Job Description

Patient Safety Attendant

At Ochsner, whether you work with patients every day or support those who do, you are making a difference and that matters. Come make a difference at Ochsner Health and discover your future today!

This job works collaboratively with a licensed nurse and Patient Care Technicians under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse to maintain patient safety and provide for the delivery of basic patient care. Provides constant observation of the patient (remains with the patient), notifies nursing personnel of changes in behavior or status and when leaving the room, and intervenes as needed to maintain patient safety and/or prevent patient elopement. Communicates effectively with co-workers, patients, family and visitors and may be required to perform other non-clinical duties as assigned if no patient safety attendant assignment is available.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.

Education Required - High school diploma or equivalent.

Work Experience Required - None.

Preferred - Prior experience with psychiatric environment and experience with computer data entry.

Certifications Required - Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from the American Heart Association prior to independent patient care; Crisis Prevention and Intervention (CPI) training to be obtained prior to independent patient care; Nursing Assistant is required for those employed in Skilled Nursing Facilities/Units or areas where they provide Patient Care Tech duties.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs)

• Good communication skills and ability to communicate therapeutically with psychiatric and mentally ill patients.
• Ability to use independent judgment to monitor and respond to patient related changes in condition.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency in using computers, software, and web-based applications.

Job Duties

• Maintains a clean and safe environment in the patient care area.
• Assists with the plan of care as delegated by the staff nurse/department lead within the scope of practice.
• Provides care based on physical, psycho/social, educations, safety and related criteria, appropriate to the ages of patients served in the assigned area.
• Communicates effectively with patients, families and MDT.
• Adapts behavior to the specific patient population, including but not limited to respect for privacy, method of introduction to the patient, adapting explanation of services or procedures to be performed, requesting permissions and communication style.
• Performs other related duties as required.

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work only. They are not an exhaustive list of all required responsibilities, duties, and skills. Other duties may be added, or this description amended at any time.

Remains knowledgeable on current federal, state and local laws, accreditation standards or regulatory agency requirements that apply to the assigned area of responsibility and ensures compliance with all such laws, regulations and standards.

This employer maintains and complies with its Compliance & Privacy Program and Standards of Conduct, including the immediate reporting of any known or suspected unethical or questionable behaviors or conduct; patient/employee safety, patient privacy, and/or other compliance-related concerns. The employer is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Heavy Work - Exerting 50 to 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 25 to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or 10 to 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects. (Constantly: activity or condition exists 2/3 or more of the time) to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for Sedentary Work. Even though the weight lifted may be only a negligible amount, a job should be rated Light Work: (1) when it requires walking or standing to a significant degree; or (2) when it requires sitting most of the time but entails pushing and/or pulling of arm or leg controls; and/or (3) when the job requires working at a production rate pace entailing the constant pushing and/or pulling of materials even though the weight of those materials is negligible. NOTE: The constant stress and strain of maintaining a production rate pace, especially in an industrial setting, can be and is physically demanding of a worker even though the amount of force exerted is negligible.

Duties performed routinely require exposure to blood, body fluid and tissue. The incumbent works in a patient care area; works in an area where patients enter; works directly with patients; and/or works with specimens that could contain diseases. There may be an occupational risk for exposure to all communicable diseases.

Because the incumbent works within a healthcare setting, there may be occupational risk for exposure to hazardous medications or hazardous waste within the environment through receipt, transport, storage, preparation, dispensing, administration, cleaning and/or disposal of contaminated waste. The risk level of exposure may increase depending on the essential job duties of the role.

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