Personal Care Aide

PERSONAL CARE AIDE

The personal care aide is a paraprofessional employee, trained to provide personal care and environmental support to the patient in his/her home. The personal care aide functions under the direction and supervision of the registered professional nurse.

Reports To: Registered Professional Nurse or Supervising Nurse

Prerequisites to Employment - applicants must demonstrate to the agency that the following prerequisites are met:

• Appearance - neatness and dresses conservatively
• Hygiene - personal practice of good hygiene
• Literacy and communication skills - can communicate effectively with a client and the agency both orally and in writing
• Trustworthiness - must have a record that indicates a reputation of honesty and integrity
• Work experience - must demonstrate a positive work record
• Background - must successfully pass the background check

Qualifications:

• Completion of the 9th grade, prefer high school graduate.
• Has a reliable means of transportation
• Has successfully completed an approved training program or passed the equivalency testing, as per state requirements.
• One year experience as a personal care worker is preferred.
• Exhibit maturity and mental and emotional stability.
• Be able to read and write English in order to understand and carry out directions and instructions; maintain simple records.
• Exhibit a willingness to learn and a basic understanding of the duties of a
• Personal Care Aide and the needs of the client.

Essential Responsibilities

• Provides direct and indirect patient care under the direction of a registered professional nurse. Uses appropriate and safe techniques in personal hygiene.
• Observes, reports and documents patient status.
• Maintains a safe, clean environment.
• Recognizes emergencies and knows protocols. Practices safety and accident prevention.
• Safely transfers and ambulates patient.
• When working with the patient, understands duties may include helping to maintain the patient's physical and mental well being, assisting the family to care for their family member and at times relieving the family of such care, encouraging the family to try new ways to provide care and support and using techniques that help the individual achieve the highest level of physical, mental, emotional, and social well being.
• Follow instruction plan as prepared by supervisor.
• Assist with care of teeth and mouth.
• Assist with grooming - care of hair including shampoo, shaving and the ordinary care of nails.
• Assist with bathing of patient, in bed, in tub and in the shower.
• Assist patient on and off bedpan, commode and toilet.
• Prepare and serve meals according to instructions.
• Assist patient with eating.
• Assist patient with dressing.
• Observe infection control and standard precautions.
• Respect client rights and confidentiality.
• Making and changing beds.
• Dusting and vacuuming the rooms the patient uses.
• Dish washing.
• Tidying kitchen, bedroom and other room patient uses.
• List needed supplies.
• Shopping for patient if no other arrangement possible
• Washes patients personal laundry if no family member available or able; this may include necessary ironing and mending.
• Send linen to laundry.
• Assist with payment of bills and perform other essential errands.
• Prepare and submit activity records and hours/visits worked.
• Participate in CQI activities.
• Attend in-service as required.
• Oriented to Advance Directives on a case by case basis.

Physical Requirements:

• Physical agility with repetitive occurrence including but not limited to; walking, running, bending, stooping, climbing stairs and ladders, kneeling, crouching, crawling, balancing, reaching standing, sitting, and twisting. Lifting greater than 50 lbs. repeatedly throughout the workday.
• Must complete employment physical.
• Must provide proof of immunity to rubella and rubeola.
• Must provide proof of non-infection to tuberculosis.

Work Environment:

Regular exposure to patient elements, occasional stress.

Cognitive Requirements:

Provides direct care according to the established patient plan of care, and delegates care by other staff. Carries out a wide variety of complete and involved treatments, procedures, and examination. Decisions pertaining to all aspects of employment including recruitment, hiring, training, promotions, wage and salary administration and other terms and conditions of employment will be determined without regard to race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship status, religion, national origin, age or the status of qualified individuals with disabilities

Come Talk to Recruiters at Career Fair Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM, at Charlotte Marriott Executive Park