Certified Nursing Assistant/Hospice Aide (PRN)

I. General Summary

A qualified person who provides direct patient care and/or housekeeping duties in the home or homelike setting under the direct supervision of a registered nurse.

II. Mission Statement

This facility is operated by Allegiance Healthcare Hospice and Palliative Care. Our Mission is to provide the highest standard of care to our patients and the entire community that surrounds each patient. We strive to holistically meet their spiritual, social and clinical needs in the most peaceful, dignified and comforting manner possible.

III. ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

The Hospice Aide shall provide services established and delegated in the POC, record and notify the primary registered nurse of deviations according to standard practice including, but not limited to the following:

• Perform simple one-step wound care if documentation of in-service for that specific procedure in the aide’s personnel record. All procedures performed by the aide must be in compliance with current standards of nursing practice.
• Provide assistance with mobility, transferring, walking, grooming, bathing, dressing or undressing, eating, toileting, and/or housekeeping needs. Some examples of assistance include:
• Helping the patient with a bath, care of the mouth, skin and hair
• Helping the patient to the bathroom or in using a bed pan or urinal
• Helping the patient to dress and/or undress
• Helping the patient in and out of bed, assisting with ambulation
• Helping the patient with prescribed exercises which the patient and hospice aide have been taught by appropriate personnel
• Performing such incidental household services essential to the patient’s health care at home that are necessary to prevent or postpone institutionalization
• Provide nutritional support
• Reporting changes in the patient’s condition and needs to a registered nurse
• Provide other related supported tasks as specified by organizational policy.
• Complete a clinical note for each visit, which must be incorporated into the record at least on a weekly basis
• Obtain vital signs and report abnormal values to Registered Nurse

Restrictions: The Hospice Aide shall NOT:

• Perform any intravenous procedures, procedures involving the use of Levine tubes or Foley catheters, or any other sterile or invasive procedures, other than rectal temperatures or enemas
• Administer medications to any patient

IV. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Have current nursing assistant certification and have successfully completed a Hospice Aide competency evaluation; or,
• Have successfully completed a Hospice Aide training program and have successfully completed a competency evaluation, or,
• Have successfully completed a Hospice Aide competency evaluation; and
• Exhibit maturity, a sympathetic attitude toward the patient, ability to provide care to the terminal patient, and ability to deal effectively with the demands of the job
• Have the ability to read, write, and carry out directions promptly and accurately; and
• When employed by more than one agency, inform all employers and coordinate duties to assure highest quality when providing services to the patients
• Competency shall be evaluated by an RN prior to hospice aide performing patient care
• Shall not have a finding of abuse, neglect or misappropriation placed against him/her on the Louisiana direct service worker (DSW) registry or the Louisiana Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) registry.

Note: The Hospice Aide competency evaluation is to be completed by a registered nurse prior to the Hospice Aide being assigned to provide patient care.

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS

• Has not been excluded from participating in Medicare and Medicaid programs.
• Maintains eligibility to participate in Medicare and Medicaid programs throughout employment.
• Capable of providing emergency care as needed for any patient.
• Maintains a neat, well groomed appearance at all times. Keeps personal appearance appropriate for patient care.
• Ability and willingness to participate appropriately in a disaster or evacuation situation.
• Participate in pre-employment and annual Tuberculosis screening.

MENTAL DEMANDS

• Concentration/Attentiveness
• Independent Judgment and Discretion
• Read and comprehend instructions/work orders

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Use the percentages range as follows:

• 0% Never
• 1-33% Occasional
• 34-66% Frequent
• 67-100% Continuous

Requires full range of body motion including:

• Standing/walking: Frequently. Worker will be spending considerable time up and about in the facility doing various tasks per job description.
• Bending/Stooping: Frequently. Worker will be bending or stooping to work with supplies, preparation of documents, filing, working with clinical records, etc.
• Lifting Handling: Occasionally/ Worker will be lifting/handling supplies to do inventory, restock, ordering, as well as filing and auditing of clinical records, etc. Range of weight: 1-50 pounds.
• Carrying: Occasionally. Worker will be carrying clinical records, manuals and supplies, etc. Range of weight: 1-50 pounds.
• Pushing/Pulling. Occasionally. Worker will be pushing/pulling on various supplies storing, moving and taking inventory of supplies as well as with clinical records filing, auditing, preparing for each month, etc. Range of weight: 1-50 pounds.
• Balancing: Frequently: Worker will be balancing supplies to be stored, moved from storage to using area, etc. When moving records from active to inactive status or during auditing periods, worker will be balancing legal documents that are not secure.
• Pivoting/Turning: Frequently. Worker will be pivoting and turning to stock supplies, handle records, etc.
• Crouching/Stooping: Frequently. Worker will be crouching/stooping to file records, working with supplies to restock inventory of supplies, etc.
• Kneeling: Occasionally. Worker will be kneeling to file records, stock and inventory supplies, etc.
• Reaching: filing administrative folders, records; nursing file folders.
• Greater than shoulder height. Occasionally
• Equal to shoulder height. Occasionally
• Less than shoulder height. Occasionally
• Manual Dexterity: Continuously. Worker will be using fine and gross motor dexterity skills in all of job requirements
• Speaking/Hearing Continuously: Worker must be able to communicate with seeing: co-workers, residents, families, public, etc. Face to face as well as in telephone communication.

V. WORKING CONDITIONS

• Location: (Facility name and address to written in) Allegiance HealthCare Hospice and Palliative Care 940 W. BonTemps St. Marksville, La 71351; work will be mostly indoors, with frequent to occasional outdoor requirements. Adequate lighting and ventilation are provided in work areas.
• May be exposed to communicable diseases and/or body fluids, medical preparations, toxic substances.
• Sits, stands, bends and moves intermittently during working hours.
• Subject to interruptions.
• May encounter hostile and emotionally upset individuals through communication and involvement with residents, family members, staff members, visitors, and the public.
• May be subject to falls, burns from equipment, infectious and communicable disease, body fluids, medical preparations, hazardous or toxic substances, odors, and other hazards to health, throughout the shift or time worked.

VI. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Gloves and other protective equipment should be worn when making contact with open wounds, bodily fluids and entering isolation rooms, as recommended in the Infection Control Policy and other policies and procedures.

While every effort has been made to make this description of the essential functions and other responsibilities as complete as possible, it in no way states or implies that this is an exhaustive listing of the only duties you will be required to perform. The omission of specific statements of functions or responsibilities does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or is a logical assignment to the position.

The items listed above cover the principal duties of this job. This description shall not be construed as a complete listing of all miscellaneous, incidental, or similar duties that may be required of this job. This job description and job conditions are subject to change, as needed in accordance with company requirements and needs.

Medical Specialty:

• Hospice & Palliative Medicine

Experience:

• Caregiving: 1 year (Required)

License/Certification:

• CNA or completed hospice aide training or competency eval (Required)