Inpatient Unit Hospice Aide - Medication

Company:

Compassus

Position Summary

The Inpatient Unit Hospice Aide

• Medication is responsible for modeling the Compassus values of Compassion, Integrity, Excellence, Teamwork, and Innovation and for promoting the Compassus philosophy, using the 6 Pillars of Success as the foundation. S/he is responsible for upholding the Code of Ethical Conduct and for promoting positive working relationships within the company, among all departments, and all external stakeholders. The Inpatient Unit Hospice Aide

• Medication provides safe, personal patient care at the hospice house.

Position Specific Responsibilities

• Actively participates in meeting agency customer satisfaction goals.

• Creates predictability for patients by following standard practices and using KEY WORDS AT KEY TIMES to decrease caregiver anxiety.

• Actively engages in QAPI initiatives and compliance activities.

• Takes part in professional development to maintain qualifications for role; completes CBTs in a timely manner.

• Completes duties delegated by the Inpatient Unit Registered Nurse on plan of care and demonstrates competency when necessary.

• After instruction by the RN provides total care or assists patient with:

• Bed bath, tub bath, or shower.

• Weighs patient.

• Vital signs.

• Reminds patient to take medication as specified by RN.

• Dental, hair, and nail care, shaving, dressing/undressing.

• Elimination needs including toileting by offering bedpan, urinal, or taking to bathroom (includes catheter care, colostomy, urine testing/collection).

• Ambulating, transferring, positioning by using assistive devices such as walker, wheelchair, and prescribed ROM when taught by health care professional of Ministry Home Care.

• Provides housekeeping duties: meal preparation and cleanup, dusting, sweeping and mopping, vacuuming, stain removal, tidying patient rooms, recycling and garbage removal, doing patient's personal laundry, dishes, and tidying the bathroom after bathing the patient.

• Feeds patients, maintains, intake/output as requested.

• Observes, reports, and documents physical and/or behavioral changes in the patient immediately to the Inpatient Unit Registered Nurse per established policies. Assists with completing an incident report for any unusual occurrence.

• Follows all safety, security, infection control (standard precautions) and hazardous materials policies and procedures. Performs all tasks to assure patient and personal safety and the protection of co-workers and agency property.

• Acquires any necessary continuing education each year. Complete mandatory in-services/competencies, attend meetings and review memos, minutes, etc.

• Will administer all PO, rectal, topical, and inhalation medications in accordance with the guidelines of the State approved Medication Assistant course.

• Other medication administration (bladder installation, G-Tube) may be delegated by the Inpatient Unit Registered Nurse pending demonstration of competency.

• Monitors patient's pain control, utilizing medication (as directed by the Inpatient Unit Registered Nurse) & repositioning as needed.

• Monitors patient for any adverse reaction to medications.

• Counts narcotics at every shift change.

• Documents accurately on scheduled & prn medication administration guide.

• Develops a list of medications in short supply as directed by the Inpatient Unit Registered Nurse.

• Notifies Inpatient Unit Registered Nurse of any medication errors, seeks their direction, & assists in completing an incident report.

• Monitors patient's tolerance to oral intake & medications.

• Identifies actual or potential quality/safety/ethical/legal issues in patient care and participates in resolution strategies.

• Maintains productivity standards.

• Promotes efficiency in use of supplies and visit utilization including mileage.

• Acts as ambassador for the agency in daily encounters with referral sources.

• Assists in fundraising activities of the agency to ensure access to care.

• Provides emotional support to patients/families throughout the continuum, maintaining professional boundaries. Works tactfully with all staff throughout the agency.

• Additional Duties:

• Answers all call lights promptly and respond to requests in a compassionate manner.

• Prepares bodies for Funeral Director.

• Provides emotional support to patients and families during the dying process and following death.

• Provides recreational support for patients, individualized to personal tastes and capabilities.

• Provides information to staff, visitors, and physicians as requested.

• Restocks supplies.

• Reports to next shift.

• Assists the Inpatient Unit Register Nurse with admitting a patient to House by providing patient/family orientation and welcome.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education and/or Experience

• High school diploma or GED required.

• One (1) to three (3) months related experience and/or training highly preferred.

• Equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Skills

• Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percentage.

• Language Skills: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from leaders, team members, investors, and external parties. Strong written and verbal communications.

• Other Skills and Abilities: Ability to understand, read, write, and speak English. Articulates and embraces hospice philosophy. Strong organizational and time management skills. Must be able to work a flexible schedule to include nights and weekends. Must be able to travel. Must be able to tend the geriatric and the terminally ill.

Certifications, Licenses, and Registrations

• Certified Nursing Assistant highly preferred.

• In states where licensure is not required (AL, AZ, CT, GA, IA, IL, KS, LA, MA, ME, MI, MS, MT, NM, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, WV), applicants must meet one of the following:

• They are already a licensed/certified aide; or

• They have completed a state-approved nurse aide training program AND have been continuously employed in that capacity for the previous 24 months

• Current CPR certification required.

State Specific Requirements

California

• State certification as a home health aide.

Colorado

• Completed state training program AND certified via DORA.

Indiana

• Aides required to be registered on the Indiana Nurse Aide Registry, licensure is not required.

Missouri

• Licensed/certified as a Nurses' Aide; or

• Have completed a nurses' aide training program AND employed as a nurses' aide for the past 24 months if not licensed/certified; or

• Enrolled in a professional or practical nursing program for at least four (4) months, that included a clinical rotation within the past five (5) years and has successfully passed a Fundamentals of Nursing course (must provide transcript and letter from the program director on school letterhead verifying BOTH clinical rotation and successfully completion of Fundamentals of Nursing course).

New Hampshire

• Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA) required for hospice employment.

New Jersey

• Certification as a Homemaker

• Home Health Aide; or is a long-term care CNA.

Virginia

• Aide certified required to practice in the state.

Wisconsin

• Aides required to be certified and listed on the Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry.

Physical Demands and Work Environment: The demands of this role necessitate a team member to effectively perform essential functions. Adaptations can be made to accommodate team members with disabilities. Regular standing, walking, and manual dexterity are fundamental, along with the ability to lift and move objects up to 50 pounds. Visual acuity requirements include close and distance vision, color and peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. In a healthcare setting, exposure to bodily fluids, infectious diseases, and conditions typical to the field is expected. Routine use of standard medical equipment and tools associated with clinical care is essential. This description provides a general overview and may vary by role and department, capturing the nuanced demands and conditions inherent to clinical positions in our organization.

At Compassus, including all Compassus affiliates, diversity, equity, and inclusion are fundamental to our Pillars of Success. We are committed to creating a fair work environment where our team members feel welcomed, highly valued, and respected. As an equal opportunity employer, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

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