The ALS Technician provides direct and indirect patient care within the Emergency Department, performing diagnostic studies and essential patient care tasks under the direction of a professional nurse. Key functions include active participation in care planning, performing basic triage, executing physician orders, and providing basic life support measures when necessary.
Requirements summary
Required qualifications include a High School Diploma or higher, strong leadership, organizational, independent, and critical thinking skills, and sound judgment regarding legal aspects of nursing practice. Preferred qualifications include one to two years of pre-hospital experience and National Registry/State Certification or completion of a Paramedic Program.
The ALS Tech provides direct and indirect patient care, including diagnostic studies, under the direction of the professional nurse.
Essential Job Functions
Demonstrates clinical assessment skills by active participation in plan of patient care.
Completes and documents direct patient care without supervision as it relates, but not limited to vital signs, intake and output, point of care testing, specimen collection, weights, venipunctures and specified procedures.
Collaborates routinely with the nurse and physician regarding patient care needs.
Brings issues that could affect quality of care to the attention of the Clinical Nurse Coordinator or other management staff.
Routinely and accurately performs basic triage functions documenting appropriate findings on the triage form.
Serves as a role model to new staff.
Assists others in completing triage functions.
Participates in an individualized plan of care complying with established guidelines and standards that identify problems, establish priorities and indicate measurable outcomes as measured by chart review and colleague feedback.
Demonstrates skills to assist others in active participation in an individualized plan of care.
Complies with established guidelines and standards that identify problems, establish priorities and indicate measurable outcomes including patient and patient family involvement, as measured by chart review and colleague feedback.
Anticipates the special personal needs of any patient in the department as the need is identified.
Demonstrates leadership (coaching) and mentoring skills to assist others to develop an interdisciplinary plan of care and assist others with the identification of patient needs.
Assists with clerical and transport duties of stable patients to appropriate nursing units, ancillary departments and other activities to facilitate patient care.
Takes independent action to provide smooth, continuous care of the Emergency Department patient.
Consistently and as appropriate, implements physician orders, directive from the nurse or departmental guidelines promptly, accurately and with knowledge of the purpose of each order.
Verifies prior to implementation the appropriateness of orders or guidelines.
Functions as a unit resource/preceptor/patient advocate to other staff members and assists others in implementing necessary orders or guidelines.
Independently, within scope, provides treatment such as IV initiation, venipuncture, foley insertion, suctioning, and application of splints. Watches cardiac monitors and interprets rhythm strips and documents interpretation of rhythm. Notifies nursing staff for abnormal findings.
Functions as a unit resource (preceptor or coach) to other staff members and assists other staff members in maintenance of the highest standard of care.
Actively participates in departmental operations.
Participates in department operations as evidenced by utilization of voice and email to remain current on operational issues.
Acts as a coach or mentor by updating colleagues on operational issues.
Develops plans for management's review to improve operational efficiencies.
Ensures that the department is in an operational state of readiness.
Routinely ensures that restocking and checking of supplies and equipment is completed each shift, ensures proper functioning of equipment, verifies all patient care equipment is present, clean and properly functioning.
Intervenes and corrects deficiencies when discrepancy is apparent.
Participates in formal quality improvement initiatives, education of new staff and other areas of improvement within the department.
Routinely engages in activities that lead to department improvement such as volunteering and precepting new staff members.
Demonstrates coaching (mentoring and customer feedback) and leadership in improving first impressions by positive attitude, team spirit, active participation, keeping the environment safe, clean, orderly, and quiet and promotion of a professional appearance.
Serves as a department liaison for EMS, both air and ground.
Assures that patients transition from pre-hospital care to the in-hospital setting by assuring proper transfer and monitoring of the patient to the ER treatment area occur.
EMS equipment is properly taken care of including logging in, retrieval and cleaning. Routinely asks services if they are in need of restocking and assists with such.
Other duties as assigned.
Specialty Functions
Transports patients who require cardiac monitoring.
Monitors patient cardiac rhythm and reports any changes in condition, symptoms to responsible care giver promptly.
Performs central monitoring of telemetry patients. Interprets rhythm strips and documents according to policy requirements (Cardiac Monitoring Standard of Care Protocol for Patient Management)
Monitors patency of peripheral intravenous sites.
Reports any infusion site complications to the responsible care giver promptly.
Transports stable patients with drug infusions of medications such as nitroglycerin, cardizem, heparin or amiodarone.
Reports any side effects, complications, reportable conditions or acute changes in patient condition immediately to the responsible care giver.
Recognizes and reports any changes in patient condition that requires activation of Rapid Response Team.
Initiates basic resuscitative measures, as appropriate, until the Rapid Response Team arrives.
Recognizes and reports any changes in patient condition that requires activation of Code Blue.
Initiates basic resuscitative measures, as appropriate until the Code Team arrives.
Performs post cardiac catheterization groin checks as assigned.
IV insertion and venipuncture EKG monitoring and interpretation.
Reports and documents all findings to appropriate care giver.
Required Qualifications
High School Diploma, GED, or Higher Level of Education
Strong leadership ability, good organizational skills, independent and critical thinking skills, sound judgment, and knowledge of legal aspects and liability of nursing practice.
Strong ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience.
Ability to work with multidisciplinary team.
Preferred Qualifications
One (1) to Two (2) years pre-hospital experience.
National Registry and/or State Certification.
Completion of Paramedic Program (providing paramedic course document or current paramedic card) under national standard curriculum.
License, Certification & Clearances
Current Basic Life Support (BLS) approved curriculum of the American Heart Association (CPR and AED) program.
Act 33 with renewal
Act 34 with renewal
Act 73 FBI Clearance
Supervisory Responsibilities
This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities, but does serve as a coach and mentor for other positions in the department.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work
Incumbent will be scheduled based on operational need (rotate shifts, standby, on-call, etc.).
Travel may be expected locally between Excela Health locations.
LEAN
Actively promotes a Lean work culture by performing team member duties to encourage consistent use of LEAN principles and processes, including continually seeking work process improvements. Recognizes the necessity of taking ownership of one’s own motivation, morale, performance and professional development. Strives for behavior consistent with being committed to Excela’s missions, vision and values.
AAP/EEO
Excela Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of Excela Health to prohibit discrimination of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, non-job related disability, veteran status, or genetic information, or any other protected class. Excela Health will conform to the spirit as well as the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.
Ability to perform the Essential Functions listed on the Physical Conditions and ability to perform the Essential Functions on the Working Condition chart below.
Work Environment
Effective March 2020 or during pandemic: goggles, face shield and mask are required according to CDC guidelines
When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required.
Essential – Absolute Necessity.
Marginal – Minimal Necessity.
Constantly – 5.5 to 8 hours or more or 200 reps/shift.
Frequently – 2.5 to 5.5 hours or more or 32-200 reps/shift.
Occasionally – 0.25 to 2.5 hours or 2-32 reps/shift.
Rarely – Less than 0.25 hours or less than 2 reps/shift.
Physical Condition
Essential
Marginal
Constantly
Frequently
Occasionally
Rarely
Never
Extreme Heat
X
Extreme Cold
X
Heights
X
Confined Spaces
X: Extreme Noise(>85dB)
X
Mechanical Hazards
X: Use of Vibrating Tools
X
Operates Vehicle
X
Operates Heavy Equipment
X: Use of Lifting/Transfer Devices
X
Rotates All Shifts
X: 8 Hours Shifts
X: 10-12 Hours Shifts
X
On-Call
X: Overtime(+8/hrs/shift; 40/hrs/wk)
X
Travel Between Sites
X
Direct Patient Care
X
Respirator Protective Equipment
X
Eye Protection
X: Head Protection (hard hat)
X
Hearing Protection
X
Hand Protection
X: Feet, Toe Protection
X
Body Protection
X
Latex Exposure
X
Solvent Exposure
X: Paint (direct use) Exposure
X: Dust (sanding) Exposure
X
Ethylene Oxide Exposure
X: Cytotoxic (Chemo) Exposure
X
Blood/Body Fluid Exposure
X: Chemicals (direct use) Exposure
X
Mist Exposure
X: Wax Stripper (direct use)
X
Non-Ionizing Radiation Exposure
X
Ionizing Radiation Exposure
X
Laser Exposure
X
Physical Demands
When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required.
Essential – Absolute Necessity.
Marginal – Minimal Necessity.
Constantly – 5.5 to 8 hours or more or 200 reps/shift.
Frequently – 2.5 to 5.5 hours or more or 32-200 reps/shift.
Occasionally – 0.25 to 2.5 hours or 2-32 reps/shift.
Rarely – Less than 0.25 hours or less than 2 reps/shift.
Physical Condition
Essential
Marginal
Constantly
Frequently
Occasionally
Rarely
Never: Bending (Stooping)
X
Sitting
X
Walking
X
Climbing Stairs
X
Climbing Ladders
X
Standing
X
Kneeling
X: Squatting (Crouching)
X
Twisting/Turning
X
Keyboard/Computer Operation
X
Gross Grasp
X
Fine Finger Manipulation
X
Hand/Arm Coordination
X
Pushing/Pulling(lbs. of force)
X: 10#
20#
50#
50#
Carry
X: 10#
10#
Transfer/Push/Pull Patients
X: Seeing Near w/Acuity
X: Feeling (Sensation)
X
Color Vision
X
Hearing Clearly
X
Pulling/Pushing Objects Overhead
X
Reaching Above Shoulder Level
X
Reaching Forward
X: Lifting Floor to Knuckle
X: 10#
Lifting Seat Pan to Knuckle
X: 50#
50#
Lifting Knuckle to Shoulder
X: 10#
20#
Lifting Shoulder to Overhead
X: 10#
When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required.
