Resident Assistant 

SUMMARY OF POSITION FUNCTIONS

The Resident Assistant provides nursing and nursing related services to residents consistent with each resident's comprehensive assessment and plan of care. The Personal Care Assistant maintains a homelike environment for the residents, protects and promotes resident rights, and assists the person to maintain independence and control to the greatest extent possible.

ESSENTIAL POSITION FUNCTIONS

• Provides direct care to residents to improve or maintain the resident's abilities according to the resident's plan of care. Seeks assistance of Nurse when unsure of assignment, procedure, or situation.
• Receives and completes all patient care assignments and other activities as assigned by Nurse.
• Provides delivery of care in a compassionate, quality manner with kindness, respect, and dignity.
• Participates in improving quality of environment by positively contributing to the elimination of odors and pressure wounds and maintenance of a clean and homelike environment.
• Assists in activities of daily living (ADLs) including bathing, grooming, dressing, mobility, transferring, and feeding of assigned residents by providing set-up assistance, verbal prompts, physical support, or more extensive assistance as more fully described below:
• Bathing — Assists transporting resident to tub or shower, adjusts water temperature, washes/rinses resident, and dries body thoroughly with clean towels while maintaining privacy for resident at all times. Gives complete baths at frequency stated in the Nursing Care Policies. Gives bath as necessary to each patient when bed linen and/or clothing is wet or soiled. Provides extra care to the skin of incontinent residents, and those who have been sitting in chairs for periods of time.
• Dressing — Locates, selects, and obtains clothing for resident. Assists residents with snaps, zippers, and buttons after donning clothes or removing them. Recognizes clothing in need of repair and communicates clothing needs to resident and to Nurse.
• Elimination/Toileting — Promptly assists resident to bathroom according to toileting schedule or promptly brings clean bedpan or urinal. Opens, removes clothing in preparation, cleans resident if resident is unable to clean self, adjusts clothing, cleans residents’ and own hands. Measures and records output as directed by Nurse and plan of care. Provides catheter care according to community procedure and infection control policies.
• Mobility — Assists resident or provides range of motion exercises to all joints. Provides weight- bearing assistance or physical support for ambulating. Pushes wheel chair if needed. Maintains safe environment for mobile resident by removing obstacles, inspecting equipment, and reporting defects to Nurse. Monitors resident progress toward treatment goals and reports responses to Nurse.
• Transfer — Positions resident for transfer. Uses correct body mechanics and transfer technique and equipment according to plan of care, resident ability, and self-ability. Obtains assistance of another staff member if needed before starting to transfer a resident.
• Eating — Provides set-up assistance for meal tray. Opens, pours, unwraps, and cuts food if resident is unable to help self. If indicated, actively encourages residents to chew, eat, and swallow. Socializes with resident during mealtimes. Assists or cleans resident after meals. Serves nourishment and snacks as ordered. Documents and reports fluid intake and output accurately. Prepares resident for meals including washing face and hands, repositioning, and applying a bib as instructed. Reports any change in resident's appetite to supervisor and watches all diabetics carefully.
• Grooming — Shaves, trims, shampoos, and combs hair of residents as instructed. Cleans and soaks finger and toenails (as instructed) before trimming. Assists patients with oral hygiene as instructed.
• Provides care in a manner that protects and promotes resident rights, dignity, privacy, confidentiality, self-determination and active participation. Offers and respects resident choices in matters of daily routine. Refers to residents by proper names unless resident requests otherwise. Avoids use of all pet names. Handles all resident property with respect.
• Observes and immediately reports to Nurse, unusual occurrences, significant changes in resident's physical or behavioral condition, patterns of decreased social interaction, angry or sad behaviors, and refusals of treatment.
• Assists with the planning, implementation, and evaluation of plans of care for assigned residents and reports information about conditions, responses to interventions and suggestions for alternative approaches to the Nurse.
• Assists with preparation for state inspections as directed. Attends survey training and interacts with state surveyors as directed by Nurse or nursing management.
• Uses personal protective equipment properly whenever indicated.
• Records accurate, legible information about resident care, conditions, and observations made in appropriate sections of resident records.
• Regularly communicates throughout shift with Nurse about assigned residents.
• Monitors physical environment for safety or fire hazards, malfunctioning equipment including call lights, and corrects or reports potential problems to housekeeping and maintenance immediately and to Nurse. Cleans up all spills immediately.
• Immediately reports injury to Nurse.
• Attends 12 hours of annual, mandated in-service education provided by the community and applies information to job tasks.
• Participates in fire and disaster drills. In the event of an emergency, carries out assigned duties to assure resident safety.
• Reports to Nurse at the beginning and end of each shift and before and after meal and rest breaks.
• Performs all nursing procedures in the way in which he/she has been trained, directed and approved by instructor/supervisor.
• Washes hands before and after taking care of every resident.
• Cleans and stores equipment and personal care items. When caring for a resident, responsible for keeping the whole unit clean and in good order (includes making beds and cleaning mattresses).
• Passes clean water pitchers, glasses, and ice water as scheduled providing each resident with an individual pitcher with a lid.
• Responds to every signal light and buzzer promptly (within 5 minutes of first ring) and courteously considering each light as an emergency until answered.
• Takes weights and heights as scheduled.
• Performs range of motion to patients as instructed during a.m. and p.m. care.
• Positions all residents' tubing's and bags as instructed.
• Complies with the facility's privacy and confidentially practices and procedures related to resident and employee records and all state/federal privacy laws as outlined.
• Cleans assigned resident rooms, bathrooms and common areas daily while maintaining resident’s privacy at all times. Employees must knock and announce before entering any resident room.
• Keeps utility and storage rooms in clean and orderly condition.
• Sweeps and cleans rugs, carpets, upholstered furniture and draperies.
• Posts signs indicating a safety hazard anytime housekeeping activities pose environmental hazards to staff, residents, visitors or others in the community.
• Dusts furniture, handrails and equipment.
• Washes windows, door panels and sills.
• Empties wastebaskets and transports to disposal area.
• Uses personal protective equipment when at risk of exposure to blood or other potentially hazardous body fluids and all other times indicated by community policies and procedures.
• Complies with all safety instructions and procedures when using chemical substances. Refers to labels and Material Safety Data Sheets for instructions. Keeps all chemicals and cleaning supplies in their original containers. Asks supervisor for assistance if unsure of proper handling techniques.
• Monitors and reports evidence of rodents or pests to supervisor.
• Monitors workplace for safety and fire hazards and corrects or reports potential problems. Reports housekeeping/laundry and maintenance problems including equipment breakdown to immediate supervisor.
• Secures housekeeping supplies in safe fashion.
• Washes and folds resident laundry and linens.
• Operates laundry equipment according to manufacturer’s instructions.
• Hangs, bags, folds, and bundles laundry/linens for delivery to resident knocking and announcing before entering resident rooms.
• Maintains proper separation between soiled and clean laundry.

Note: The essential functions of this job may be revised or updated as community needs dictate.

NON-ESSENTIAL POSITION FUNCTIONS

• Other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• This position has no supervisor responsibilities.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to work overtime.

EDUCATION & QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. All PCA’s must:

• Be at least eighteen (18) years of age
• Demonstrate an ability to read, write and understand job-related information and directions in English.
• Have first-aid training within sixty (60) days of hire
• Have the following training prior to providing personal care without supervision:
• Correct techniques of providing personal care services,
• Observation, reporting, communication & interpersonal skills.
• Training shall be provided by an RN or LPN under direction of an RN.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES

• Ability to recognize changes in resident's conditions evidenced by physical symptoms, verbal expression, or observation of change in mental or psychosocial status.
• Ability to coordinate numerous activities at any given time and make rational, sound judgments and judicious decision quickly, often under pressure.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and use good time management.
• Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization.
• Ability to add and subtract two digit numbers and to multiply and divide with 10's and 100's. Ability to perform these operations using units of American money and weight measurement, volume, and distance.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.
• Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.