Health Care Aide

Education

• Grade XII or equivalent.
• Health Care Aide Certificate from a recognized educational institution.

Experience and Knowledge

• In a relevant clinical area preferred.

Knowledge
• Demonstrates knowledge of, and support for:
• The vision, values, goals, and objectives of the Southeast Personal Care Home.
• The Southeast Personal Care Home’s Mission Statement, Residents Bill of Rights and Code of Conduct.
• Personal Health Information Act (PHIA), Workplace Hazardous Material Information System, (WHMIS) and Principles of Routine Practices (Universal Precautions).
• Health care aide practice including basic principles of the techniques and procedures of patient/resident care related to activities of daily living.
• Non-violent crisis intervention.
• Principles of personal care/rehab care/dementia care/chronic care.
• Roles and responsibilities of members of the health care team.

Abilities and Skills

• Ability to organize and prioritize assigned workload.
• Ability to recognize and pursue self-development opportunities.
• Ability to respond to a variety of simultaneous demands.
• Ability to perform as a team member and seek assistance as necessary.
• Demonstrates patient/resident focused care in accordance with Southeast Personal Care Home Mission Statement and meets physical requirements to carry out job duties – lifting, bending, reaching above the head, etc.
• Demonstrates initiative, flexibility, reliability and creativity.
• Functions effectively within a changing environment and an interdisciplinary team.
• English fluency in both written and verbal communication.
• Verbal fluency in Ojibway is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Patient/Resident Care/Clinical Practice
• Assists patients/residents to maintain adequate rest and activity.
• Assists with constant care and/or close observation to patients/residents as assigned.
• Maintains established patient/resident oxygen therapy.
• Monitors wandering patients/residents as assigned.
• Participates in emergency codes as required/directed.
• Promotes, assists, and provides direct care to patients/residents related to the activities of daily living (ADL) as established in the care plan, including:
• hygiene/grooming
• nutrition/hydration
• elimination
• social, recreational and diversional activities
• cultural/spiritual activities
• Collects specimens as assigned.
• Provides for care of the body after death.
• Provides relevant patient/resident information to the health care team to assist in care planning.
• Provides care that respects the patient/resident’s right to dignity, privacy and individuality, including the right to make choices.
• Responds promptly to patient/resident calls, ensuring call bells are within patient/resident reach.
• Responds to the physical and emotional needs of patients/residents.
• Transports patients/residents as required.

Communication
• Communicates information obtained from the patient/resident/family to RN, RPN, LPN or designate.
• Establishes/fosters positive interactions and relationships with patients/residents, families and other members of the health care team.
• Fosters/establishes, respectful, positive interactions through daily contact with all categories of facility staff, patients/residents, families and the general public, including unit meetings and conferences.
• Monitors, reports and records patient/resident care provided and changes observed.
• Observes and reports unusual behaviours of patients/residents/visitors/staff on the unit.
• Responds appropriately to inquiries, relays messages and initiates appropriate action as directed.
• Reports and records unusual occurrences per hospital policies.
• Performs in such a manner that reflects the values of trust, compassion, and exceptional service in all interactions with patients/residents/families, members of the health-care team and the public.
 Professional Responsibility
• Assists with obtaining, cleaning and maintaining equipment as directed.
• Demonstrates a working knowledge of unit equipment, e.g. patient lift and transfer devices.
• Obtains, cleans, and maintains the unit and equipment used in patient/resident care as assigned.
• Restocks supplies as assigned.

Quality Improvement
• Ensures all efforts are focused on quality patient/resident care.
• Participates in quality improvement activities as requested.
• Participates in meetings, committees, teams, councils etc., as assigned.
• Performs in a manner that reflects the values of trust, compassion, and exceptional service in all interactions with patients/residents/family, members of the health care team and the public.
• Supports and participates in the unit’s quality improvement plan.

Education and Research
• Acts as a resource and role model for students.
• Maintains and improves skills through formal and informal educational opportunities.
• Is accountable for own health care aide practice.
• Participates in nursing and interdisciplinary conferences to develop care plans, provide feedback and evaluation of care plans.
• ·Participates in the learning experiences of Health Care Aide students and new staff as delegated and in cooperation with the clinical instructor, unit staff and facility educator.
• Recognizes and addresses limits of own abilities/job description.
• Supports patient/resident teaching as directed.

Other Duties
• As assigned.

Environmental Conditions

• Involves physical activities such as standing, transferring, and transporting patients/residents and equipment.
• May encounter aggressive and/or agitated individuals.
• May encounter exposure to disease, toxic materials, noise, etc.  The employer will take all reasonable measures to reduce the risk of exposure to staff.
• Requires shift work, extended working hours.