Patient Care Assistant

Medical/Surgical - Adult Medicine Unit

Full Time

77157BR

Job Summary

The Patient Care Assistant (PCA) receives daily assignments and functions under the supervision of the Registered Nurse to carry out direct patient care responsibilities.

All patient care team members act to meet patient needs and learn new skills to achieve quality patientcare and customer service. Team members promote a cooperative working relationship with each other, other staff, and the public by facilitating and enhancing communication, displaying honesty and respect, displaying sensitivity to age-specific needs and cultural differences, and expressing and accepting feedback in a professional manner.

Department Description

The Adult Medicine Unit is a 34 bed inpatient medical unit that provides care for patients ranging from young adults to the elderly presenting with a wide variety of diagnoses. The unit has the ability to admit patients requiring telemetry and/or continuous pulse oximetry.

Patients found on this unit are often admitted for acute exacerbations of complex chronic conditions with a focus on pulmonary, gastrointestinal, medical-psychological, and endocrine conditions. Patients can be admitted for diagnostic work-ups, treatment of infectious disease processes, palliative care and end of life care. In addition, this unit administers chemotherapy to treat solid tumor patients admitted to the hospital with an emphasis on treating sarcoma patients.

This unit is home to an innovative palliative care service with trained staff and multidisciplinary resources. There are two dedicated Comfort Care Suites for terminally-ill patients where a low-tech, high comfort environment is provided. These suites provide accommodations for family and friends to remain with patients around the clock. Cultural traditions around dying are actively supported.

The nurse plays an integral role in the Palliative Care team which includes Attending physicians, fellows, residents, medical students, social workers and chaplain services.

In addition to Palliative Care, nurses on this unit attend 16 hours of End-of-Life Care education and complete Oncology Nursing Society Chemotherapy Certification after approximately 6 months to a year on the unit.

Medicine nurses exemplify teamwork in this fast-paced unit. They participate daily in multidisciplinary rounds which include nursing, attending physicians, case managers, social worker, pharmacists, nutrition and rehabilitation services.

Required Qualifications

• Ability to work effectively within a team 
• Ability to satisfactorily perform job duties as defined in the job description 
• Ability to understand and communicate effectively in English, both orally and in writing 
• Ability to perform basic arithmetic computations (addition and subtraction) 
• Ability to organize and effectively set priorities 
• Ability to carry out duties of first responder in emergency situations
• Successful completion of Medical Center Patient Care Assistant training
• Willingness to be taught/learn new skills
• Basic computer skills 
• ​The flexibility to orient and work at all UCSF Health locations

About UCSF

At UCSF Health, our mission of innovative patient care, advanced technology and pioneering research is redefining what’s possible for the patients we serve – a promise we share with the professionals who make up our team.

Consistently ranked among the top 10 hospitals nationwide by U.S. News & World Report – UCSF Health is committed to providing the most rewarding work experience while delivering the best care available anywhere. In an environment that allows for continuous learning and opportunities for professional growth, UCSF Health offers the ideal atmosphere in which to best use your skills and talents.

Pride Values

UCSF is a diverse community made of people with many skills and talents. We seek candidates whose work experience or community service has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to professionalism, respect, integrity, diversity and excellence – also known as our PRIDE values.

In addition to our PRIDE values, UCSF is committed to equity – both in how we deliver care as well as our workforce. We are committed to building a broadly diverse community, nurturing a culture that is welcoming and supportive, and engaging diverse ideas for the provision of culturally competent education, discovery, and patient care. Additional information about UCSF is available at diversity.ucsf.edu

Join us to find a rewarding career contributing to improving healthcare worldwide.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of California San Francisco is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

Job Code and Payroll Title

009233 PAT CARE AST

Job Category

Support Services

Bargaining Unit

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees - Patient Care Technical Unit (AFSCME-EX)

Location

Parnassus Heights (SF)