Iowa Department of Workforce Development

Program: Iowa Department of Workforce Development - MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center - Patient Safety Attendant (PSA) to Nursing Assistant

Program Description

MercyOne Dubuque and Dyersville Medical Center is offering a certified nursing assistant (CNA), on-the-job training program. The CNA program will be offered in collaboration with Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC). NICC’s 6-week program involves online instruction and in-person lab and clinical experiences. While completing the NICC CNA program, the SkillBridge intern will work in the capacity of a Personal Safety Attendant (PSA) at MercyOne Dubuque for a total of 40 school and work hours per week. PSAs are responsible for observing and monitoring the safety and comfort of patients who require frequent and continual observation and contact, due to psychiatric, medial and/or safety reasons.

Job Description

MercyOne's SkillBridge program offers transitioning service members the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and further develop their skills in the healthcare industry. Under the guidance of experienced healthcare professionals, interns will support patient care activities, enhance their clinical competencies through education, and prepare for a successful transition into a civilian healthcare career as a Personal Safety Attendant (PSA) to Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Phlebotomist, or Pharmacy Technician.For the PSA to CNA position, interns would become enrolled in a CNA course while working as as PSA for the 6 weeks of the class. PSA work involves maintaining patient surveillance that includes continuous patient observation in the line of sight and in proximity for rapid intervention. PSAs assist the registered nurse and care team in conducting activities that enhance the patient's wellbeing, and interacts and engages with patient in activities that help ensure patient and family satisfaction. After the completion of the 6-week CNA class, the SkillBridge participant would then function as a CNA. Under the guidance of experienced healthcare professionals, CNAs support patient care activities by providing holistic, compassionate, individualized, and effective care to patients by assisting with activities of daily living, recording and reporting information such as vital signs, intake and output, weight, and any behavioral changes to appropriate supervisory personnel, assisting in mealtime activities by delivering and removing patient trays and feeding patients, completing routine daily assignments.Phlebotomists are responsible for collecting blood specimens from patients of all age groups in a timely and accurate manner using appropriate venous, arterial or capillary technique. All specimens are collected strictly following all related policies and procedures. As the face of the laboratory, phlebotomists maintain professional behavior and technical skills at all times demonstrating well developed customer service skills.

Eligibility

1. Interested participants must submit an application with includes a resume military records, and record of approval from military.2. SkillBridge participants will be required to pass a background check and prove eligibility to be employed in the U.S. This background check will be paid for by MercyOne.3. SkillBridge participants will need to a Employee Health assessment including includes a drug screening.4. Participation in the SkillBridge program does not guarantee employment with MercyOne.5. SkillBridge participants must adhere to confidentiality requirements in accordance with HIPAA requirements.6. SkillBridge participants will be required to complete onboarding and comply with all of MercyOne's policies and procedures.7. Participants will not be entitled to any compensation or benefits from MercyOne during the period of this training, but will continue to receive military pay and benefits as defined by the DoD and their Service.