Patient Support Specialist

Join our team of dedicated healthcare professionals! GMHC is a critical access hospital located on the Mississippi River in beautiful Guttenberg, Iowa.

Job Summary
Responsible for the delivery of quality patient care to patients of all ages under the direction and supervision of the Charge Nurse. Assists patients with activities of daily living and provides nursing care to patients within scope of their practice.

Cordially greets and receives hospital patients, ascertains their needs and appropriately directs visitors and callers promoting the professional image of the facility as well as departments and medical staff. Operates 2nd floor switchboard to respond to or route incoming calls. Performs a variety of clerical services for efficient operations of all departments including admission and registration of inpatients, outpatients, and emergency room patients as well as collecting and transcribing pertinent data.

Qualifications

1. Education
   High School diploma or equivalent.
2. Licensure/Certification
   Must have current Certified Nursing Assistant Certificate, License Practical Nurse license, or EMT license. Must maintain BLS Certification.
3. Knowledge and Skills
   1-2 years healthcare experience preferred. Medical terminology skills required.
4. Service Skills
   Must demonstrate strong customer service skills, organizational skills, team and interdepartmental communication skills.

Physical Demands

• Work is of medium demand involving sitting, standing and walking.
• Lifting, pulling, and pushing patients, carts, shower chairs and wheelchairs.
• Frequent reaching and handling of instruments and equipment.
• Bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, squatting, twisting when attending to patient's needs.
• Must have good hand dexterity for typing, writing and other clerical duties.
• Talking and hearing to converse with patients, visitors and staff.
• Near visual acuity for detail work and ability to verbalize and hear verbal communications.
• Color vision for perceiving changes in patient's skin color.
• May be exposed to contagious or infectious diseases.

Working Conditions

• Primarily indoors.

Direct Patient Care
Demonstrates knowledge of principles of growth and development and possesses the ability to respond to specific issues and data reflective of the patient's status. Demonstrates knowledge and skills necessary to provide for the primary population of patients served in the department.

Job Specific responsibilities related to departmental key functions

1. Care Delivery:
   Admission Process:
   a. Demonstrates ability to assist in admissions process as directed by nurse.
   b. Registers the patient in the E.H.R. : Multiple settings
   Care Delivery:
   a. Performs patient cares under supervision and/or direction of Charge Nurse.
   b. Accurately and promptly communicates patient observations to appropriate personnel.
   Discharge Planning:
   a. Reinforces and assists nursing staff with patient discharge plan.
   Care Planning:
   a. Assists with implementing individualized patient care plan within scope of practice.
2. Documentation:
   1. Accurately records required patient information during admission, stay and discharge process.
   2. Performs daily clerical shift functions to include those items listed in the Patient Support Specialist log book. Examples: Oxygen charges, accommodation codes, clergy contacts, MyUnityPoint portal enrollment, etc.
   3. Documents vital signs and patient care within their scope of practice.
   4. Participate in data abstraction.
   5. Preform radiology digital image transferring when needed.
3. Safety:
   1. Abides by departmental safety policies and guidelines related to PCU care delivery.
   2. Maintains safe environment for patient, staff and visitors.
   3. Accurately and promptly reports and records safety risks, concerns and incidents.
4. Patient Education:
   1. Reinforces and assists nursing staff with patient education within scope of practice.
5. Environmental Support:
   1. Answers PCU desk phone and coordinates team communication
   2. Performs housekeeping duties as needs arise.
   3. Performs stocking and maintains supplies as needs arise.

Additional responsibilities

1. Demonstrates behaviors that support the hospital's mission, vision, and values.
2. Demonstrates knowledge of and adherence to all hospital and departmental policies and procedures.
3. Demonstrates knowledge of and adherence to hospital safety and infection control plans.
4. Demonstrates knowledge of and actively participate in the hospital's quality improvement plan.
5. Demonstrates knowledge of and compliance to the hospital's compliance, HIPAA and confidentiality policies and procedures.
6. Demonstrates strong customer service skills.
7. Actively participates in departmental meetings, in-services and other training sessions relative to the job.
8. Actively participates in hospital or departmental committees or work groups.
9. Adapts easily to changes in work assignment and environment.
10. Demonstrates flexibility and willingness to perform additional tasks as assigned.
11. Demonstrates positive communication skills within the department and organization.
12. Portrays a positive attitude toward work and toward the organization.
13. Demonstrates professionalism and interest in work by maintaining acceptable work habits and behaviors.
14. Willingly assists co-workers with job duties.
15. Demonstrates initiative and ability to adapt positively to change.

We offer competitive wages and excellent benefits package with IPERS. Apply today to join our GMHC team!