Nursing Student - Patient Care Technician - Surgical ICU

Join Our Surgical ICU at UPMC Shadyside!

• Patient Care Technicians: Nursing students only
• Unit: Surgical ICU
• About UPMC Shadyside: A Magnet-designated teaching hospital with ongoing research and education

About the Surgical ICU:

• Award-Winning Excellence: Two-time AACN Beacon Award winner, recognized for outstanding critical care.

• Patient-Centered Care: Focus on surgical oncology patients. Also care for critically ill medical patients. Expertise in vascular, urological, and general surgical cases.

About the Role:

Patient Care Technicians provide routine patient care and support the department services in accordance with established policies and procedures. This role will be directed by nurses and/or physicians to ensure that the highest degree of quality patient care can be maintained at all times. Patient care duties may include, but are not limited to, ADLs (bathing, feeding, transporting, toileting, ambulating, turning and repositioning patients, and blood glucose), vital signs, simple dressings, EKGs, bladder scans, and all specimen collections.

UPMC's Nursing Support Career Ladder:

Our goal at UPMC is to help you build YOUR career, starting with our robust career ladder! A Nursing Support career at UPMC Shadyside maximizes your potential and advances you to wherever you’d like to go, ensuring that you are equipped with resources, mentors, and leadership along the way.

The UPMC Inpatient Patient Care Support Career Ladder offers opportunities for continued growth and advancement. Title and salary will be determined based upon education and patient care experience.

Nursing Support Training:

There is a three-day training program required for all candidates who are hired without specific transferable inpatient/hospital experience or a completed nursing student clinical rotation. This training is in-person 7:30a – 4:00p (Tuesday – Thursday) of the first week of employment.

Responsibilities:

• Perform in accordance with system-wide competencies/behaviors.
• Report equipment malfunctions to the appropriate department.
• Establish effective communication strategies and respectful relationships.
• Contribute to universal unit activities (e.g., responding to call lights, passing meal trays, transporting patients)
• Receive feedback constructively and identify learning needs.
• Improve knowledge, skills, and performance.
• Communicate effectively with the healthcare team.
• Demonstrate cultural understanding and safety awareness.
• Perform nursing core responsibilities for nursing assistants (ADLs, point-of-care testing, vital signs, etc.).
• Provide direct patient care as directed by RN.
• Maintain a safe patient environment.
• Distribute supplies and equipment.
• Document in medical records and comply with safety policies.

• Successful completion of UPMC nursing assistant or EIC training program or Successful completion of UPMC patient care technician class.
• Knowledge of body mechanics and transfer techniques.
• Ability to effectively communicate both orally and in writing.
• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) preferred.
• Access to medications is limited to the distribution of the medication to the nurse.
• Patient Care Technician:
  • High school diploma or equivalent.
  • 1 year of healthcare experience, OR completion of at least one clinical rotation as part of a nursing or PT/OT/PA program or related health care training, OR completion of a Bachelor’s Degree in a health sciences field.
• Patient Care Technician - Senior:
  • High school diploma or equivalent.
  • 2 years of healthcare experience, OR 1 year of experience plus completion of at least one clinical rotation as part of a nursing or PT/OT/PA program or related health care training, OR 1 year of experience and completion of a Bachelor’s Degree in a health sciences field.
  • Annual completion of a professional contribution to be determined after hire.
  • Successful completion of Senior training class.

Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances:

• Basic Life Support (BLS) OR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
  • CPR required based on AHA standards that include both a didactic and skills demonstration component within 30 days of hire

• Act 34

UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran