Patient Care Technician

Full Time, 7:30 am- 8:00 pm (Days) three 12-hr shifts, including every other weekend.

With over 150 years of caring for our community and each other in the Washington DC area, Howard University Hospital has a world-renowned reputation for high-quality, patient-centric care. Howard University Hospital is the nation’s only teaching hospital located on the campus of a Historically Black University and has created a superior learning environment, with groundbreaking research and positive patient outcomes.

Howard University Hospital seeks to hire a Full-time Patient Care Technician in the Renal/Diabetes Department who will embrace our rich and historic tradition of excellence. If you want to make a difference in someone’s life every day, consider a position with a team of professionals who are doing just that, making a difference. 

This Full-time position consists of three 12-hour shifts a week, with every other weekend required. 7:30 AM - 8 PM

The Patient Care Technician performs a variety of direct patient care activities for a designated nursing or clinical department as outlined by the District of Columbia Board of Nursing (see addendum for complete list). Assists medical and nursing staff with procedures and/or tests and assists patients with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), obtains non-invasive body fluid specimens, draws blood, and/or performs EKGs.   

The Patient Care Technician:

• Under the direction of the RN, performs technical duties and selected treatments, procedures, and activities which contribute to the safe and efficient delivery of patient care including inserting and discontinuing intravenous lines, and electrocardiograms, and implementing the patient plan of care. 
• Assists with patient care, such as personal hygiene, special skin care, ambulation, transfer and treatment procedures, including enemas, ostomy care, oral suctioning, urinary catheterization, bed making, sterile dressings, and monitoring the administration of oxygen equipment by observing settings, tubing, and equipment.
• Provides purposeful hourly rounds to patients, and more frequently as indicated, to provide all patients with quick responses to their needs.  Assists in ambulation and range of motion.
• Observes, documents, and monitors vital signs.  Measures and records intake (fluid/food) and output (bodily functions/bodily drainage).
• Practices infection control procedures and observes Standard Precautions (including appropriate use of Personal Protective Equipment).  Performs minor housekeeping tasks to keep patient areas clean.
• Collects specimens, including through the performance of phlebotomy; and assists nursing staff with proper repositioning. 
• Assists with obtaining basic patient information as part of the nursing history or ongoing assessment and reports abnormal values or changes in the patient’s condition to the appropriate nurse or supervisor.
• Runs errands procure equipment and set up equipment.
• Assumes other duties and responsibilities that are related and appropriate to the position and area.  The above responsibilities are a general description of the level and nature of the work assigned to this classification and are not to be considered all-inclusive.  Such additional duties may not exceed those outlined in the DC Board of Nursing regulations.

• A high school degree or GED diploma is required.
• Completion of an approved health care training program beyond high school (i.e., CNA, PCT Training Program).
• Individuals who have completed and earned an ADN or BSN degree, and are waiting to take the NCLEX-RN exam.
• A minimum of six months experience as a PCT, CNA, or Nursing Student with completion of at least one year of clinical rotation, including successful completion of the Fundamentals of Nursing course and clinical, or a recent nurse graduate preparing to take the NCLEX-RN exam.  
• One (1) or more years hands-on patient care experience in a hospital setting providing patient care is preferred.
• Certified Nurse Assistant, or Certified Patient Care Technician (DC approved), a Nursing Student (RN Program) with completion of at least one year of clinical rotation, must include successful completion of Fundamentals of Nursing class and clinical.
• Current Basic Life Support certification through American Heart Association: Health Care Provider is required.  
• Completion of an approved phlebotomy course is preferred.

• Work-life balance
• Recognition and rewards for professional expertise
• Competitive, comprehensive benefit plans offered (including health, disability, vacation, sick leave, and 403B retirement plan)