Reports to: Director of Nursing and/or Nursing Supervisor
Qualifications/ Credentials:
- Successful completion of a training program in personal care assistant services and certified by the New Jersey State Department of Law and Public Safety, Board of Nursing, as a homemaker-home
health aide, with a valid/ current license
- Successful completion of a minimum of 12 hours of in-service education per year offered by the agency
- Supervised by a registered professional nurse employed by an approved home care agency provider.
- Must be at least 18 years of age.
- Must have the ability to read, write and follow written instructions, and to document care given.
- Must be self-directing with the ability to work with little direct supervision.
- Should demonstrate a concern and tolerance for people and be in good mental health and of good moral character.
- Must comply with all federal and state regulatory acts and agency’s policies and procedures.
- Be honest, dependable and be able to perform the physical demands of the position.
- Preferably a high school diploma or equivalent.
Responsibilities
A Home Health Aide (HHA) shall provide personal care services assigned by and under the supervision of a registered professional nurse in the client’s home based on the activities detailed in the Care Plan. The HHA shall review the Care Plan with the delegating registered professional nurse after the assessment has been conducted and a Care Plan developed, and whenever changes have been made to the Care Plan by the registered professional nurse.
Agency shall arrange for supervisory visits by an RN to the home of the client receiving home care services in accordance with the regulatory guidelines (30-day contact and 60-day site visits) issued by the NJ Board of Nursing.
Specific responsibilities of the CHHA include:
- Personal care activities contained in a Care Plan or written assignment by a licensed health care professional employee of the Home Care Agency and which include: activities of daily living (ADL) such as, assisting the client with personal hygiene, ambulation, eating, dressing, shaving with an electric razor and physical transfer.
- Maintenance of a clean, safe and healthy environment, which may include light cleaning and straightening of the bathroom, straightening of the living and sleeping areas, washing the client’s dishes or laundry, and such tasks to maintain cleanliness and safety of the client.
- Observe the client’s condition, behavior, appearance and hygienic needs, living arrangement and home environment while in the home, and report and document changes or problems to supervisor.
- Other activities as taught by a health care professional employee or contractor of the home care agency for a specific client and are restricted to the following:
o Assisting with prescribed range of motion exercises; and/or other therapeutic exercises as ordered
o Assists in ambulation and transferring of clients including the use of assistive devices as needed for daily living, i.e., a walker or wheelchair;
o Measuring and preparing special diets;
o Measuring intake or output of fluids;
- Keeping records of personal health care activities, signed by client and caregiver and submitted to the office at least weekly.
- Taking and recording accurate vital signs: temperature (axillary, oral, rectal); pulse; respirations or blood
pressure;
- Performing household activities such shopping, meal preparation and errands.
- Adhering to documentation and care procedures and standards of personal/paraprofessional conduct
- Meeting safety needs of clients and using equipment properly and safely (oxygen, foot stools, lift, etc.)
- Supervision of self-administered medication in the home.
NOTE: The CHHA shall NOT change sterile dressings, irrigate body cavity, such as enema, irrigate a colostomy or internal feeding, catherize a client, apply hot or cold pack, administer medication, apply heat by any method, care for a tracheotomy tube, perform skills or procedures requiring the knowledge, training, and skill of a licensed nurse, nor provide any personal health services which has not been included in the care plan or specifically delegated in writing by the Director of Nursing or Nursing Supervisor.
- Adhere to universal precautions during all client visits.
- Attends a minimum of 12 hours of in-service training annually.
- Adhere to Agency policies and procedures.
- Always protect and maintain client and agency confidentiality.