Hospice Aide- PAH

Hospice Aide

The Hospice Aide provides personal care, assistance with performing activities of daily living and prescribed therapeutic exercises, and basic housekeeping services essential to the comfort and cleanliness of receiving home care or hospice services. These services are specified by a written plan of care that is developed and supervised by a Registered Nurse.

Position Specific Responsibilities

• Provides direct patient / basic nursing care and simple housekeeping tasks as reflected on the Home Health Aide Plan of Care under the direction and supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN) or other licensed professional:
• Patient care duties may include: bathing, pericare (with or without indwelling catheter), oral care, and care of skin, hair and finger nails; may also include helping patients to move; turn; get in and out of bed, chair, or wheelchair; and ambulate with or without assistive devices.
• Provide care of surgical or prosthetic appliances or devices as instructed, ie, catheters, colostomies, leg braces, dentures, etc.
• Basic nursing care may include: collecting and processing specimens as indicated, including urine dips, chart results and report to medical staff; obtaining vital signs including blood pressure, heart rate temperature, O2 statistics, and weights as assigned each day by RN, measuring and calculating fluid and food intake and output as indicated, performing simple dressing changes, assisting with routine bowel care.
• Housekeeping duties may include simple household duties which facilitate the patient's self care at home and which are necessary to prevent or postpone institutionalization and are essential to the patient's health care at home.
• Provide in home hospice respite care when assigned.
• Assists with prescribed exercises which patient and aide have been taught by the Physical, Speech, or Occupational Therapist or Registered Nurse and as described in the Home Health Aide plan of care; demonstrates good working knowledge of principles of range of motion exercises, body alignment and positioning techniques.
• Observes and reports to immediate supervisor any changes in participant's physical or mental status; record such observations on appropriate records; communicates safety hazards and environmental health hazards to primary clinician and/or team members.
• Demonstrates effective time management including arriving at the patient home in a timely manner, responding to urgent needs by prioritizing and triaging visits, communicating schedule and work plan to Clinical Manager, RN Case Manager and/or Scheduler daily and other team members as appropriate.
• Independently manages own caseload, plans and schedules home visits and coordinates with other team members as needed to maximize effectiveness of overall care plan.
• Organizes weekly schedule to attend required meetings within schedule of patient care needs.
• Organizes and coordinates transfer of patient information for coverage during absences.
• Maintains accurate and appropriate records and documentation of status, and care / services provided; documents any deviations from the plan of care and contacts the primary clinician and/or Home Health Manager/Supervisor.
• In some instances uses a laptop computer to document patient care and communication with other team member.
• May train family members in safe patient hygiene practices.
• Promotes the Patient Bill of Rights and Responsibilities and understand the basic procedures for receiving and documenting grievances in order to initiate the appropriate process for participant concerns.
• Participates in relevant educational activities and attends 12 hours or more of in-service education per calendar year to meet state, federal and agency requirements, and to provide opportunities for personal growth and job enhancement.

Education and/or Experience

• Required - Coursework/Training Completion of a certified nursing assistant course or equivalent training required.
• TX: Preferred - High school diploma or GED. A combination of education and equivalent experience will be considered.
• Required - 1 year Previous home health/hospice experience required as a nurse's aide, hospice aide, orderly, or related experience in an acute, rehabilitative, or long term care facility, or hospice organization or private home care aide.
• TX: Preferred - One to three months of related experience and/or training.

Skills

• Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percentage.
• Language Skills:
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from leaders, team members, investors, and external parties. Strong written and verbal communications.
• Ability to communicate in English effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Other Skills and Abilities:
• Ability to understand, read, write, and speak English. Articulates and embraces integrated healthcare at home philosophy.
• Access to daily use of reliable and insured transportation.
• Ability to safely transfer a non-ambulatory patient from bed to chair, and to assist with ambulation in the home or facility setting, use of mobility devices, getting to and from rest room, toileting, bathing, changing incontinence products, and clothing.
• Ability to take vital signs of patients and follow a Plan of Care including the care of catheters, ostomies, and wounds as directed by supervising RN, OT, PT, or SLP.
• Familiar with applicable HIPPA regulations regarding confidential information.
• Ability to work cooperatively with skilled nursing facility staff in the provision of direct patient care to best meet the comfort needs of the hospice patient.
• Ability to communicate and work cohesively in a multidisciplinary team environment.
• Ability to establish good rapport and build trust with patients and families; demonstrates tact and maturity in dealing with diverse cultures, lifestyles, and patient/family expectations.
• Demonstrates competency by maintaining positive, collaborative, and constructive interpersonal relationships.
• Understands and practices the principles of effective teamwork.
• Ability to work flexible hours.
• Demonstrates ability to prioritize work assignments and meet productivity and quality standards.
• Demonstrates ability to work with minimum supervisory guidance and exercises independent judgment within the scope of practice; adapts easily to changes in work assignments and environment, is willing to assume additional responsibility and learn new procedures.
• Demonstrates basic computer skills in Windows-based system to document in the Electronic Medical Records system and to use MS Outlook.

Certifications, Licenses, and Registrations

• WA/AK: Required - Nursing Assistant Certification (Vendor Managed)
• WA: Required upon request - Driving may be necessary as part of this role. Caregivers are required to comply with all state laws and requirements for driving. Caregivers will be expected to provide proof of driver license and auto insurance upon request. See policy for additional information.
• Required within 30 days of hire - National Provider BLS - American Heart Association (Vendor Managed)
• TX: Preferred - Nursing Assistant Certification (Vendor Managed)
• In states where licensure is not required (AL, AZ, CT, GA, IA, IL, KS, LA, MA, ME, MI, MS, MT, NM, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, WV), applicants must meet one of the following:
• They are already a licensed/certified aide; or
• They have completed a state-approved nurse aide training program AND have been continuously employed in that capacity for the previous 24 months

Physical Demands and Work Environment: The demands of this role necessitate a team member to effectively perform essential functions. Adaptations can be made to accommodate team members with disabilities. Regular standing, walking, and manual dexterity are fundamental, along with the ability to lift and move objects up to 50 pounds. Visual acuity requirements include close and distance vision, color and peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. In a healthcare setting, exposure to bodily fluids, infectious diseases, and conditions typical to the field is expected. Routine use of standard medical equipment and tools associated with clinical care is essential. This description provides a general overview and may vary by role and department, capturing the nuanced demands and conditions inherent to clinical positions in our organization.

At Compassus, including all Compassus affiliates, diversity, equity, and inclusion are fundamental to our Pillars of Success. We are committed to creating a fair work environment where our team members feel welcomed, highly valued, and respected. As an equal opportunity employer, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

Pay Range