Home Health Aide/Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

VITAS Healthcare; Peru (IL); On-site; USD 10,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

VITAS Healthcare is seeking a compassionate Home Health Aide (HHA) to provide personal care and support to hospice patients. This role involves assisting with daily activities, ensuring patient comfort, and maintaining a safe environment. Ideal candidates will have a high school diploma and relevant training. Join a dedicated team committed to enhancing patient care and quality of life.

Qualifications

• Documented evidence of 75 hours of training required.
• Successfully completed a Competency Evaluation program.

Responsibilities

• Helping the patient maintain good personal hygiene.
• Assisting with treatments as ordered by the physician.
• Reporting changes in the patient’s condition.

Skills

Personal Care

Communication

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

The VITAS Home Health Aide (HHA) is a non-exempt employee trained to provide personal care and services to hospice patients, augmenting care given by family members or other caregivers.

Salary Range: $16 - $20 / Hour

ASSIGNED JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

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

1. Helping the patient maintain good personal hygiene.
2. Planning and preparing meals; assisting with feeding when needed.
3. Assisting the patient with ambulation.
4. 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 medications that are self-administered.
5. Reading and recording temperature, pulse, and respiration.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES NOT INCLUDED IN A WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT MAY INCLUDE:

1. Maintaining a safe and healthy environment.
2. Promoting the patient’s mental alertness through activities of interest.
3. Providing emotional and psychological support to the patient, family, and caregivers.
4. Reporting changes in the patient’s condition or home situation to the VITAS Nurse and team.
5. Teaching basic personal care to primary caregivers.
6. Practicing infection control measures.
7. Observing, reporting, and documenting patient status and care activities.
8. Completing at least 12 hours of in-service training annually.
9. Handling other tasks as assigned.

THE HOME HEALTH AIDE (HHA) MAY NOT:

1. Be assigned to institutional settings.
2. Change sterile dressings.
3. Irrigate body cavities or wounds.
4. Perform gastric lavage or gavage.
5. Catheterize patients.
6. Administer medications.
7. Apply heat by any method.
8. Care for tracheotomy tubes or suction patients.
9. Provide personal care not assigned or in the plan of care.

QUALIFICATIONS

1. High school diploma or equivalent preferred.
2. Meet personnel qualifications as per 42 C.F.R. Sections 484.4 and 484.36.
3. Documented evidence of 75 hours of training as per 42 C.F.R. Sections 484.36 (a)(1).
4. Successfully completed a Competency Evaluation program as per 42 C.F.R. Section 484.36(b).

State-Allowable Training/Certification:

AL, CO, DC, DE, FL, GA, IN, MI, PA, TX, VA, WI: CNA, HHA, HA

CA: CHHA

CT: Homemaker-Home Health Aide

IL: HHA, NA

KS: Home Health Aide certificate

MO: Home Health Aide

NJ: Homemaker-Home Health Aide

OH: Home Health Aide

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

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

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands include:

• Lifting and transferring patients.
• Lifting objects over 20 pounds.
• Standing or walking over an hour daily.
• Talking and hearing.

Specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, and focus adjustment. The employee will also sit, stoop, kneel, and crouch.

DIRECTION RECEIVED

1. Reports directly to the VITAS Nurse.
2. Receives clinical direction from the VITAS Nurse.