Safety Sitter - Days

About the Role

Wellstar Health System is seeking a Safety Sitter for day shift work in LaGrange, Georgia. This role is centered on continuous patient observation, helping protect patient safety while supporting a compassionate and respectful care experience.

Job Summary

The Safety Sitter continuously monitors assigned patients who need close observation. The role involves noticing and reporting behavior changes or condition changes that could affect treatment or safety, while working under the direction of the assigned registered nurse or another nurse-designated leader. The sitter also helps create a positive experience for the patient and family, and may assist with basic care and comfort support when appropriate.

This position requires active communication with the RN and broader care team, steady attention in a busy environment, and the ability to remain helpful and calm in stressful situations.

Core Duties

In addition to observation, the Safety Sitter may support telesitter operations, collaborate with the care team, help with patient transport or unit support when not actively observing a patient, and assist with basic patient-centered care tasks such as hygiene, nutrition, comfort, ambulation, and toileting. The role also includes maintaining a safe, clean environment and following infection control and communication practices.

Additional Information

Work shift: Day shift, United States of America.

The position is expected to follow all Wellstar Health System policies, standards of work, and code of conduct.

Required Education

A high school diploma or an equivalent credential from an accredited program is required.

Required Certification

Current BLS certification is required at hire. Accepted options include Basic Life Support, American Red Cross Basic Life Support, or Basic Life Support - Instructor.

Preferred Background

Completion of a CNA/CMA program or completion of the first semester of nursing clinicals, including nursing fundamentals, is preferred at hire. Prior healthcare experience is also preferred.

Required Skills

The ideal candidate can read, write, and speak English; recognize alarms and digital displays; communicate well with patients and team members; work collaboratively with healthcare professionals; and remain effective in demanding or emergency situations.

Responsibilities

• Maintain constant visual observation of the assigned patient at all times.
• Report any behavioral concerns or changes in mental or physical condition to the RN, charge RN, or CCP.
• Record patient status at the required intervals: every 15 minutes for involuntary behavioral health observation and every hour for medical safety sitting.
• Check the environment each shift to ensure it remains safe, and document any interventions when needed.
• Support telesitter equipment handling, including delivery, maintenance, retrieval, connectivity troubleshooting, and IT escalation when required.
• Complete safe-room checks at the start of the assignment and after each handoff, and continue environmental rounds to verify compliance.
• Respond to telesitter escalation events and notify nursing staff when face-to-face redirection is necessary.
• Work alongside the interdisciplinary care team and uphold patient safety accountability.
• Verify patient identification during transport and inform the RN when leaving or returning to the room if observation coverage is not needed.
• Assist EVS and nutrition services when not engaged in patient observation.
• Promote a healing environment by supporting patient and family needs and encouraging adherence to the treatment plan.
• Contribute to care planning and treatment support based on assigned tasks and patient/family input, in coordination with the healthcare team.
• Use safety interventions consistently to reduce risk and support desired outcomes.
• Provide basic care support such as hygiene, nutrition, elimination, and physical comfort measures as assigned.
• Assist the RN and other team members with care delivery as directed.
• Notify the nurse when physicians or other care team members enter the observed patient room.
• Maintain a safe care space by practicing hand hygiene, keeping rooms and unit areas uncluttered, following PPE and infection prevention rules, reinforcing universal precautions, and using proper body mechanics and lift equipment.
• Perform environment-of-care checks.
• Communicate clearly and respectfully with patients, families, visitors, physicians, and staff using effective written and verbal methods and safety communication techniques.
• Share assignment completion, concerns, problems, or emergencies with the appropriate nurse.
• Update the patient whiteboard and communicate with the patient as requested.
• Complete other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent from an accredited program.
• BLS certification on hire, with acceptable certification options listed by the employer.
• Ability to work under pressure and respond appropriately in urgent or emergency situations.
• Strong customer service and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate with a healthcare team in direct patient care support.
• Ability to hear alarms and read digital displays.
• Ability to read, write, and speak English.
• Previous healthcare experience is preferred.
• CNA/CMA training or early nursing clinical completion is preferred.