Personal Care Assistant

Personal Care Assistant

The Personal Care Assistant provides nursing and nursing related services to residents consistent with each resident's comprehensive assessment and plan of care. The Personal Care Assistant maintains a homelike environment for the residents, protects and promotes resident rights, and assists the person to maintain independence and control to the greatest extent possible.

Essential Position Functions

• Provides direct care to residents to improve or maintain the resident's abilities according to the resident's plan of care. Seeks assistance of charge nurse when unsure of assignment, procedure, or situation.
• Receives and completes all patient care assignments and other activities as assigned by charge nurse.
• Provides delivery of care in a compassionate, quality manner with kindness, respect, and dignity.
• Participates in improving quality of environment by positively contributing to the elimination of odors and pressure wounds and maintenance of a clean and homelike environment.
• Assists in activities of daily living (ADLs) including bathing, grooming, dressing, mobility, transferring, of assigned residents by providing set-up assistance, verbal prompts, physical support, or more extensive assistance as more fully described below:
• Bathing - Assists transporting resident to tub or shower, adjusts water temperature, washes/rinses resident, and dries body thoroughly with clean towels while maintaining privacy for resident at all times. Gives complete baths at frequency stated in the Nursing Care Policies. Gives bath as necessary to each patient when bed linen and/or clothing is wet or soiled. Provides extra care to the skin of incontinent residents, and those who have been sitting in chairs for periods of time.
• Dressing - Locates, selects, and obtains clothing for resident. Assists residents with snaps, zippers, and buttons after donning clothes or removing them. Recognizes clothing in need of repair and communicates clothing needs to resident and to Unit Charge Nurse.
• Elimination/Toileting - Promptly assists resident to bathroom according to toileting schedule or promptly brings clean bedpan or urinal. Opens, removes clothing in preparation, cleans resident if resident is unable to clean self, adjusts clothing, cleans resident's and own hands. Provides catheter care according to facility procedure and infection control policies.
• Mobility - Provides weight-bearing assistance or physical support for ambulating. Pushes wheelchair if needed for temporary illnesses. Maintains safe environment for mobile resident by removing obstacles, inspecting equipment, and reporting defects to Unit Charge Nurse. Monitors resident progress toward treatment goals and reports responses to Unit Charge Nurse.
• Transfer - Positions resident for transfer. Uses correct body mechanics and transfer technique according to plan of care, resident ability, and self-ability. Obtains assistance of another staff member if needed before starting to transfer a resident.
• Eating - Provides set-up assistance. Opens, pours, unwraps, and cuts food if resident is unable to help self. If indicated, actively encourages residents to chew, eat, and swallow. Socializes with resident during mealtimes. Assists or cleans resident after meals. Serves nourishment and snacks as ordered. Prepares resident for meals including washing face and hands, repositioning. Reports any change in resident's appetite to supervisor and watches all diabetics carefully.
• Grooming - Shaves, trims, shampoos, and combs hair of residents as instructed. Cleans and soaks finger and toenails (as instructed) before trimming. Assists patients with oral hygiene as instructed.
• Provides care in a manner that protects and promotes resident rights, dignity, privacy, confidentiality, self-determination and active participation. Offers and respects resident choices in matters of daily routine. Refers to residents by proper names unless resident requests otherwise. Avoids use of all pet names. Handles all resident property with respect.
• Observes and immediately reports to Unit Charge Nurse, unusual occurrences, significant changes in resident's physical or behavioral condition, patterns of decreased social interaction, angry or sad behaviors, and refusals of treatment.
• Assists with the planning, implementation, and evaluation of plans of care for assigned residents and reports information about conditions, responses to interventions and suggestions for alternative approaches to the Unit Charge Nurse.
• Assists with preparation for state inspections as directed. Attends survey training and interacts with state surveyors as directed by Charge Nurse or nursing management.
• Uses personal protective equipment properly whenever indicated.
• Assists with self administration of medications to residents whom need assist, by reminding the resident, getting the medication out for the resident, observing the resident while taking the medication and reporting to charge nurse any concerns.
• Records accurate, legible information about resident care, conditions, and observations made in appropriate sections of resident records.
• Regularly communicates throughout shift with Unit Charge Nurse about assigned residents.
• Monitors physical environment for safety or fire hazards, malfunctioning equipment including call lights, and corrects or reports potential problems to housekeeping and maintenance immediately and to Unit Charge Nurse. Cleans up all spills immediately.
• Immediately reports injury to resident or self to Unit Charge Nurse.
• Attends annual, mandated in-service education provided by the facility and applies information to job tasks.
• Participates in fire and disaster drills. In the event of an emergency, carries out assigned duties to assure resident safety.
• Reports to charge nurse at the beginning and end of each shift and before and after meal and rest breaks.
• Performs all nursing procedures in the way in which he/she has been trained, directed and approved by instructor/supervisor.
• Reports any resident who lacks proper identification to Charge Nurse.
• Washes hands before and after taking care of every resident.
• Cleans and stores equipment and personal care items. When caring for a resident, responsible for keeping the whole unit clean and in good order (includes making beds and cleaning mattresses).
• Responds to every signal light and buzzer promptly (within 5 minutes of first ring) and courteously considering each light as an emergency until answered.
• Positions all residents' tubing's and bags as instructed.
• Complies with the facility's privacy practices and procedures related to resident and employee records and all state/federal privacy laws as outlined by HIPAA.

Note: The essential functions of this job may be revised or updated as facility needs dictate.