Patient Care Associate

Patient Care Associate

Cooley Dickinson is the hospital for individuals to learn, grow and accelerate their career. We are seeking professionals who are committed to the highest quality patient care and will contribute to our on-going pursuit of excellence.

With energy and purpose, Cooley Dickinson Health Care, a member of the Mass General Brigham system, is advancing health care in western Massachusetts, and has been since 1886. Our network employs more than 2,000 medical professionals and support staff, at our main Hospital campus in Northampton and additional locations in twelve towns throughout the Pioneer Valley. Cooley Dickinson's VNA & Hospice is also a vital part of our network, providing home-based services throughout Hampshire and Franklin counties.

Our staff has been consistently recognized for the quality of care and commitment to patient safety provided on a daily basis. Some of these awards include:

• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 5-star rating
• The American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) Beacon Award for Excellence
• Human Rights Campaign Foundation LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Leader designation
• The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) awarded a Level 3 Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA)
• Baby-Friendly USA designated Baby-Friendly Hospital
• Newsweek Magazine and Statista named us one of the country's Best Maternity Hospitals
• Cooley Dickinson has earned six consecutive 'A' Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade and the Top General Hospital award

In addition to competitive pay, all Cooley Dickinson employees who work 20 hours or more per week have access to the following benefits with no waiting period:

• a range of health, dental, vision, prescription and life insurance benefits
• a generous and flexible Earned Time Off program starting at six weeks accrual per year
• 403(b) retirement plan with various investment options
• opportunities and support for continued education including tuition reimbursement

The Patient Care Associate (PCA) is responsible for performing a variety of direct and non-direct patient care duties, including routine patient care duties as well as clerical, supply, and messenger responsibilities. The PCA performs other patient care related duties and unit duties as needed, and may function as a patient care observer to monitor for patient safety in situations where 1:1 observations are required.

Telemetry/Critical Care Unit Specific: Responsible for successfully completing arrhythmia course and maintaining competency in telemetry monitoring.

This position is part of the 1199SEIU Bargaining Unit at Cooley Dickinson Hospital.

This position reports to the Nurse Manager and operates within established organizational and departmental policies and procedures.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) certification required
• Ability to perform routine patient care activities under the direction of licensed nursing personnel requiring technical or on the job training required
• Nursing Assistant certification, Medical Assistant certification, or a nursing student who is actively enrolled into a nursing program with a minimum of 6 months student clinical experience required. Patient Care Associates hired prior to April 16, 2013 are grandfathered into their current position without being required to have a nursing or medical assistant certification.
• Six (6) months to one (1) year nursing assistant experience required
• One (1) to three (3) years secretarial experience preferred
• Health care experience preferred
• Ability to multi-task and handle stress crisis situations effectively required
• Demonstrated knowledge of medical terminology required
• Demonstrated typing skills and computer experience required
• Demonstrated interpersonal, organizational, and oral and written communication skills required