Nurse Tech - Med/Surg at Hendrick Medical Center – Abilene, Texas

Nurse Tech Job Summary

The Nurse Tech position provides nursing students an opportunity to assist licensed nursing personnel in the implementation of day-to-day patient care as well as the routine operations of the nursing unit which assigned. The Nurse Tech provides care to the patients appropriate to the assigned unit.

Med/Surg Cluster Description

Med/Surg units at the North campus focus on specific patient diagnosis and the general medical patients in the acute care setting. At the South campus, the Med/Surg unit is a rich mix of acute medical, general surgery, and orthopedic patients. The Med/Surg units build on nursing clinical judgment and assessment skills to guide nursing care and practice. Nurse Techs at Level 3 and Level 4 are expected to be more hands-on, practicing as an extension of the nurses’ case load, which provides an opportunity to decide what area a student would want to build their nursing expertise in.

Med/Surg Departments

• A3 Oncology
• A6 Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF)
• P6 Surgical
• J8 Orthopedic
• South General Surgery/Med Surg
• Infusion Services

Med/Surg Skills, Duties, Knowledge, and Abilities

• Input data in computer and programs.
• Maintain a professional appearance at all times.
• Ability to handle confidential information.
• The following skills are demonstrated on a Med/Surg unit. The nursing student's level in their nursing program will determine the scope of skills they can perform.
  • Receive assignment from charge nurse and participate in bedside shift report with primary nurse
  • Complete head-to-toe assessment on each of your patients including collecting vital signs
  • Discuss any abnormal findings with primary nurse and/or charge nurse
  • Document assessments and vital signs in patient’s chart
  • Review patient’s plan of care and any needed interventions for the shift
    • Most common skills seen on Med/Surg include:
      • IV starts and removals
      • Foley catheter insertion, maintenance, and removal
      • NG tubes insertion, maintenance, and removal
      • Administer O2
      • Tube feedings
      • Cough and deep breathing
      • Incentive spirometer use
      • Hot and cold application
      • Surgical drain care
      • Ostomy care
      • Wound care
  • Safety/status checks completed and documented minimum every 2 hours
  • Focused reassessments completed and documented minimum every 4 hours
  • Participation in bedside shift report at shift change with primary nurse
    • Other tasks can include but not limited to:
      • Vital signs, Hygiene care, Turning and repositioning patients
      • ADLs such as bathing, toileting, ambulation, transferring, etc.
      • Assisting PT/OT as needed
      • Blood glucose checks

Required Licenses

• CPR: BLS certification through the AHA

Minimum Education

• Must be a nursing student entering 2nd through 4th semester of nursing school

Work Experience

• No previous work experience required