An Orderly, also known as a Ward Assistant or Patient Assistant, helps maintain a clean, safe and comfortable environment for patients in hospitals and long-term care facilities. Some specific duties often included in an Orderly job description include changing and laundering linens, stocking supplies and moving patients to other areas of the facility for treatments, testing and procedures.
A Orderly should be able to fulfill various duties and responsibilities. The following are some duties and responsibilities a Orderly should be able to execute:
- Cleaning floors, furniture, equipment, nursing stations, waiting areas and other areas and surfaces
- Moving patients from one place to another via rolling bed or wheelchair
- Setting up and organizing patient rooms in preparation for the next admission
- Unloading and stocking supplies in rooms, nurse’s stations and storage areas
- Changing and laundering linens, such as bedding and hospital gowns
- Assisting other medical professionals with basic patient care tasks, such as turning patients and serving meals
A competitive Orderly will have certain skills and qualifications, including:
- Basic understanding of medical terminology, such as the names of different types of hospital equipment and supplies
- Ability to move patients, equipment and supply boxes
- Interpersonal skills to interact positively with patients, family members and facility staff
- Active listening skills to understand instructions given by members of the patient care team
- Observation skills and attentiveness to detail to identify areas in need of cleaning
- Ability to administer Basic Life Support, such as CPR Familiarity with best practices for infection control and patient privacy laws and regulation
