Participates in continuing education and other learning experiences
2. Shares knowledge gained in continuing education with staff
3. Maintains membership in relevant professional organizations
4. Seeks new learning experiences by accepting challenging opportunities and responsibilities
5. Welcomes suggestions and recommendations

9. Regulatory

1. Remains current on all applicable state and federal laws, rules, regulations, professional standards and accreditation standards

Submits required reports on a timely basis

1. Develops, interprets and recommends implementation of policies, procedures, regulations, programs and recommended practices to ensure requirements are met

10. Duties

1. Respects patients’ rights to privacy, dignity and confidentiality
2. Is oriented to all surgical areas including the Business Office
3. Assists with bringing patients back to the pro-op area
4. Under the supervision of a Registered Nurse
   • Obtains patients height/weight/BMI
   • Instructs patients, as applicable, needed for a pre-op urine pregnancy test
   • Instructs and assists patients as necessary when changing both into surgery gown pre-operatively and with dressing post-operatively
   • Obtains vital signs
   • Shaves surgical area(s) as ordered
   • Obtains blood sugar as ordered
   • Obtains EKG as ordered
5. Cleans stretchers and equipment between patients according to policy and procedure
6. Knows locations of equipment, office supplies, and cleaning supplies
7. Assists patients to bathroom and provides drinks/snacks post-operatively only
8. Answers telephone if staff is not available
9. Assists with transporting patients upon their discharge
10. Assists in paperwork (i.e. patient charts, discharge instructions, etc.)
11. Checks email regularly to ensure proper communication throughout the facility
12. Works in a calm and orderly manner
13. Adheres to proper dress code
14. Additional duties as directed

Qualifications

1. Experience in HIPPA and relaying of medical information
2. Understanding of healthcare systems and the service provider roles
3. Basic data entry skills using facilities computer system

Requirements

1. High School Graduate; College preferred
2. Minimum 2 years experience