Personal Support Worker

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Department: Woodingford Lodge
Reports to: Registered Staff
Effective Date: December 21, 1999
Positions Supervised: 0
Revised Date: April 2024

POSITION SUMMARY:

Under the direction of the registered staff, provides activities and support Resident to meet basic emotional, social, and physical care needs. Possesses the ability and the passion to support person centred care and change the culture of aging in long term care. Performs all duties in accordance with the organization's mission, vision, and value statements. 

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

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

1. Ensures that the principles, purpose, and philosophy of care as set out in the Mission Statement are put into practice in resident’s day-to-day care.
2. Respect the Residents Bill of Rights under the Fixing LTC Act, 2021
3. Implement care by safely performing those tasks determined by the care plan in accordance with Home’s policy and procedures.
4. Assists in admission, transfer, and discharge/death of residents.
5. Share responsibility for the care of the equipment in the Home and the personal belongings of the residents as assigned.
6. Maintain a safe and comfortable environment for residents and staff by adhering to Infection Control, Health and Safety, and Emergency policies and procedures of Woodingford Lodge and the Occupational Health and Safety Act. and performs competently during emergencies.
7. Participate and complete annual training as assigned.
8. Strips and makes beds.
9. Maintains residents’ rooms and washrooms; keeps them clean, tidy, and labelled, including personal belongings in wardrobe and bureau.
10. Porters and escorts residents as needed.
11. Removes soiled linen and garbage from home area and delivers to appropriate locations.  Retrieves clean linen from laundry room and stocks linen room on unit to resident rooms.
12. Keeps service areas clean, i.e. utility, and linen rooms.
13. Cleans equipment, including bed pans, commode chairs, urinals, basins, wheelchairs, slings, and any other equipment required for residents’ care as per set schedules.
14. Assist with meal service, includes offering and recording resident meal choices from a detailed menu, setting tables, serving food, clearing dishes, recording intake in Point of Care, delivering nourishments on all shifts, delivering tray service as required.
15. Responding appropriately to responsive behaviours to deescalate, alleviate and provide 1:1 as required.
16. Provides input in the development of the plan of care for the residents.  Reviews and adheres to residents’ care plans.
17. Uses proper body mechanics when positioning, repositioning, and transferring residents.  Performs single-person, two-person, and mechanical lift transfers according to policy and procedure.
18. Provides personal hygiene to residents.
19. Applies Rx Creams as delegated by the Registered Staff. Must complete the topical application of prescription creams, as per homes policy.
20. Provides bed/tub baths, showers and additional skin/nail care as identified on the care plan or directed by registered staff.
21. Assists residents with toileting - bed pan, condom catheter, and colostomy care.
22. Cares for incontinent resident - perineal care and continent supply changes.
23. Collects specimens as directed by registered staff.
24. Cares for residents using oxygen concentrators/tanks and fills tanks as necessary.
25. Weighs residents and records electronically
26. Explains smoking rules to residents and discusses any concerns relating to residents’ safety to registered staff.
27. Provides active and passive range of motion exercises, body mechanics and body alignment to promote resident health and comfort.
28. Applies, removes, and cares for eyeglasses, dentures, hearing aids, etc., i.e. artificial eye.
29. Ensure resident safety in a situation where a resident requires assistance until registered staff is present.
30. Supports resident while registered staff and external partners are completing medical treatments and tests.
31. Assists residents with mobility using walkers, canes, and wheelchairs.
32. Observes, reports and records electronically, care provided and any incidents, accidents or changes in condition and behaviours to the nurse in charge.
33. Completes various audits, such as on lifts and slings.
34. Attends in-service meetings and educational programs and care conferences as assigned.
35. Maintains good communication with all levels of staff, which would include, but is not limited to, reading, and reviewing unit e-mails and communication binder at the beginning of each scheduled shift.
36. Orientates new staff and assists with student training.
37. Assigns work, monitors quality, performance issues of students, volunteers, and new staff.
38. Completion of RAI MDS requirements as scheduled and assigned.
39. Provide person and family centered care to support the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of the resident.
40. Maintains confidentiality in accordance with all applicable privacy and protections legislation.
41. Follow IPAC protocols as required.
42. 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. Working knowledge of computer software for documentation and communication.
4. Good interpersonal and problem-solving skills.
5. Ability to travel to all three sites.