The Personal Care Aide of the Licensed Home Care Services Agency (Agency) provides nonprofessional nursing services and aid to patients with their activities of daily living (ADL) under the supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN).

• Education and Training - High school graduate is preferred. Completion of training mandated by the New York State Department of Social Services. A valid Personal Care Aide Certificate from a New York State Department of Social Services approved training and competency evaluation program. The individual should possess a desire to further knowledge by reading and attending inservices.
• Experience - none required.
• Character - The individual must possess good moral character, patience, and compassion for the elderly, chronically ill, and disabled, personal neatness, ability to work, ability to accept and profit from constructive criticism. Aide must be of good health and able to adjust to change in routine.

Essential Job Functions

• Read, write, speak, hear, see, reason, and remember.
• Climb stairs, bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, reach, stand, walk, push, pull, sit, grasp, feel, and lift medium weight (up to 50 lbs.) and perform repetitive movements of the upper extremities.
• Carry out assigned duties accurately and safely according to procedures taught and to cooperate with supervisors.
• Respond calmly in both simple and complex situations.
• Respond to emergency situations in the home.
• Adapt quickly to changing home assignments and situations.
• Access public transportation to get to a patient's residence or possess a valid New York State driver's license and have a car available for work use.
• Perform one person transfers under routine and emergency situation.
• Reposition a bedbound patient alone or with a one person assist.
• Fine motor coordination and dexterity of the hands.
• Stand for long periods of time.
• Endure weather and temperature extremes.
• Access patient's homes which may be individual or multiple dwellings which may or may not be handicapped accessible.
• Perform all job duties and responsibilities as outlined below in IV.

IV. Job Duties and Responsibilities

• The Personal Care Aide is supervised by the Patient Services Manager. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
• The primary function of the personal care aide is to assist in caring for individuals in the home setting. These functions include personal care and homemaking activities which must be designated in a plan of care and supervised by a professional staff member.
• Personal care services means some or total assistance with personal hygiene, dressing and feeding; nutritional and environmental support functions and health related tasks.
• The Personal Care Aide, under supervision of the professional nursing staff, performs personal care procedures or other activities which could appropriately be performed by a family member if able or available.
• Homemaking activities designed to contribute to the patient's well-being, safety and sanitation, or to prevent or postpone the patient's institutionalization are to be part of the patient care plan as written by the Registered Professional Nurse. The Personal Care Aide may be assigned to perform homemaking activities in some situations without designation of personal care procedures.

Specific tasks include:

Nursing

• Assist with care of teeth and mouth; denture care.
• Assist with grooming - care of hair including shampoo, shaving. Only clean/file nails for non-diabetic patient.
• Assist with bathing of patient, in bed, in tub or shower, or sponge bath.
• Assist with routine skin care including back rub and application of nonprescription powder or lotion.
• Assist patient on and off bedpan, commode and toilet.
• Assist patient in moving from bed to chair, wheelchair and in walking.
• Assist patient in eating.
• Assist patient in dressing; may apply elastic stockings.
• May empty bed/leg bag of an external or indwelling catheter.
• Measure and record intake and output; weigh patient.
• Assist with brace, splint, sling, DME.
• Remind and assist patient with self administration of medications.
• Accompany patient to medical appointments/care.
• Under certain circumstances, consistent with Federal and State regulations, other health related tasks may be assigned for a specific patient.

Household Tasks

• Make and change beds.
• Dust and vacuum the rooms the patient uses.
• Dishwashing.
• Light cleaning of kitchen, bedroom, bathroom.
• List needed supplies.
• Shop for patient.
• Laundry, ironing and mending.
• Send linen to laundry.
• Assist with payment of bills and perform other essential errands.

Social Services

• Give the patient and family emotional support.
• Observe and report changes in patients' or family's' attitudes which may be indicative of social problems.

Nutrition

• Assist in the meal planning, shopping and preparation of meals for individuals with special dietary needs under the direction of a Registered Dietician or Registered Professional Nurse.

Personal Care Services

These may include impairment related services necessary for the employment of a disabled person as determined by the social assessment. Functions which may be included are the following:

• Assistance in preparing the individual to go to work.
• Assistance in going to and from work.
• Assistance with personal hygiene performed at work.

Clinical Records

• Maintain current, accurate clinical records; charts promptly changes in patient's condition, problems with informal supports or home environment and reports such to supervisor. Records are written the day service is rendered and reflect the current condition of the patient.
• Communicate orally and in writing of the patient's status and changes in status to the Registered Professional Nurse or Supervisor.

V. General Duties and Responsibilities

• Attend and participate in staff meetings and inservices.
• Maintain a good working rapport with all patients and co-workers.
• Create and maintain an atmosphere of warmth, personal interest and positive emphasis, as well as a calm environment.
• Follow all safety regulations and precautions at all times.
• Wear and maintain proper uniform/clothing, name tag and protective devices as the situation warrants. Maintain good personal hygiene.
• Maintain confidentiality and patient rights.
• Report to work on time and when scheduled, and is prepared to work.
• Maintain work area in a clean and organized manner.
• Maintain confidentiality of all issues and subject matters, including records, reports, data and other related sensitive materials.
• Maintain an acceptable attendance rate.
• Follow all laws, rules and regulations of the Federal and NYS Health Codes in regard to the patients and overall Agency operations

VI. Working Environment

The Personal Care Aide is subject to outside environmental conditions as well as conditions found in patients' homes. The worker may also be exposed to pets, odors and fumes or mists from medications. Aides are scheduled twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week.

VII. Exposure to Blood and Airborne Pathogens

This position has been categorized into Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Category l : routine contact with blood/body fluids of persons living or nonliving. Contact can be made while performing personal care, handling regulated medical waste and in clean up of spills and other blood/body fluid accidents. Protective equipment should be utilized when performing these tasks.

VIII. General

This job description, in no way, states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by their supervisor.

Qualifications, essential job functions and requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbent will possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently.

This document does not create an employment contract, implied, or otherwise, other than an "at will" employment relationship.

I attest that I have read and understand this job description. I also understand that I am responsible to carry out the duties described in this job description.

Further, I acknowledge that I have received a copy of this job description