Hospice Aide

Compassus•Petaluma, CA

4d•$23 - $33

About The Position

The Hospice Aide provides personal care, assistance with activities of daily living and prescribed therapeutic exercises, and basic housekeeping services for people receiving home care or hospice services. Services are delivered according to a written plan of care developed and supervised by a Registered Nurse. The role may involve providing hospice respite care, care-team coverage on evenings and weekends, or immediate care for a single hospice patient during periods of increased need. The aide works with patients and families in home or facility settings, supporting comfort, safety, and independence. The role requires coordinating visits and patient information with clinical team members, documenting care and changes in condition, and communicating with supervisors and the interdisciplinary team. Some documentation and communication are completed using a laptop and electronic medical records systems.

Requirements

Completion of a certified nursing assistant course or equivalent training.
Certification as a Home Health Aide.
National Provider BLS certification from the American Heart Association required within 30 days of hire.
Ability to perform basic arithmetic, including calculations involving rates, ratios, and percentages.
Ability to read and interpret general, professional, technical, and regulatory materials; write reports and correspondence; present information and respond to questions; and communicate effectively in English verbally and in writing.
Reliable, insured transportation available for daily use.
Ability to safely transfer a non-ambulatory patient and assist with ambulation, mobility devices, toileting, bathing, changing incontinence products, and dressing in a home or facility setting.
Ability to take patient vital signs and follow a plan of care that includes care of catheters, ostomies, and wounds as directed by supervising clinical professionals.
Familiarity with applicable HIPAA regulations regarding confidential information.
Ability to work cooperatively with skilled nursing facility staff and communicate cohesively in a multidisciplinary team.
Ability to establish rapport and trust with patients and families and demonstrate tact and maturity with diverse cultures, lifestyles, and expectations.
Ability to maintain positive, collaborative, and constructive interpersonal relationships and practice effective teamwork.
Ability to work flexible hours, prioritize assignments, and meet productivity and quality standards.
Ability to work with minimum supervisory guidance, exercise independent judgment within the scope of practice, adapt to changes in assignments and environments, and learn new procedures.
Basic computer skills in Windows-based systems, electronic medical records, and MS Outlook.

Responsibilities

Provide direct patient and basic nursing care, as well as simple housekeeping tasks, according to the Home Health Aide Plan of Care and under the direction of an RN or other licensed professional.
Assist with bathing, perineal care, oral care, and care of skin, hair, and fingernails; help patients move, turn, transfer, and ambulate with or without assistive devices.
Provide care for surgical or prosthetic appliances and devices, such as catheters, colostomies, leg braces, and dentures, as instructed.
Collect and process specimens as indicated, record and report results, obtain assigned vital signs and weights, measure intake and output, perform simple dressing changes, and assist with routine bowel care.
Perform simple household duties that support patient self-care and help maintain health and comfort at home.
Provide in-home hospice respite care when assigned.
Assist with prescribed exercises taught by a Physical, Speech, or Occupational Therapist or RN, using appropriate range-of-motion, body-alignment, and positioning techniques.
Observe and report changes in a patient's physical or mental status, document observations, and communicate safety and environmental health hazards to the appropriate clinician or team members.
Manage time effectively, arrive at patient homes promptly, prioritize and triage visits in response to urgent needs, and communicate schedules and work plans to the appropriate clinical staff.
Manage a caseload, plan and schedule home visits, and coordinate with team members to support the overall care plan.
Arrange a weekly schedule to attend required meetings while accounting for patient care needs, and coordinate transfer of patient information for coverage during absences.
Maintain accurate records and documentation of patient status and services provided; document deviations from the plan of care and contact the primary clinician or manager/supervisor as appropriate.
Use a laptop when required to document patient care and communicate with team members.
Train family members in safe patient hygiene practices when appropriate.
Promote the Patient Bill of Rights and Responsibilities and follow basic procedures for receiving and documenting grievances so concerns can be directed through the appropriate process.
Participate in relevant educational activities and attend at least 12 hours of in-service education per calendar year.
For Care Team hospice assignments, provide plan-of-care services to assigned hospice patients under case-manager oversight and share weekend and evening coverage.
For Continuous Care hospice assignments, provide immediate care to one hospice patient during periods of increased need.