Night Shift Care Assistant

The Salvation Army; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A charitable care organization in Edinburgh is seeking a dedicated Care Assistant to provide compassionate support to residents. The role includes assisting with daily living tasks, ensuring quality care, and maintaining residents' dignity in a loving environment. Ideal candidates should have relevant healthcare qualifications and empathy towards residents, especially those with dementia. This position offers the chance to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those in care.

Benefits

Supportive working environment

Training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience in caring roles would be advantageous.
• Ability to support individuals with dementia.
• Compassionate approach towards residents in distress.

Responsibilities

• Help residents maintain quality of life.
• Support daily living tasks and hygiene.
• Provide emotional support and companionship.

Skills

Empathy

Communication

Attention to detail

Education

Relevant qualifications in health care

Job description

Overview

Job Title: Care Assistant

Responsible to: Team Leader

Responsible for: Volunteers

Job Summary

• Help each resident enjoy the highest possible quality of life, surrounded by love, friendship and support within a Christian environment
• Help to deliver excellent person centred care

Main Relationships

Internal: Care, cleaning and catering staff.

External: Relatives and friends of residents.

Key Responsibilities

1. Quality of Care
   • Contribute to person centred assessment planning, implementation and review.
   • Put into practice person centred care recognising the special needs residents with dementia.
   • Fulfil the role of key worker for allocated residents.
   • Support independence in the tasks of daily living.
   • Promote equality, diversity and inclusion.
2. Providing Care
   • Share in person centred assessment planning implementation and review.
   • Recognise, respect and support the social emotional and identity needs and spiritual well being of residents, and deliver suitable activities in response to this.
   • Remain alert and attentive to the needs of residents throughout the shift to ensure that their needs are met at all times.
   • Enable interaction and communication recognising the special needs residents with dementia.
   • Ensure that your own actions support the care protection and well being of residents.
   • Help address the physical comfort needs of residents.
   • Support residents with their personal care needs and to manage continence.
   • Provide support for mobility and contribute to moving and handling residents.
   • Support residents to monitor their own health care needs including supporting the use of medication and administer if trained and qualified,
   • Support residents in journeys to and from the home if required.
   • Engage with residents to participate in recreational and development activities including those outside of the home.
   • Provide food and drink to residents and if necessary assist them in eating and drinking.
   • Respond to residents’ refreshment requests throughout the shift and in accordance with their individual care plans to ensure that their needs are met at all times.
   • Support residents who are distressed. Remain respectful and caring at all times despite distress reaction behaviour which may be shown by some residents.
   • Support residents at the end of their life
3. Recording
   • Observe, monitor and record the condition of residents, reporting as required.
   • Communicate with and complete records for residents including contributing to care plans.
   • Receive and pass on messages and information.
4. General
   • Support the health and safety of yourself and residents, complying with relevant legislation and Salvation Army procedures.
   • Attend and participate in staff meetings.
   • Participate in Supervision and Appraisal.
   • Share in a flexible rolling rota.
   • Develop your knowledge and practice through training that has been provided.
   • Follow the guidance set out in the Code of Conduct for Healthcare Support Workers and Adult Social Care Workers in England. (or Scottish and N.I Equivalent)
   • Work positively as a member of the team ensuring effective and harmonious relationships are maintained with all members of staff.
   • The post holder must comply with the Salvation Army’s dress code.
   • Undertake other duties as deemed necessary to ensure the smooth running of operations and fulfil The Salvation Army’s mission.

Job Challenges

• Maintaining a high level of care even when a resident may not be able to express themselves and may be resistant to care practices.
• Remaining respectful when residents express distress reactions.
• Attempting to maintain a good level of care when there are occasional staff shortages.
• Maintain good communication with staff and residents from different cultures.

Flexibility Clause

This is a description of the job as it is constituted at the date shown. It is the practice of The Salvation Army to examine job descriptions, to periodically update them and ensure that they relate to the job being performed, or to incorporate any proposed changes.

In these circumstances, it will be the aim to reach agreement on reasonable changes, but if agreement is not possible, The Salvation Army reserves the right to make changes to this job description following consultation.