PATIENT CARE

DIRECT CARE GIVERS DEFINITION The people that help the elderly, disabled, or ill persons live in their own homes or in residential care facilities, or a health care facility. Most work with clients who need more extensive care than the family can provide.

DIRECT CARE GIVERS Who are they? PERSONAL HOME CARE AIDES HOME HEALTH AIDES ENVIRONMENTAL AIDES ATTENDANTS NURSING ASSISTANTS PATIENT CARE TECHNICIANS

PERSONAL HOME CARE AIDES Assist elderly or disabled adults with daily living activities at the person’s home or in a daytime non-residential facility.

PERSONAL HOME CARE AIDE TASKS (1/2) Advises and assists family members in planning nutritious meals, purchasing and preparing foods, and utilizing commodities from surplus food programs. Explains fundamental hygiene principles. Evaluates needs of individuals served and plans for continuing services. Assists in training children. Prepares and maintains records of assistance rendered.

PERSONAL HOME CARE AIDE TASKS (2/2) Gives bedside care to incapacitated individuals and trains family members to provide bedside care. Assists clients with dressing, undressing, and toilet activities. Assigns housekeeping duties according to children’s capabilities. Assists parents in establishing good study habits for children. Obtains information for client, for personal and business purposes.

PERSONAL HOME CARE AIDE EDUCATION No formal training needed. On the job training is generally provided.

PERSONAL HOME CARE AIDE WAGES On average a Personal Home Care Aide will earn $7.00 per hour. Most employers give pay increases with experience and added responsibility. Aides usually are paid only for time worked in the home. They normally are not paid for travel time between jobs.

HOME HEALTH AIDES Provides routine, personal healthcare, such as bathing, dressing, or grooming, to elderly, convalescent, or disabled persons in the home of patients or in a residential care facility.

HOME HEALTH AIDE TASKS (1/3) Changes bed linens, washes and irons patient’s laundry and clean patient’s quarters. Assists patients into and out of bed, automobiles, or wheelchair, to lavatory, and up and down stairs. Administers prescribed oral medication under written direction of physician or as directed by home care nurse.

HOME HEALTH AIDE TASKS (2/3) Purchases, prepares, and serves food for patient and other family members, following special prescribed diets. Massages patient and applies preparations and treatments, such as liniment or alcohol rubs and heat lamp stimulation. Maintains records of services performed and of apparent condition of patient.

HOME HEALTH AIDE TASKS (3/3) Entertains patient, reads aloud, and plays cards and other games with patient. Performs variety of miscellaneous duties as requested, such as obtaining household supplies and running errands.

HOME HEALTH AIDE EDUCATION/TRAINING (1/2) In many cases, neither a high school diploma nor previous work experience is necessary for a job as a home health aide. Training testing programs are offered at local career and technical centers (such as Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull Counties and Choffin Career Center). Current driver’s license, good driving record and reliable transportation.

HOME HEALTH AIDE EDUCATION/TRAINING (2/2) One year experience as a nurse aide within the last three years. State tested nursing assistant (STNA) with at least 75 hours of classroom and practical training and pass competency test (minimum of 6 months experience as STNA preferred). Good interpersonal skills.

HOME HEALTH AIDE WAGES On average a home health aide will earn $8.00 per hour. They receive slight pay increases with experience and added responsibility. They usually are paid only for the time worked in the home; they normally are not paid for travel time between jobs.

ENVIRONMENTAL AIDES This position prepares one to enter a State approved Nurse Aide Training Program. In this position the aide becomes familiar with the facility and its residents while performing non-direct care tasks.

ENVIRONMENTAL AIDE TASKS (1/2) Transports residents to various areas, dining room, physical therapy, activities and beauty shop. Assists residents in activities as directed by activity personnel. Passes ice water to resident’s room. Passes food trays to resident’s room.

ENVIRONMENTAL AIDE TASKS (2/2) Assists nurse aide as needed, buy may not toilet, bath, transfer or any other hands on care. Visits with residents, reads mail or newspapers when appropriate. Assists with supplying utility carts, stock linen shelves and re-supplying bathrooms. Changes linens on resident’s beds.

ENVIRONMENTAL AIDE EDUCATION High school diploma or equivalent is preferred.

ENVIRONMENTAL AIDE WAGES On average an environmental aide will earn $7.00 per hour.

ATTENDANT Assists elderly or disabled adults with daily living activities to ensure quality of life usually at an assisted living facility.

ATTENDANT TASKS (1/2) Assists residents with bathing, dressing and grooming. Assists residents in the dining room and with activities. Occasionally accompany residents on outings.

ATTENDANT TASKS (2/2) Takes meal trays to resident’s rooms when needed. Makes residents’ beds. Assists with medications. Assists with laundry.

ATTENDANT EDUCATION High school diploma preferred, but not required. Will be trained in CPR and First Aid on the job and some facilities have their own Resident Attendant Training Class.

ATTENDANT WAGES On average an attendant will earn $8.00 per hour. Most employers give pay increases with experience and added responsibility.

NURSE AIDE As the principal caregiver, provides basic patient care under direction of nursing staff. The nurse aide must be able to interact with the resident in a positive, caring way.

NURSE AIDE TASKS (1/2) Feeds patients unable to feed themselves. Sets up treatment equipment. Prepares food trays. Bathes, grooms and dresses patients. Measures and records vital signs.

NURSE AIDE TASKS (2/2) Assists patients to walk. Turns and repositions bedfast patients, alone or with assistance, to prevent bedsores. Transports patients to other areas of the facility. Measures and records food and liquid intake and output. Administers massages and alcohol rubs.

NURSE AIDE EDUCATION/TRAINING (1/2) Complete nurse aide training program (minimum of 75 hours) and pass competency test to become state tested (required within 4 months of class end). Required to be registered with the State of Ohio.

NURSE AIDE EDUCATION/TRAINING (2/2) Nurse aide training is offered in high schools, vocation-technical centers, some nursing homes and some community colleges. Training offered in our area at: Columbiana County Career & Technical Center Mahoning County Career & Technical Center Trumbull Career & Technical Center Choffin Career Center Local nursing homes

NURSE AIDE WAGES On average a nurse aide will earn $ $9.00 per hour. Pay increases to be expected with experience and added responsibility.

PATIENT CARE TECHNICIAN Provides basic patient care under the direct supervision of a Registered Nurse in a hospital setting.

PATIENT CARE TECHNICIAN TASKS (1/2) Performs EKGs (certified technician). Draws blood (certified phlebotomist). Obtains and records vital signs. Assists bathing, grooming and dressing needs. Assists with feeding, hygiene and eliminations needs.

PATIENT CARE TECHNICIAN TASKS (2/2) Anticipates patient’s needs and responds immediately and courteously. Collects and transports specimens. Answers phones courteously and responds to caller’s needs. Cleans patient’s rooms, equipment and supplies. Lifts, ambulates and transports patients.

PATIENT CARE TECHNICIAN EDUCATION/TRAINING Required training and testing varies per facility, but is available at the local hospitals and career and technical centers. Training offered in our area at: Columbiana County Career & Technical Center Mahoning County Career & Technical Center Trumbull Career & Technical Center Choffin Career Center Local hospitals

PATIENT CARE TECHNICIAN WAGES On average a patient care technician will earn $ $15.00 per hour. Most employers give pay increases with experience and based on the market.

JOB OUTLOOK (1/3) A direct care giver is expected to be one of the fastest growing occupations through the year 2010.

JOB OUTLOOK (2/3) The number of elderly people is projected to rise substantially. Mounting health problems requiring some assistance. Increasing reliance on home care for patients of all ages.

JOB OUTLOOK (3/3) The need to move patients out of hospitals as quickly as possible to home, assisted living and long-term care facilities. Treatment is more effective in familiar surroundings rather than a clinical setting. The improvement of medical technologies for in-home treatment. Increased acute care givers needed in the hospital environment.