Healthcare Support Worker

Key Working Relationships

Senior and junior medical and nursing staff, ward clerks, other health care professionals, MDT, patients and their relatives, volunteers

Risk Assessment

The post involves manual handling activities and exposure to body fluids and chemicals. May involve some VDU work and individuals may be / are exposed to violence and aggression.

Job Purpose: The Health Care Assistant is a member of the ward/department team who implements prescribed care and/or undertakes some higher-level clinical activities as directed by a registered nurse. The main dimensions of the role are to:

To support registered health care staff to deliver high quality, compassionate health care to patients in accordance with assessed needs and care plans.

To support the clinical team with day to day supervision of junior staff and students.

To have the ability to use your own initiative, independently and as part of a team, in order to accommodate changing demands on the wider clinical team.

To support the ward/department staff to provide a high quality service.

Undertakes a range of delegated clinical care duties, acting on own initiative where appropriate, supported by accessible supervision.

For further information, please contact Sr Mason 01562 512356

Key Duties

General duties

Ensure the unit is adequately prepared at the start of the day and re-stocked as necessary, including cleaning recliner chairs and trolleys etc.

To welcome patients onto the unit and undertake observations this includes temperature, pulse, respirations, blood pressure, oxygen saturation levels, weight, body mass index, urinalysis and blood sugars. Any variations must be reported immediately to trained staff to maintain patient safety.

To assist in the maintenance of a safe and clean clinical environment to reduce the risk of infection.

To ensure all patient records whether electronic or written are updated as required.

To answer telephone calls and to take messages informing appropriate persons of the call received.

To assist with the ordering and monitoring of stock items to ensure efficient use of department resources.

To chaperone patients during physical examinations and procedures.

To undertake clinical procedures as defined by Trust protocol and procedures.

To assess patients wellbeing and seek support if required from other healthcare professionals.

To report immediately to the nurse in charge any observed change in a patients condition or any concern expressed by a patient about nursing or medical treatment to maintain patient safety and improve communication.

To respond appropriately to clinical emergencies to ensure the patient receives appropriate care.

To ensure patients are kept fully informed of their situation.

To respond to patient requests for non-clinical information to improve communication.

To carry out reception, clerical and housekeeping duties as required improving department efficiency.