Home Health Aide

Job Duties (include, but are not limited to the following):

• Follows the written instructions for patient care as prepared by the Registered Nurse.
• Performs simple procedures as an extension of therapy services.
• Gives personal care to patients; including, but not limited to, bathing, shampoo, shaving, mouth care and skin care.
• Assists patient with ambulation, transfers, and exercise.
• Performs household services essential to health care at home.
• Cares for patient’s surroundings as necessary to maintain a safe environment.
• Gives medication reminders on medications that are ordinarily self-administered.
• Reports to the Registered Nurses/Clinical Manager changes in the patient’s condition and needs.
• Ability to recognize and report changes in skin condition including new wounds and pressure ulcers.
• Ability to read and write.
• Ability to verbally report clinical information to patients, representatives and other agency staff.
• Completes appropriate reports according to Homecare Agency policies.
• Attends all mandatory in-service programs and staff meetings.
• Complies with Homecare Agency Compliance Plan.
• Complies with Homecare Agency’s Infection Control Policies.
• Complies with Homecare Agency’s HIPAA Policies.
• The Home Health Aide is primarily responsible to the Registered Nurse n charge of their patient assignment.
• Any other tasked assigned.

Working Environment:

• Field experience may expose employee to temperature extremes, physical injury by patient, family, animal or other in the community, unsafe environment or exposure to infectious diseases and offensive odors.
• Equipment and Supplies: Prudent and efficient use of routine office supplies and equipment. Prudent and efficient use of routine medical supplies, nursing bag contents, sphygmomanometer and stethoscope, instrument packs. All the preceding items should be protected from theft and weather at all times.
• Knowledge and Competency: Must demonstrate basic knowledge of all procedures included in the Home Health Aide job description. Must have the ability to follow instructions from the Clinical Manager and other professional staff. Ability to communicate effectively with managers, patients, families and co-workers. Must have effective means of transportation, which will enable employee to make visits to patients’ homes if needed. Must be able to assess safety of home situations for self, patients, and other staff members, including physical and psychological dangers. Must have the ability to effectively cope with patients, families and all others with varying backgrounds.
• Maintains confidentiality of information relating to patient. Will discuss only those aspects necessary to care and treatment of patient with those directly involved in the patient’s care.
• Physical Demands: Must be able to complete all physical demands of the job, which may include, but not be limited to: the ability to lift and transfer patients, carry supplies, and read normal typewritten print. Have corrected vision and hearing within normal range and have manual dexterity with normal range of motion of all extremities.
• May be requested to work weekends, holidays, and occasional overtime. Must be able to work alone without usual support systems immediately available in acute care settings. Must have the ability to deal with abrupt schedule changes and to maintain objectivity in coping with the stress of working with acute, chronic and terminally ill patients.
• Work Ethic: Complies with the Homecare Agency dress code, projects a professional attitude toward self, patients, and other staff members, and follows department public relation policies regarding outside speaking and professional affiliations, clearing all such requests through Homecare Agency.

Qualifications:

As per 484.80 of the Medicare Conditions of Participation, a qualified Home Health Aide who has successfully completed:

• A training and competency evaluation program as specified
• A competency evaluation program that meets the requirements
• a nurse aide training and competency evaluation program approved by the state as meeting the requirements, and is currently listed in good standing on the state nurse aide registry; or
• The requirement of the state licensure program that meets the provisions of this section.
• An individual is not considered to have completed a training and competency evaluation program, or a competency evaluation program if, since the individual’s most recent completion of this program(s), there has been a continuous period of 24 consecutive months during none of which the individual furnished services for compensation.

Home Health Aide

• Effective for services furnished after August 14, 1990, a person who has successfully completed a State-established or other training program that meets the requirements of
• §484.36(a) and a competency evaluation program or State licensure program that meets the requirements of §484.36 (b) or (e), or a competency evaluation program or State licensure program that meets the requirements of §484.36 (b) or (e). An individual is not considered to have completed a training and competency evaluation program, or a competency evaluation program if, since the individual's most recent completion of this program(s), there has been a continuous period of 24 consecutive months during none of which the individual furnished services described in §409.40 for compensation.
• Must have sympathetic attitude toward care of sick. Must have ability to carry out directions. A minimum of one year of hospital experience, and/or equivalent experience in nursing home or public health nursing is preferred. Satisfactory completion of the Home Health Aide Competency Examination. Must maintain strict confidentiality of patient information. Must be able to document patient care on appropriate agency form.