HHA/PCA

Personal Care Aide The Personal Care Aide is responsible for providing patient assistance with nutritional and environmental support and personal hygiene, feeding and dressing and/or, as an extension of a self-directed patient, selected health related tasks in his/her home or facility under the supervision of a registered nurse. Responsibilities: Carries out the Agency's mission, philosophy, goals and objectives within guidelines of Agency policy and position function. Interprets and implements the Agency's philosophy to staff and members of the community. Participates in the development and implementation of a realistic goal-oriented plan of care. Provides personal care and rehabilitative services and assists in activities of daily living as directed by the nurse or therapist. Follows care plan instructions as directed by the nurse. Provides Environmental Support: Make/ change bed linen, occupied or unoccupied. Light housekeeping: Patient areas to include kitchen, bath, bedroom, etc.; dust, mop, sweep, vacuum, clean kitchen sink, counter, stove top, table, refrigerator, clean bathroom sink, tub, shower, toilet. Clean up after meal preparation and provision of care. Personal laundry: clothing and bed linen, wash, iron, and mend, prepare for laundry service. Maintain safe environment and clean patient equipment. Provides Nutritional Support: Develops menu. Prepares grocery list, shop. Prepares meals/ snacks. Assists with feeding. Measures and records intake of food and fluids. Personal Care Functions- assists with or performs and records: Skin care. Grooming: hair shampoo, beard, nails, shave, oral hygiene, denture care; assist with dressing, apply elastic stocking, clean glasses. Toileting: bedpan, urinal, commode or toilet, adult diapers. Wound dressing: change clean dressing (band-aid, gauze pad and tape); Assist nurse with changing sterile dressing. Performs and records simple measures: Blood pressure on arm Vital signs: temperature, pulse, respiration Collect specimens: stool, urine, sputum (without suctioning) Measure intake and output Test for urine sugar and acetone Weigh patient Carries out maintenance exercise program. Assists with use of medical supplies and equipment; assist nurse with changing sterile dressing. Walking: assist with or without assistive equipment, walk inside or outside of home, use of safety belt. Provides Related Supportive Tasks: Accompanies out of doors and to medical appointments. Assists with socialization and recreation activities. Assists with completion of personal business activities such as telephoning, correspondence, paying bills. Observes, records, and reports patients condition. Other Activities: Participates in selected case conferences. Maintains daily patient record and timesheet. Promptly informs nurse of changes, needs or problems with patients condition and/ or environment. Performs related activities as directed by the nurse. Adhere to care plan instructions. Qualifications: Written evidence of having successfully completed a New York State Department of Health approved: Basic Training Program in home health aide services; Or, Equivalency Examination or Competency Only Program in home health aide services; Or, Written evidence of having successfully completed a New York State Department of Social Services approved Training or Competency Program in personal care services; Compliance with Inservice Education requirements; Minimum of 18 years of age.