Personal Support Worker

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Department: Woodingford Lodge
Reports to: Registered Staff
Effective Date: December 21, 1999
Positions Supervised: 0
Revised Date: April 2017

POSITION SUMMARY:

As a member of the health care team, the Personal Support Worker provides/supports residents’ personal care. Possesses the ability and the passion to support person and family centered care, and change the culture of aging in long term care.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

Complies with facility Policies & Procedures while carrying out the following principal responsibilities:

1. Review communication and FYI book, as well as e-mail messages to the unit to become familiar with any changes that have occurred.
2. Assists in admission, transfer and discharge/death of residents.
3. Assists in the process of identification and labelling of residents’ personal items, such as clothing, glasses and dentures.
4. Strips and makes beds.
5. Maintains residents’ rooms; keeps them clean and tidy, including personal belongings in wardrobe and bureau.
6. Porters and escorts residents as needed.
7. Removes soiled linen and garbage from nursing unit and delivers to appropriate locations. Retrieves clean linen from laundry room and stocks linen room on unit.
8. Keeps service areas clean, i.e. utility and linen rooms.
9. Cleans equipment, including bed pans, commode chairs, geriatric trays, wheelchairs and any other equipment required for residents’ care.
10. Assists in serving meals and nourishments, feeds residents and reports/records residents’ appetite accurately.
11. Responsible for serving and clearing tables; delivery of coffee, tea and dessert.
12. Provides input in the development of the plan of care for the residents. Reviews and adheres to residents’ care plans.
13. Uses proper body mechanics when positioning, repositioning and transferring residents. Performs single-person, two-person and mechanical lifts transfers according to policy and procedure.
14. Provides personal hygiene to residents.
15. Applies Rx Creams and administers suppositories as directed by the Registered Staff.
16. Provides bed/tub baths and showers and additional skin/nail care as identified on the care plan or directed by registered staff.
17. Assists residents with toileting - bed pan, condom catheter, and colostomy care.
18. Cares for incontinent resident - perineal care and continent supply changes.
19. Collects specimens as directed by registered staff.
20. Cares for residents using oxygen concentrators/tanks, and fills tanks as necessary.
21. Weighs residents and records on appropriate form.
22. Explains smoking rules to residents and discusses any concerns relating to residents’ safety to registered staff.
23. Provides active and passive range of motion exercises, body mechanics and body alignment to promote resident health and comfort.
24. Applies, removes and cares for eye glasses, dentures, hearing aids, etc., i.e. artificial eye.
25. Initiates first aid measures and calls a registered staff for assessment.
26. Assists residents with mobility through the use of walkers, canes and wheelchairs.
27. Observes, reports and records electronically, care provided and any incidents, accidents or changes in condition and behaviours to the nurse in charge.
28. Completes various audits, such as on lifts and slings.
29. Cooperates with other departments while performing daily duties.
30. Attends in-services and educational programs as assigned.
31. Orientates new staff and assists with student training. Assigns work, monitors quality, performance issues of students, volunteers and new staff.
32. Completion of RAI MDS requirements as scheduled and assigned.
33. Provide person and family centered care to support physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of the resident.
34. Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Successful completion of a Personal Support Worker course conducted by a Community College or other recognized institute of learning.
2. Ability to understand both written and verbal instructions.
3. Good interpersonal and problem solving skills.
4. Valid Ontario driver’s license and a vehicle with insurance is required