The PCA is responsible for performing health related tasks and may also provided assistance with personal hygiene, housekeeping and other related supportive tasks to a client in his/her home or facility under the supervision of a registered nurse.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Personal Care Aide is responsible for performing health related tasks and may also provided assistance with personal hygiene, housekeeping and other related supportive tasks to a client in his/her home or facility under the supervision of a registered nurse.

• 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 Director of Clinical Services or the supervising Registered Nurse.
• Follows care plan instructions as directed by Registered Nurse.
• Provides Nutritional Support:
  • Develops menu
  • Prepares grocery list, shops as required
  • Prepares meals and snacks
  • Assists with feeding as needed
  • Measures and records intake of food and fluids
  • Modified and Complex Modified diets require specific instruction by the Nurse.

• Assists with Administration of Medication:
  • Reminds client
  • Reads label
  • Brings medication, supplies, liquids to client
  • Opens container
  • Positions the client
  • Cleans and disposes used materials
  • Stores medication properly
  • Assists with medication ONLY as directed by Registered Nurse

• Assists with or performs and records Personal Care Functions:
  • Preventive skin care, application of body lotion
  • Bathing
  • Grooming: hair shampoo, beard, nails shave, oral hygiene, teeth and denture care; assist with dressing, applies elastic stockings and cleans eye glasses;
  • Toileting: provides/empties and washes – bedpan, urinal, adult diapers and assists with using the commodes and/or toilets
  • Wound dressing: changes clean dressing (band-aid, gauze pad and tape) assists Nurse in changing sterile dressing
  • Performs and records simple measures:
    • Blood pressure on arm
    • Vital signs: temperature, plus, and respiration
    • Collect specimens: Stool, urine, sputum (without suctioning)
    • Measure intake and output
    • Test for urine sugar and acetone
    • Weigh client

• Assists with Mobility:
  • Carries out maintenance home exercise program
  • Assists with use of medical supplies and equipment
  • Walking: assist with or without assistive equipment (cane, walker, crutches); walking inside or outside of home, use of safety belt
  • Transferring, sit or stand, or position in bed, chair or wheelchair
• Provides Related Supportive Tasks:
  • Accompanies out of doors and to medical appoints
  • Assists with socialization and recreation activities
  • Assists with completion of personal business activities related to making appointments, telephone calls, or correspondence
  • Observes, records and reports client’s condition

• Provides Environment Support:
  • Make/change bed linen, occupied or unoccupied
  • Light housekeeping: Patient areas to include kitchen, bath, bedroom, etc., in handling tasks such as sweeping, dusting, vacuuming, cleaning; in kitchen, cleaning the sink, counters, stop top, table, refrigerator; and in the bathroom, such as the sink, toilet, tub and shower
  • Clean up after meal preparation and provision of care, washes and dries dishes
  • Personal laundry: clothing and bed linen, wash, iron and mend laundry
  • Listing needed supplies, errands, shopping
  • Maintain safe environment and clean patient equipment.
  • Participates in other activities as necessary:
    • Participates in selected case conferences
    • Maintains daily client’s records and timesheet
    • Promptly informs nurse of changes, needs, problems with client’s condition and/or environment
    • Additional activities as directed by the nurse
    • Adheres to care plan instructions thoroughly

Note: Additional activities as defined by the Department of Health in the Scope of Practice for Home Health Aides may be taught with the physician’s approval and supervised by the Nurse as appropriate to the client and aides’ competency. For example:

• Empty Foley Catheter Bag
• Measure Input and Output as ordered
• Remind client, as directed by Physical Therapist about daily/weekly exercises

• Must be PCA Certified in New York State
• Must have compassion, patience and maturity to understand and react to client’s needs
• Minimum age requirement: 18 years of age

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Ability to work in an office setting, client’s home, or a hospice or nursing home facility
• Ability to complete and review records and information provided regarding client care or in-services training
• Must be available for assignments for day or evenings hours, or, live-in work if appropriate.

• Physical activity including but not limited to walking, standing, running, twisting, stooping, kneeling, climbing ladders or stairs, crouching, lifting, balancing, reaching, and crawling is required.
• Must be able to lift a minimum of 25 lbs.
• May be required to lift, pull, push, bend, drag and squat for periods of time.
• HHA will be exposed to virus, disease and infection from patients and specimens in working environment.
• HHA will be required to work at client’s home or a specified facility and be responsible for own transportation.
• Flexibility is required in that scheduling needs may on include last minute changes, rotating shifts, standby, and fill in work.