PCA

PERSONAL CARE AIDE

GRADE: 5 REPORTS TO:  RN PCA Supervisor/Home Care Coordinator

POSITION REQUIREMENTS: Must be at least 18 years of age, able to read, write, and understand English for task performance, and be physically capable of performing required tasks. Must have a valid Social Security number, driver’s license, and own transportation. Must be medically cleared of communicable disease, pass a drug screen, and pass a criminal background check. Must possess a 40-Hour Personal Care Aide certificate from an approved program, or be a Certified Nursing Assistant licensed with the Virginia Board of Nursing and be in good standing. Prefer a minimum of 1 year of experience in providing personal care assistance to patients. 

SUMMARY: Medicaid Personal Care Services are long-term maintenance, supportive services to enable individuals to remain in the home, as opposed to institutional or nursing home placement. Provides services such as assisting with Activities of Daily Living, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, and reporting changes in the client's conditions and needs. Use of therapeutic interpersonal skills is required. Personal care service provides assistance with personal hygiene, while supporting the client’s physical, emotional, and nutritional needs, along with environmental maintenance necessary for clients to remain in their home. Problems encountered range from routine to complex in nature; significant public contact is required, and the position requires independent decision-making and action.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

1. Assist with dressing, undressing, and bathing of the client, including routine skin care to 

       include maintenance and care of external condom catheters.  

1. Assist with grooming of hair, cleaning of nails, and shaving with an electric razor. 
2. Assists with the care of teeth, mouth, and dentures.
3. Provide incontinence care and toileting assistance: can include emptying of external 

             indwelling catheters, i.e., Foley or suprapubic catheters, urostomy, or colostomy 

      5.    Assists the individual to ambulate, turn/change positions, or transfer; often involves lifting greater than 20-40 lbs. or more at a time and unassisted.

      6.    Prepare meals and assist the individual with eating or feeding, following special diets or  

             swallow restrictions, 

      7.    Assists the individual with self-administered medications; may remind the individual of

            medications at prescribed times; doesn’t include pouring of, determining dosage of,

             instilling, injecting, or applying medications in any form.

      8.    Provides supervision for those individuals who require the physical presence of an aide to 

             insure their safety during times when no other support system is available. 

      9.    Provides routine wound care that does not include sterile technique, may wash with soap 

              and water, and apply a non-sterile bandage.

    10.    Obtain and report vital signs: temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and weight. 

    11.     Recognize and report significant changes in the client.

    12.   Light housekeeping of the individual's main living areas (bed, living, kitchen, and

              bathrooms), to sweep, mop, dust, and change bed linens. 

    13.   Lists supplies needed for purchase, to grocery shop, and assists with mail if no caregiver 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

1. Must be physically able to perform duties, often lifting 20-40 lbs. or more unassisted, frequent bending, stooping, reaching, stair climbing, or positioning of clients.
2. Ability to understand and carry out exact oral or written instructions without close or constant supervision.  
3. Possess and maintain an electronic device capable of sending and receiving email, to 

record worked time, for the production of the aide record, and to access off-site training.

4.   Possess good interpersonal skills to remain professional, ethical, and courteous to effectively deal with clients and maintain strict confidentiality. 

5.   Maintain an unrestricted driver's license. 

6.    Provide own, reliable personal transportation in work capacity.  

7.   Ability to complete all assigned trainings/evaluations/competencies/license as 

       required by the agency, and for no less than (12) hours annually.  

8.   Must be telephone accessible and willing to work flexible hours throughout the service area.

9.    Maintain a bank account for direct deposit of wages earned.