Home Health Aide

WVU Medicine•Moundsville, WV

About The Position

The Home Health Aide assists patients with activities of daily living and personal care. In collaboration with the patient, family, and health care team, the aide provides direct and indirect nursing care using the nursing process under the supervision of a Registered Nurse. Care is provided according to the assigned plan of care, applicable standards, and policies and procedures. Most work takes place in patients’ homes and may involve extensive travel.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
State-issued aide certification for the state where services are performed: Maryland Certified Nursing Assistant; Ohio Nurse's Aide; Pennsylvania Nurse's Aide; or West Virginia Nurse's Aide Certification.
Valid driver’s license.
CPR certification required within 30 days of hire.
Ability to work weekends, holidays, and all shifts.
Ability to perform concentrated and complex mental activity and handle complex, highly technical situations.
Ability to work under highly stressful conditions and adapt to changing workloads and assignments.
Ability to make sound independent judgments and collaborate appropriately with multidisciplinary team members.
Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions and procedures.
Effective reading and comprehension skills, strong written and verbal communication skills, basic math skills, and legible reading and writing.
Ability to operate a motor vehicle safely and use a telephone, fax machine, beepers, and computer appropriately.
Knowledge of and compliance with safety procedures, including side rails, fall risks, TB precautions, and hand washing.
Knowledge of specialized needs of terminally ill patients and applicable federal, state, and local regulations and laws.
Ability to meet physical demands, including frequent walking, standing, stooping, kneeling, reaching, pushing, pulling, lifting, and grasping; regularly lift, move, and position patients of all weights with varying assistance.
Normal-range hearing and visual acuity.
Ability to exert 20–50 pounds of force occasionally, 10–25 pounds frequently, and up to 10 pounds constantly.

Responsibilities

Provide personal and hygienic care at each visit according to the care plan, basic care standards, age-specific needs, and applicable policies and procedures.
Maintain a clean, safe, and comfortable environment within the limitations of the home setting.
Protect patient privacy and dignity and respect the patient’s property while providing care.
Complete assignments in a timely manner.
Follow the plan of care assigned by the Registered Nurse.
Relay critical information about patient condition to appropriate staff and confer with the primary nurse about the original plan of care and updates.
Document patient status and services provided according to documentation policies and procedures.
Report observed changes in patient condition, including changes in comfort, and abnormalities in vital signs to Registered Nurses.
Use supplies effectively and support cost containment.
Perform care procedures as assigned, including measuring vital signs; lifting, moving, positioning, transferring, and ambulating patients; range-of-motion exercises; bed-making; personal hygiene; assistance with elimination and ostomy care; and weighing patients.
Identify the stages of death and dying.