Oncology Care Associate I

Dept: Inpatient and Outpatient Units

Hours per pay period: Full time, Part time, contingent

Schedule: Days evenings, and nights, 8 or 12 hour shifts

Inpatient Unit Descriptions:

Sign on bonus- $5,000

Department Name:  5 Webber North
Department Location:  5^th floor of Karmanos Cancer Center
Patients Treated:  On 5WN we care for patients with GYN oncology, neuro‐oncology, genitourinary oncology diagnoses that require surgical intervention or are experiencing medical complications from the disease.  We also administer chemotherapy for the above conditions.
Bed count: 11 privates; max capacity 15

Department Name: 8 Webber North
Department Location:  8^th floor of Karmanos Cancer Center
Patients Treated:  On 8 WN, we care for patient undergoing chemotherapy/Immunotherapy for Hematology or Oncology diagnoses, Autologous stem cell transplant/BMT, and inpatient phase 1 clinical trials
Bed count:  22 privates; max capacity 23

Department Name: 9 Webber North
Department Location: 9^th floor of Karmanos Cancer Center
Patients Treated: On 9 WN, we care for patients undergoing surgical intervention for an oncology diagnosis e.g.  head and neck, thoracic, orthopedic, and abdominal oncologic procedures.  We also care for patients that are experiencing medical complications from their oncology diagnosis or post-surgical complications
Bed count:  19 privates; max capacity 29

Department Name: 10 Webber North
Department Location: 10^th floor of Karmanos Cancer Center
Patients treated:  On 10 WN, we primarily care for the Allogeneic stem cell transplant/BMT population.  We also care for patients receiving chemotherapy for a hematology or oncology diagnosis, and those experiencing medical complications from therapies.
Bed count: 19 privates; max capacity 19

Department Name: KICU
Department Location:  5^th floor of Karmanos Cancer Center
Patients treated:  KICU cares for oncology patients needing intensive care monitoring for Medical, Surgical, or Neurological complications associated with the therapies used in treating oncology and the disease itself
Bed count:  11

Outpatient Unit:

Dresner Clinic and Dresner Infusion

Sign on bonus- $5,000

Job Summary: The Oncology Care Associate  is a member of the patient care delivery team with primary responsibilities for technical, multi-skilled direct and indirect patient care activities.  The Oncology Care Associate  work under the supervision of a Registered Nurse who delegate’s tasks based upon both patient and unit needs. The Oncology Care Associate  will report all deviations from expected patient parameters to the Registered Nurse. The Oncology Care Associate  position necessitates significant contact with health care providers, patients, and families, thus warranting a high degree of interpersonal and customer service skills that promote a healing environment. The OCA aids the healthcare team in the attainment of desired patient outcomes throughout the continuum of care. 

Responsibilities:     

• Collaborates and cooperates in establishing a healing environment in which the patient, family and healthcare team focus on the aspects of care, which have been mutually determined to be most important.
   
• Gives/receives shift hand off report for patient care or desk duties as assigned.  Performs a variety of basic patient care activities under the direction of the Registered Nurse which may include, but are not limited to: Assisting patient in activities of daily living by feeding, bathing, toileting and other personal hygiene regimes. Performing designated patient care activities such as pulse oximetry, cough and deep breathing exercises, maintenance locomotion (ambulation); maintenance functional activities (range of motion, assisting with bed repositioning, transferring); specimen collection; phlebotomy, initiation, set-up, maintenance or discontinuation of peripheral IV lines; performing EKGs; blood glucose monitoring; assisting with post-mortem care.  Assists the Registered Nurse by gathering data on patient conditions, direct patient observation, obtaining vital signs, recording oral intakes, recording outputs, weighing patients and charting patient information within the medical record.  Reports changes in patient medical condition to the Registered Nurse.
   
• Performs general clerical duties which may include, but are not limited to, answering telephones and call lights promptly using scripted greeting, greeting patients and visitors, maintaining departmental files, paging professional staff, requesting prior medical records, ordering equipment and maintaining inventory of supplies.  Performs general straightening and organization of patient care environment (nursing station, conference rooms, bulletin boards and visitor areas).  Utilizes information technology devices for the purpose of processing nurse orders, retrieving documents, entering data, calling consults, scheduling procedures and transportation requests, and transferring /discharging patients accordingly.  Monitors PAL and notifies nurses of Stat and new orders. Prepares and reviews medical records to ensure accuracy and completeness for the following processes:  Patient admission, discharge, transfer, and expiration.  Files documents within the medical record in accurate and timely fashion. Prepares/sends Thank you cards to patients who have been discharged. 
   
• Reboots PCLA every shift and ensures data is updated with current information. Maintains patient list and assignments in the call system at the beginning of shift and as admission/discharges occur.  Assures phones assigned to caregivers.  Alerts nurse when Telemetry alarm sounds.  Maintains monitoring equipment, alerts repair person if machine malfunctions, counts and ensures security of hardware.  Performs appropriate Downtime Processes.  Makes available the appropriate forms needed during IS System downtimes.  Ensures forms are labeled and placed in Medical Record.  Prepares downtime requisitions, as required.  Performs and documents equipment cleaning with attention to the special requirements of Technological devices.