Home Health Aide

Advantage Home Care; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 27,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Advantage Home Care in New Mexico is seeking a Home Health Aide to provide direct patient care in clients’ homes. You will assist with bathing, grooming, meals, and daily activities, while ensuring safety and dignity.

Strong observation and reporting skills are essential, as is the ability to work with a diverse patient population and collaborate with an interdisciplinary team. The role requires a valid NM driver’s license and access to a vehicle; CNA licensing is preferred but not mandatory.

Qualifications

• Must be trained or competent to practice as a home health aide in New Mexico.
• Proficient in observing and reporting patient status.
• Ability to recognize patient needs and maintain rapport.
• Provide basic patient care and assist with activities of daily living.
• Driver's license and insured vehicle per state rules.
• CNA licensing preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assist with bathing and personal care.
• Help patient in/out of bed and with ambulation.
• Position patients for comfort.
• Assist with prescribed exercises.
• Prepare meals and assist eating.
• Assist with bathroom needs and use of bedpan or urinal.
• Administer enemas as ordered.
• Perform household tasks to support self-care.
• Change dressings or ostomy bags as directed.
• Assist with medications under RN supervision.
• Test urine and record vitals as directed.
• Change bed linens.
• Attend team meetings and discuss plan of care.
• Bed-bound care proficiency.
• Foley catheter/ostomy care proficiency.
• Positioning proficiency.
• Ambulation and transfer proficiency.
• Hoyer lift proficiency.
• Wheelchair transfer proficiency.
• Knowledge of end-of-life care.
• Understanding CQI process.

Job description

• Successful completion of training or demonstrated competency to practice as a home health aide in
  the State of New Mexico.
• Ability to make meaningful observations and write brief, accurate reports
• Ability to recognize the needs of people and to maintain good relationships in dealing with them
• Experience as a home health aide
• Preferably a high school graduate
• New Mexico driver’s license and availability of a car with insurance per state requirement
• CNA Licensing preferred

Requirements

• Provide or assist patient in bathing, care of mouth, skin, hair
• Assisting patients in and out of bed and assisting with ambulation
• Turning patients in bed and positioning for comfort
• Assisting with prescribed exercises which patients and home health aides have been taught by appropriate health personnel
• Preparation of meals and assisting patients with eating
• Assisting patients to bathroom or in using bedpan or urinal
• Giving enemas as ordered and instructed
• Performing household services which will facilitate the patient’s self-care at home and are necessary to prevent or postpone institutionalization
• Changing simple dressing or ostomy bags as directed.
• Assists with self administered non prescription and prescription medications; may not pour medications, but may hand medications to the patient, under the supervision of a registered nurse
• Testing urine and recording vital signs as directed.
• Changing bed linen.Reporting changes in the patient’s condition and needs.
• Completing appropriate records.
• Attend the Interdisciplinary Team meetings and participate in discussion relative to patient/family
  plan of care.
• Is proficient in bed bound patient care (bed bath, shampoo, occupied bed making).
• Is proficient in Foley catheter/ostomy care.
• Demonstrates ability to position patients appropriately.
• Is proficient in patient ambulation and transfer technique.
• Is proficient in use of Hoyer lift.
• Is proficient in the use of wheelchairs, canes and walkers.
• Knowledgeable of the dying process.
• Demonstrates understanding of the CQI process.