Home Health Aide

Home Health Aide (HHA)

SUMMARY

The Home Health Aide is a member of the home care team trained to provide personal care, other unskilled services, and companionship in the home setting, under the direction, instruction, and supervision of a Director of Nursing/Registered Nurse designee and the patient.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Assists the patient in the Activities of Daily Living (AOL) including personal care, hygiene, baths, back rubs, shampoo, skin, and nail care, eating, dressing, elimination, exercises, ambulation, and changing/making patient’s bed. Plans and prepares meals.
• Encourages the patient’s family to participate in the patient’s care.
• Provides companionship to the patient.
• Assists in the maintenance of a safe and healthy environment. Uses equipment and supplies safely and properly.
• Reminds the client to take, and assists the client and/or family, with self-administered oral medications as ordered by the physician, in compliance with the laws in the state of operation.
• Takes and records accurate patient vital signs when advised.
• Follows the Home Health Plan as written, approved, and supervised by the Registered Nurse or Physical Therapist.
• Gives emotional support to the patient and/or family.
• Informs Registered Nurse (RN)/Director of Nursing/Registered Nurse Designee of changes in patient’s condition.
• Documents activities and findings and submits documentation as required by company procedures.
• This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. The employee will be expected to perform other reasonable related duties as assigned by management.

JOB LIMITATIONS

The Home Health Aide will not function in any manner viewed as the practice of nursing according to the State’s Nurse Practice Act.

Specifically, the home health aide will not administer medications, take physician’s orders, or perform procedures requiring the training, knowledge, and skill of a nurse, specifically sterile techniques.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

High school diploma or general education degree (GED) or equivalent, and meets the training requirement in accordance with state and federal Jaws. (Effective 8/14/90, a person who has successfully completed a state established or other training programs that meets the requirements of CFR 484.36(b ), or a competency evaluation program or state licensure program that meets the requirements of S484.36(b).) At least one year of experience in home care, nursing, or hospital experience preferred.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to communicate effectively with patient/client, family members, clinical management, and staff. Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with simple problems in the home setting.

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Nurse’s Aide skills, observation skills, communication skills, knowledge of home health care. Good physical and mental health. A caring attitude, tact, patience, and good personal hygiene.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The work requires moderately heavy physical exertion on a regular and recurring basis such as extensive driving, assisting patients in transfer activities (wheelchair, to bed, to tub, to commode), and providing substantial support to individuals in ambulation.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle or feel, and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms’ and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee is occasionally required to sit. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move over 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.