Home Health Aide Hospice
20 days ago
Pennsauken
Job Description PRIMARY FUNCTION The VITAS Hospice Aide is a non-exempt employee trained to provide personal care and homemaking services to the terminally ill to augment care given by family members. She/He functions under the direction, instruction and supervision of the VITAS RN and/or the VITAS Team Manager. JOB RESPONSIBILITIES Hospice aides are assigned to a specific patient by a registered nurse that is a member of the interdisciplinary team. Written patient care instructions for a hospice aide must be prepared by a registered nurse who is responsible for the supervision of the hospice aide. A hospice aide provides services that are: • Ordered by the interdisciplinary group, • Included in the plan of care, • Permitted to be performed under state law by such hospice aide, • The provision of hands-on personal care, • The performance of simple procedures as an extension of therapy or nursing services, • Assistance in ambulation or exercises including the use of assistive devices, • Assistance in administering medications that are ordinarily self-administered, • NJ hospice aides may not assist with medications, • Assistance with nutrition including preparation of special diets and feeding, • Promotion of patient’s quality of life by assisting with involvement in desired activities, • Accompanying patient to medically related appointments, • Assisting primary caregiver to learn basic patient care through demonstration of care techniques, • Providing homemaking services for the patient such as:, • Preparation of simple meals, • Laundry, • Housekeeping, • Practices infection control measures per VITAS standards, polices and procedures, • Observes, reports and accurately documents patient status and patient care activities per VITAS standards, policies and procedures, • Participates in the preparation and execution of the plan of care, • Completes a minimum of 12 hours of in-service training per year, • In CT, 6 hours shall address topics related to hospice care, • Participates in Quality Improvement activities, • Maintains job specific training for area assigned as required, • A hospice aide must report changes in the patient's medical, nursing, rehabilitative, and social needs to a registered nurse, as the changes relate to the plan of care and quality assessment and improvement activities, • Provide least restrictive environment by encouraging independence and patient participation in care as desired, • Provide comfort care to patient and family through basic emotional support and care based on hospice philosophy, • Demonstrates respect for patient and his/her property and maintains patient privacy, • Recognizes emergencies and responds per VITAS standards, policies and procedures, • Assists in maintaining a clean, safe and healthy environment, • All other duties as assigned THE HOSPICE AIDE MAY NOT: 1. Change sterile dressing, 2. Irrigate body cavities (such as an enema), 3. Irrigate a colostomy or wound, 4. Perform a gastric lavage or gavage, 5. Catheterize a patient, 6. Administer medications, 7. Apply heat by any method, 8. Care for a tracheotomy tube, 9. Suction a patient ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS / PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described in this job description are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to: • Assist in lifting and transferring patients, as required, • Lift objects in excess of 20 pounds, • Stand or walk in excess of one hour per day, • Talk and hear Specific vision abilities required by this job include: • Close vision, • Distance vision QUALIFICATIONS 1. High School graduate or equivalent preferred, 2. One year direct patient care in an institutional setting preferred, 3. Currently in good standing with state nurse aide registry if applicable by state State Allowable Training/Certification AL, CO, DC, DE, FL, GA, IN, MI, PA, TX, VA, WI CNA, HHA, HA CA CHHA CT Homemaker-Home Health Aide IL HHA, NA KS Home Health Aide certificate MO Home Health Aide NJ Homemaker-Home Health Aide OH Home Health Aide 6) Provides documentation of having passed a skills test and written / oral test demonstrating those competencies identified in CFR Title 42 Chapter 418.76. In lieu of such documentation, a newly hired Hospice Aide must demonstrate skills and written / oral competency prior to working independently with the patient. • CT: State-specific skills checklist / competency form required, • GA: Competency must be completed upon hire, • MO: State-specific skills checklist / competency form required SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS 1. Ability to travel per job requirements, 2. Telephone available in home, 3. Ability to read, write and report clinical information DIRECTION RECEIVED 1. Reports directly to the VITAS Team Manager, 2. Supervised by a Registered Nurse, 3. See VITAS Standard Hospice Aide Supervision
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