PERSONAL CARE AIDE (PCA)

JOB DESCRIPTION

Qualifications:

Individual must have successfully completed and provide evidence of formal training as a personal care aide per state and federal law and regulation. Training program must meet minimum requirement of 40 hours.

Reports to: Director of Nursing, Registered Nurse

Duties:

The performance of all personal care activities contained in a written assignment by a licensed health professional employee or contractor of the home health agency, and which include assisting the patient or client with personal hygiene including mouth and hair care, toileting, ambulation and exercise, eating, dressing, shaving, physical transfer, and other duties as assigned.

Maintaining a clean, safe and healthy environment, which may include light cleaning and straightening of the bathroom, straightening the sleeping and living areas, washing the patient's or client's dishes or laundry, and such tasks to maintain cleanliness and safety for the patient.

Other activities as taught by a licensed health professional employee or contractor of the home health agency for a specific patient and are restricted to the following:

Assisting with the use of devices for aid to daily living such as a wheelchair or walker.

Assisting with prescribed range of motion exercises.

Measuring and preparing special diets.

Keeping records of personal health care activities.

Observing appearance and gross behavioral changes in the patient and reporting to the registered nurse.

Assisting the patient with the self-administration of medication, as assigned by the RN.

Abides by the agency’s Code of Conduct. A PCA may not perform a skilled nursing task, such as changing a catheter, giving an injection, changing a sterile dressing, performing any type of tube feeding, suctioning, or cutting finger and toenails. The PCA needs to apply a bandage to an injury, it should not include and salve, cream, ointment, or mediation.

The PCA should never move a recipient after a fall until the recipient has been evaluated. The recipient may break a hip or another bone from a fall, which could lead to more damage if the recipient is moved. The PCA should call the RN supervisor immediately about any accidents or injuries, and 911 if needed.