Program Aide - The Margaret M. Shea Adult Day Health Center, Per Diem

Boston Medical Center’s The Margaret M. Shea RN Adult Day Health Program is an interdisciplinary based program that promotes our client’s achieving (and maintaining) their highest level of functioning while providing support to the clients and their care givers to enable them to remain in the community. This is achieved by providing holistic care to meet the individual client’s physical, cognitive, social and emotional needs within a group setting.

The Program Aide directly reports to the Program Director, and works under the co-supervision of the Clinical Nurse Manager and Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, (CTRS).

With the Activities Coordinators, CTRS, Social Worker and Program Nurses the Program Aide assist the staff as required to provide necessary supervision and assistance to meet the needs of each individual client in accordance with the clients’ plans of care, written policies and procedures, and in accordance with Massachusetts 105 CMR 158.000

Position: Program Aide

Department: The Margaret M. Shea Adult Day Health Center

Schedule: Per Diem

POSITION SUMMARY:

Boston Medical Center’s The Margaret M. Shea RN Adult Day Health Program is an interdisciplinary based program that promotes our client’s achieving (and maintaining) their highest level of functioning while providing support to the clients and their care givers to enable them to remain in the community. This is achieved by providing holistic care to meet the individual client’s physical, cognitive, social and emotional needs within a group setting.

The Program Aide directly reports to the Program Director, and works under the co-supervision of the Clinical Nurse Manager and Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, (CTRS).

The Program Aide works with the Activities Coordinator, Social Worker and Program Nurses to assist the staff as required, and to provide necessary supervision and assistance for each participant in accordance with participant plans of care, written policies and procedures, and 105 CMR 158.000, in order to meet the needs of individual participants.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES:

Performs and demonstrates proficiency in the following:

1. Demonstrates clear communication and displays interpersonal skills while interacting with the clients.

2. Observes, reports and documents client status and the care or services furnished. Documentation may include nursing and therapeutic activity flow sheets, attendance and transportation logs, and incident reporting.

3. Performs basic infection control procedures and follows established hospital and ADH program infection control and safety policies and procedures.

4. When required, performs basic restorative nursing skills including; basic elements of body function, and changes in the body function that must be reported to a Nurse; obtaining and recording vital signs; personal care skills such as personal hygiene and grooming techniques.

5. Assisting clients at various levels of functioning with Activities of Daily Living:

• Assist participants with toileting needs: maintains toileting schedules; assists with incontinent care, including showering as needed.
• Assist participants with meals including: serving meals and snack based on individual dietary orders and preferences; assisting clients with meal set up (i.e. cutting food, opening containers); monitors meals, offering assistance as needed; supervise and prompt clients for safe eating as assigned

6. Assists clients in ambulation and wheelchair mobility as needed and/or as assigned.

7.Welcomes clients to program each day in a positive and caring manner.

8. Upon arrival and departure assists clients to and from van; and assists clients with coats and belongings

9. Maintains a clean, sale, and healthy environment, including and not limited to:

• Keeps food area well supplied and clean.
• Assures client tables are clean prior to food being served
• At the completion of meals, clears and cleans tables assuring foods or fluids on floors are cleaned immediately.
• Empties trash and replaces trashcan liners, as needed.
• Assists Therapeutic Activity Coordinators in maintaining and storing of supplies. Promptly reports damaged or missing materials

10. Takes direction from the CTRS and Activities Coordinators but must also be able to assess the activities area and initiates 1:1 or small group activities with clients independently.

11. Leads and assists with planned Therapeutic Activity programs as assigned. This may include the daily exercise program, small and large groups; assists clients in participating in all assigned programing.

12. Assists in the re-motivation of clients and contributes to the overall positive environment.

13. Recognizes the physical, emotional, and developmental needs of participants and works in a manner

that respects participants, their privacy, and their property.

14. Prevention of and reporting of client abuse, neglect, mistreatment and misappropriation.

15. Follows best practices in caring for client’s with Alzheimer’s disease and other disorders.

16. Recognizes and responds to emergencies and knowledgeable of emergency procedures, including the Heimlich maneuver.

17. Performs light clerical duties such as copying, faxing, answering telephone, as directed.

18. Participates in multi-disciplinary conference and in-service education as required

19. Decision making and actions are in align with BMC’s, the Rehabilitation and Respiratory Department’s and the ADH’s Mission and Values statements 20. Conforms to hospital standards of performance and conduct, including those pertaining to client rights, so to provide the best possible customer service and client care.

21 Assists with other duties as assigned by the Program Director, Program Nurses and Therapeutic Recreation and Activity staff.

(The above statements in this job description are intended to depict the general nature and level of work assigned to the employee(s) in this job. The above is not intended to represent an exhaustive list of accountable duties and responsibilities required).

JOB DESCRIPTION CHARACTERISTICS

EDUCATION:

A minimum of a High School diploma or GED is required.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS REQUIRED:

Current or prior certification as a Certified Nursing Assistant, Medial Assistant, or Home Health Aide, or proof of training as a Personal Care Attendant is preferred.

On and after May 1, 2015, a Program may not employ any individual for more than four months as an aide at a Program unless the individual has been determined competent, pursuant to one of the following criteria:

• Has demonstrated competence through satisfactory participation in a relevant health care training or competency evaluation program.  Said training or competency evaluation program must teach students nursing and nursing related skills including, at minimum, the skills identified at 105 CMR 158.033(F)(1)(b); or
• A registered nurse employed by the Program or under contract with the Program has determined the individual is competent to provide direct care to participants based on the individual’s demonstration of competency in basic nursing and nursing related skills and techniques.  The Program shall provide at least 40 hours of a combination of classroom and experiential training regarding the skills identified at 105 CMR 158.033(F)(1)(b) prior to determining the individual is competent to be a program aide. 

Certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and basic first aid by an approved instructor.

EXPERIENCE:

At least one or more years’ experience working with adults in the health-care or social service setting is required.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Skills and knowledge expected of a Certified Nursing Assistant, Medical Assistant, Home Health Aide &/ or Personal Care Attendant. This includes and is not limited to assisting clients with mobility, transfers, ADLs, and cognitive or behavioral limitations.
• Excellent verbal/written English communication skills, including excellent grammatical, editing and proofreading skills.
• Basic computer proficiency inclusive of ability to enter and access data/information.
• Excellent interpersonal skills necessary to be socially perceptive in accepting and relaying confidential information, communicating policies and procedures, and interacting effectively with a diverse clientele.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Disabled/Veterans