Our team members are the heart of what makes us better. At Hackensack Meridian Health we help our patients live better, healthier lives — and we help one another to succeed. With a culture rooted in connection and collaboration, our employees are team members. Here, competitive benefits are just the beginning. It’s also about how we support one another and how we show up for our community. Together, we keep getting better - advancing our mission to transform healthcare and serve as a leader of positive change.

A day in the life of a Patient Care Technician at Hackensack Meridian includes:

• Provide patient care, based on physical, psychosocial, education, safety, and related criteria, appropriate to the age of the guests/patients served in assigned service
• Provide for effective and safe guest/patients outcomes through practice, judgment, and critical actions
• Ongoing communication with patients, nursing colleagues and other members of the health care team regarding patient’s status and rendered care
• Take self-directed or self-motivated initiative to do more than is expected or required in the job, acting before being required to by events, improving job performance, and/or creating new opportunities
• Participate in interdisciplinary collaboration of our patients’ plan of care from admission to discharge to ensure safe transitioning and continuum of care
• Participate in Unit/Department Performance Improvement [PI] activities
• Provide patient care, based on physical, psychosocial, education, safety, and related criteria, appropriate to the age of the guests/patients served in assigned service
  • Provide for effective and safe guest/patients outcomes through practice, judgment, and critical actions
  • Ongoing communication with patients, nursing colleagues and other members of the health care team regarding patient’s status and rendered care
  • Take self-directed or self-motivated initiative to do more than is expected or required in the job, acting before being required to by events, improving job performance, and/or creating new opportunities
  • Participate in Unit/Department Performance Improvement [PI] activities
  •  Obtains clinical data, temperature, pulse, respirations, blood pressure, O2 saturation and documents findings in patient record and notifies RN immediately of abnormal results.  Draws intravenous or capillary blood from newborn through geriatric aged patients using proper aseptic collection techniques, assure appropriate labeling and processing of specimens to expedite throughput of patients. 
  •  Performs EKG for patients as directed. Assures the presence, functionality and cleanliness of all necessary equipment. Checks and maintains code cart, O2, and other emergency medical equipment as directed.  Applies bandages, slings, compression boots and hypothermia blankets according to standard as directed by RN. Assists in the transport of patient to departments or units upon request. 
  • Assists with preparation as necessary assuring the patient is assisted with meals/ or fed as needed. 
  • Ensures room environment is prepared for admission.  Provides direct hygiene and comfort care to patients including bathing, toileting, oral hygiene, incontinent care, and bed making. 
  • Assists the patients with dressing/undressing and placing patient belongings in the appropriate bag labeled with completed property checklist. Monitors the return of clothing to family of patient. 
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Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

• High School Diploma or Equivalent
• Completion of one of the following: - Certified Nursing Assistant, Medical Assistant or Patient Care Technician program or - Fundamentals of Nursing program from an accredited school of nursing or - HMH PCT Apprenticeship Program - Or equivalent medical background experience, such as EMT, Home Health Aide, CMA, MA, PCT, Nursing Assistant.
• The ability to learn quickly and adapt to changing patient needs, a strong sense of accountability for improving the lives of our patients and their caregivers, an exceptional focus on teamwork, dedication to ongoing education and the ability and passion to deliver the highest quality of care and service based on a strong sense of patient focus are all required.

Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Preferred:

• Experienced or certified in phlebotomy and checking EKG, vital signs and blood sugar preferred
• At least one (1) year PCT or CNA experience in a hospital setting strongly preferred or eligible for the HMH PCT apprentice program.
• Certified Nursing Assistant, Certified Medical Assistant or Patient Care Technician who has successfully completed a PCT program which includes Phlebotomy, EKG and nursing assistant course both in the theoretical and clinical setting.

Licenses and Certifications Required:

• • AHA Basic Health Care Life Support HCP Certification (must be obtained by completion of onboarding)