Home Health Aide / Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

VITAS Healthcare; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 10,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare company seeks a Home Health Aide (HHA) to provide essential personal care services to hospice patients in the Austin area. The role involves assisting with daily activities, while upholding nursing care standards and ensuring the comfort and safety of patients. Candidates should possess at least a high school diploma and undergo specific training to support caregiving duties within a compliant framework.

Qualifications

• Ability to read, write, and follow directions.
• Documented evidence of training as per regulatory standards.
• Successful completion of a Competency Evaluation program.

Responsibilities

• Provide personal care and services to hospice patients.
• Assist with patient hygiene, meal preparation, and mobility.
• Report changes in patient condition to the VITAS Nurse.

Skills

Communication

Empathy

Personal Care Assistance

Education

High School diploma or equivalent preferred

75 hours of training

Job description

The VITAS Home Health Aide (HHA) is a non-exempt employee trained to provide personal care and services to hospice patients, supporting the care provided by family members or other caregivers. Salary Range: $19 - $20 / Hour

ASSIGNED JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Performs only those activities contained in a written assignment. Home Health Aide (HHA) assignments may include:

• Helping patients maintain good personal hygiene.
• Planning and preparing meals; assisting with feeding when needed.
• Assisting with patient ambulation.
• Assisting with treatments as ordered by the physician, supervised by the nurse, including: changing colostomy bags, assisting with walker or wheelchair use, dressing reinforcement, range of motion exercises, ice cap or collar use, measuring intake/output, and assisting with self-administered medications.
• Reading and recording temperature, pulse, and respiration.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES

• Maintaining a safe and healthy environment.
• Promoting mental alertness through engaging activities.
• Providing emotional and psychological support to patients, families, and caregivers.
• Reporting changes in patient condition or home situation to the VITAS Nurse and team.
• Teaching basic personal care to primary caregivers.
• Practicing infection control measures.
• Observing, reporting, and documenting patient status and care activities.
• Completing at least 12 hours of in-service training annually.
• Handling other tasks as assigned.

THE HOME HEALTH AIDE (HHA) MAY NOT:

• Be assigned to institutional settings.
• Change sterile dressings.
• Irrigate body cavities, colostomies, or wounds.
• Perform gastric lavage or gavage.
• Catheterize patients.
• Administer medications.
• Apply heat by any method.
• Care for tracheotomy tubes.
• Suction patients.
• Provide personal care not assigned or included in the plan of care.

QUALIFICATIONS

• High School diploma or equivalent preferred.
• Meets personnel qualifications as specified in 42 C.F.R. Sections 484.4 and 484.36.
• Documented evidence of 75 hours of training as per 42 C.F.R. Sections 484.36(a)(1).
• Successful completion of a Competency Evaluation program as per 42 C.F.R. Section 484.36(b).

State-Allowable Training / Certification

Applicable states: AL, CO, DC, DE, FL, GA, IN, MI, PA, TX, VA, WI. Certifications include CNA, HHA, HA, CHHA, Homemaker-Home Health Aide, HHA, NA, Home Health Aide certificate.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to read, write, and follow directions.
• Ability to travel as required.
• Availability of a telephone at home.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS / PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Employees must meet physical demands such as lifting and transferring patients, lifting objects over 20 pounds, standing or walking over an hour daily, and speaking/hearing abilities. Vision requirements include close and distance vision and focus adjustment. The role may require sitting, stooping, kneeling, and crouching.

DIRECTION RECEIVED

• Reports directly to the VITAS Nurse.
• Receives clinical direction from the VITAS Nurse.