Home Health Aide

Home Health Aide

Being a part of this extraordinary team at McLean in Simsbury, CT, you will experience the satisfaction of knowing your work actually makes a difference. You'll be part of a talented group that truly enjoys what they do and takes care of one another like family.

From the top on down, we roll up our sleeves and work together as trusted guides for our amazing residents and their families. We're committed to our legacy of caring and you can feel it in the air every day. It's meaningful. It's supportive. It's real.

32 hours - with every other weekend rotation - Must have current CT CNA registration

Accountability: Home Health Aide Scheduling Supervisor

Clinical direction from Home Health Aide Field Supervisor

Work areas: Client homes setting

Classification: Non-exempt

Position summary: The Home Health Aide follows the plan of care as directed by the case manager (nurse and/or therapist). Provides personal care and related homemaking duties for the adult client with short-term rehabilitation, and care of the sick during terminal stage of life. The Home Health Aide is responsible for communication of the implementation of the plan of care and reports changes in the clients' status. The client's home setting may be a private residence, assisted living or skilled nursing facility. The Home Health Aide consistently follows the McLean mission and code of conduct.

Job competencies:

1. Follows the care plan carefully providing clients with personal care as needed, i.e.

• Provides personal care activities while encouraging client participation with ADL's such as:
• Bathing (bed bath, tub or shower)
• Grooming (shampoo, shave, common nail care as determined by RN)
• Mouth care
• Skin care (as determined by RN)
• Toileting (commode, toilet or bed pan)
• Dressing
• Feeding (prepares varied and nutritious meals, serves and feeds as necessary)
• Provides assistance to increase the level of independence or maintenance of function according to plan of care
• Transfers (from bed to chair, etc.) using gait belt or mechanical lift according to care plan
• Exercises
• Ambulation with or without assistive device
• Assist client with medication reminders
• Performs other RN-assigned client tasks within the scope of the job description.
• Reports changes in client condition and/or care refusals promptly to agency supervisor/primary case manager. In addition, when the home setting is a nursing facility, the aide will report to the unit charge nurse on arrival and get briefing on patient, and on departure, and reports patient's condition, and/or care refusals.
• Keeps client's living environment safe, clean and neat.
• Kitchen: Keeps food properly stored and labeled. Washes dishes and utensils, including pots/pans. Cleans counter, stovetops and table. Sweeps and mops floor.
• Bathroom: Cleans toilet bowl, rim and seat. Cleans sink, tub and fixtures. Mops floor. Changes towels.
• Bedroom: Makes beds, changes linens. Dust and vacuums. Airs out room, if appropriate.
• Other: Does general light vacuuming, dusting and mopping. Does client laundry. Removes household garbage related to care plan. Performs other services pertinent to good patient care.
• Participates in team conferences as appropriate.
• Participates in twelve hours of agency-approved education annual, six of which are related to hospice care. Communicates with supervisor to monitor progress in order to meet annual requirement.
• Submits accurate and timely documentation of the care provided during the visits, travel time and mileage through telephonic system. Submits completed paper documentation only when necessary.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Working conditions:

Typical physical demands: Requires full range of body motion including position, assisting and transferring clients using minimal, moderate, or maximal assist. Requires manual dexterity and hand eye coordination. Requires the ability to walk up and down stairs. Requires the ability to drive a motor vehicle. Requires vision and hearing within normal range. Requires the ability to read and write. Requires occasional lifting of greater than 50 pounds, often combined with bending and turning and the ability to push client in a wheelchair, both in the home and outside on paved surface.

Typical working conditions: Work is performed in client homes, which may be a private residence, assisted living or skilled nursing facility. Travel to and from homes is required. Contact with clients, families and staff. Attendance at in-services at McLean or other locations is required. Some potential exposure to communicable diseases.

Employment requirements:

Knowledge, skills, abilities: Ability to communicate pleasantly, clearly, timely and effectively to all members of the team (clients, families, clinical staff, coworkers.) Ability to use creativity and initiative to involve client in conversation and activities to decrease isolation. Ability to read, write, understand written communication; verbalize and demonstrate knowledge of the physical, emotional and developmental needs of and, ways to work with populations served by hospice, including the need for respect for the patient, his/her privacy and his/her property. Ability to maintain a safe home environment, identify and communicate unsafe findings. Ability to work independently and follow a care plan, problem solve, be flexible and improvise while following the care plan. Ability to conform to work hours, promptness and attendance; Ability to safely operate a motor vehicle; Ability to read and write in English; Demonstrates competency in use of assistive devices and mechanical lifts. Ability to adhere to policy, procedures and regulatory guidelines.

Education: H.S. diploma or equivalent

Experience/Training: Must be certified as Home Health Aide and Certified Nurse aide. Minimum one year Home Health Aide or CNA experience preferred.