ACE Nursing Model of Care: Achieving Collaborative Excellence

The ACE Nursing Model of Care utilizes more Patient Care Technician staff to take responsibility for and perform the duties that do not require a nursing license, freeing the licensed nurse to perform the advanced skills that align with nursing education and training.

This new model of care allows Patient Care Technicians more opportunity for career advancement, autonomy in their role, and greater involvement in the delivery of patient care.  

Primary duties include:

• Being the primary facilitator of ADLs: hygiene, toileting, mobility, meals
• Collecting vital signs & daily weights
• Conducting Point of Care testing
• Turning & repositioning patients
• Performing equipment checks & exchanges

Additional training provided on advanced patient care skills including but not limited to:

• Advanced dressing care
• Suctioning
• Removal of Foley Catheter and Peripheral IV
• Venipunctures and skin punctures to obtain blood specimens

Benefits of working at Geisinger:

• Full benefits (health, dental and vision) starting on day one
• Three medical plan choices, including an expanded network for out-of-area employees and dependents
• Pre-tax savings plans with healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts (FSA) and a health savings account (HSA) with employer contribution
• Company-paid life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability coverage
• 401(k) plan that includes automatic Geisinger contributions
• Generous paid time off (PTO) plan that allows you to accrue time quickly
• Up to $5,000 in tuition reimbursement per calendar year
• MyHealth Rewards wellness program to improve your health while earning a financial incentive
• Family-friendly support including adoption and fertility assistance, parental leave pay, military leave pay and a free Care.com membership with discounted backup care for your loved ones
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Referrals for childcare, eldercare, & pet care; Access free legal guidance, mental health visits, work-life support, digital self-help tools and more
• Voluntary benefits including accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity insurance, identity theft protection, universal life and pet and legal insurance
• Shared governance structure that empowers our nursing support staff
• On the job training and education
• Professional opportunities for growth and advancement
• Support and mentorship from a full range of dedicated nursing leaders
• Community involvement through our Employee Resource Groups            
• Employee referral incentive program
• Geisinger values and prioritizes the safety and security of our staff by investing in a Strongline Alert Notification system worn by our staff, robust camera surveillance system, metal detectors at certain locations and security guards/K9 program on campus.

Join the Geisinger Family! Apply now!

Job Description:

May perform a wide variety of advanced patient care duties under the supervision of a Registered Nurse and maintains the patient care and unit environment consistent with the policies, procedures, and practices. Meets the qualifications to provide care for patients in the specific age range on their assigned clinical area.

• Provides enhanced patient care under the direction of the licensed nurse, which may include but is not limited to advanced dressing care, suctioning, removal of Foley Catheter and peripheral IV.
• May perform venipunctures and skin punctures to obtain blood specimens according to Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines.
• May perform daily, hands-on aspects of the storage, preparation and delivery of breast milk, infant and pediatric formulas.
• Documents in the appropriate sections to create a complete and accurate medical record.
• Identifies, observes, and documents the physical needs of the patient according to established standards. Reports any changes in patient condition to licensed personnel in a timely manner.
• Obtains and maintains the integrity of specimens in accordance with policy and procedure, according to physician order.
• Provides for or assists patients with activities of daily living and fulfills designated and delegated responsibilities for ongoing continuum of care. Includes patient hygiene and changing linens.
• Provides one to one patient safety watch as assigned following established policies and procedures.
• Accurately processes specimens and provides timely transport of the specimen to the laboratory.
• Performs point of care patient testing and point of care instrument maintenance and quality control.
• Assists in problem solving, trouble shooting and taking corrective measures in care and maintenance of equipment and supplies.
• Serves as a preceptor and mentor for new staff and students in a positive manner.
• Performs clerical duties for admissions, transfers, discharges, and deaths according to standards and facilitates patient throughput activities. Transcribes and processes orders according to unit standard.
• Releases and confirms ordered tests to appropriate departments.
• Coordinate's transportation of patients to multiple tests.
• Participates in obtaining and communicating electronic information as pertinent to the nursing unit. Schedules tests, faxes consult, etc.
• Assists in ordering supplies. Stationery items as well as floor stock, patient needs, individual nursing supplies.
• Communicates with food services to ensure appropriate patient diets.
• Operates, problem solves, and takes corrective measures for clerical equipment. To include scheduling maintenance of computers, fax machines, phones, etc.
• Staff have access to non-controlled medications storage and supply areas and can transport non-controlled medications as necessary to meet the needs of the clinic or unit.
• Assists with transporting non-controlled medications to and from Pharmacy and within the unit as needed.
• Assists with transporting blood products to and from Blood Bank as needed.
• Discharge follow up phone calls / coordinating virtual discharge appointment team.
• Support / Assist staff with 5 min Drills and/or Quality Rounds - participate in regulatory readiness as needed.

Work is typically performed in a clinical environment. Accountable for satisfying all job specific obligations and complying with all organization policies and procedures. The specific statements in this profile are not intended to be all-inclusive. They represent typical elements considered necessary to successfully perform the job. Additional competencies and skills outlined in any department-specific orientation will be considered essential to the performance of the job related to that position.