Home Health Aide

Compassus•Napa, CA

5d•$24 - $33

About The Position

The Home Health Aide is a trained paraprofessional who provides basic nursing or therapy functions, personal care, prescribed therapeutic exercises, and household services essential to home health care, according to a specific written plan of care. The Registered Nurse Clinical Case Manager supervises the aide and the plan of care in the home. When there is no RN assigned to the case, a Physical Therapist, Occupational Therapist, or Speech Language Pathologist provides supervision. The aide delivers care in patients’ homes, supports patients’ activities of daily living and recovery, observes and reports changes in condition, and documents care provided. The role involves managing a caseload and visit schedule, coordinating with supervisors and interdisciplinary team members, and meeting agency productivity and documentation standards. The position may involve working in pet-friendly homes and exposure to typical healthcare hazards.

Requirements

Education sufficient to meet certification, license, or registration requirements.
National Provider BLS certification from the American Heart Association is required within 30 days of hire.
For California home health aide services, must be a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) licensed by the Department of Health to perform CNA-level direct patient care activities in a home health setting; criminal record clearance is required.
Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals, and to compute rates, ratios, and percentages.
Ability to read and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, and governmental regulations; write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals; and present information and respond to questions.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including ability to communicate effectively in English and work cohesively in a multidisciplinary team.
Ability to understand, read, write, and speak English.
Ability to maintain positive, collaborative, and constructive interpersonal relationships and apply effective teamwork principles.
Ability to prioritize assignments and meet productivity and quality standards.
Ability to work with minimum supervisory guidance and exercise independent judgment within the scope of practice.
Ability to adapt to changes in assignments and work environment, take on additional responsibility, and learn new procedures.
Ability to work flexible hours.
Ability to work in pet-friendly home environments, which may include exposure to cats, dogs, or birds.
Ability to stand and walk regularly, use manual dexterity, and lift or move objects weighing up to 50 pounds.
Visual acuity for close and distance vision, color and peripheral vision, depth perception, and adjustment of focus.
Ability to work in a healthcare setting with expected exposure to bodily fluids, infectious diseases, and other conditions typical to the field.
Ability to use standard medical equipment and tools associated with clinical care.

Nice To Haves

One year of experience as a Home Health Aide.

Responsibilities

Provide personal care according to the Home Health Aide Plan of Care established by the patient, family caregiver, and case manager.
Follow the tasks authorized by the plan of care and refer additional patient needs to the case manager for a new plan of care.
Deliver safe, comprehensive care while treating patients with dignity and respect and maintaining confidentiality.
Perform basic nursing care as directed, including recording vital signs and temperature, simple dressing changes, and assistance with routine bowel care.
Provide bathing assistance and oral, denture, skin, hair, and nail care, including shaving and nail trimming.
Assist patients with toileting and use of a bedpan or commode.
Provide instructed care for surgical or prosthetic appliances and devices, including catheters, colostomies, leg braces, and dentures.
Assist with prescribed exercises as taught by the Physical Therapist, Occupational Therapist, or Registered Nurse and specified in the plan of care.
Help position patients in bed and assist with transfers, ambulation, and mobility.
Assist patients with medications that they ordinarily self-administer, as directed by the Registered Nurse.
Perform light housekeeping that facilitates patient self-care and supports health and recovery.
Observe and report changes in patients’ condition, body functions, and needs to the professional responsible for their care.
Complete records and documentation of patient status and care or services furnished.
Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to develop, implement, and update the plan of care.
Respond to urgent needs by prioritizing and triaging visits.
Communicate the daily schedule and work plan to the supervisor, Scheduler, and other team members as appropriate.
Share patient information with the Clinical Supervisor, Manager, and staffing team to support communication and coordination.
Manage a caseload independently, plan and schedule home visits, and coordinate with team members to maximize care effectiveness.
Organize the weekly schedule to attend required meetings while maintaining patient care needs.
Coordinate transfer of patient information to ensure coverage during absences.
Reinforce information with patients and families as identified in the plan of care to promote independence and health at discharge.
Complete 12 hours of in-service education each year, through classroom or documented field education.
Maintain and advance patient-care skills and knowledge through ongoing instruction.
Participate in required agency in-service programs, community education, and requested quality-improvement activities.
Manage time effectively and efficiently and meet agency productivity expectations.
Check, respond to, and follow up on voicemail messages in a timely manner; update the schedule daily.
Meet productivity standards and complete visit documentation on the day of the visit in compliance with the 48-hour documentation policy.
Participate in care-plan and interdisciplinary team meetings as appropriate.
Work with clinicians to assist patients with activities of daily living, specimen collection, and supervised ambulation as directed.
Orient and train new Home Health Aides as directed by the Clinical Supervisor or Manager.