Central Six Alabama Works

On-the-job Training

• Role of the Home Health Aide
  • Demonstrate HHA professionalism in appropriate dress, punctuality, and performance in accordance with agency policies and HHA roles
• Client Rights and Confidentiality
  • Demonstrate ways of protecting client’s privacy
  • Respect the confidentiality of client information and agency confidentiality guidelines
  • Recognize causes and types of abuse, appropriate response and reporting requirements
• Communication
  • Notify supervisor promptly in relation to client’s needs, concerns and/or problems encountered
  • Provide report to designated staff according to procedure
• Personal Care Skills
  • Assist clients with bathing according to client preference and plan of care
  • Provide clients with bed baths according to proper procedure when indicated
  • Shampoo clients’ hair in bed when indicated
  • Assist clients with oral hygiene and care according to individual needs and plan of care
  • Shave clients using proper procedure (facial hair only) with electric shaver
  • Turn clients in bed according to proper procedure
  • Assist clients with eating
  • Assist clients with dressing
  • Assist clients with the use of elastic support stockings
  • Make an occupied and unoccupied bed
  • Assist clients with toileting needs including demonstrating proper use of bedpan, urinals and/or commode (and use of adult diaper or incontinence products as needed)
  • Provide pericare as indicated in plan of care
  • Assist clients with use of condom catheters and daily catheter care
  • Use proper technique and use of lift equipment (transfer technique)
  • Clean and ensure appropriate function and care of non-medical appliances such as glasses, hearing aids, prostheses and assist with application as indicated by plan of care
• Health Related Tasks
  • Observe, record, report and document client status/changes and care/services furnished and provide information to the supervisor according to policy
  • Accurately measure and record temperature and blood pressure
  • Collect routine urine and stool specimens according to proper procedures
  • Prepare and assist clients with complex modified diets
  • Assist clients with prescribed exercise programs, including walking, standing
  • Assist with the use of prescribed medical equipment, supplies and devices
  • Assist with special skin care to prevent ulcers; observe, record and report skin conditions including signs and symptoms of sepsis
  • Assist clients with ileostomy, colostomy, gastrostomy and tracheostomy care by cleaning
  • Assist with meal planning, food preparation and serving, food shopping, storage and handling
  • Assist with the preparation of simple modified diets
  • Assist clients with care of the home and personal belongings
  • Assist clients with self-administration of medicine as allowed by law
  • Recognize pain in client; report client pain to supervisor per policy
  • Assist with nutrition and fluid intake, measure and record when indicated on plan of care
  • Assist and encourage clients to consume nutritional supplements/snacks as indicated on plan of care
• Infection Control Procedures
  • Use proper hand washing procedures
  • Implement standard precautions as indicated
• Safety and Recognize/Respond to Emergencies According to Emergency Procedure
  • Maintain clean, safe and healthy environment; assist with assessing home for possible hazards and fix
  • Use proper body mechanics at all times and incorporate safe transfer techniques
  • Assist in motion and positioning of client in transfer and ambulation
  • Comply with plan of care procedures in case of emergencies in the home
  • Assist in checking equipment before use and notify supervisor of any problems identified
• Understanding the Needs of Various Groups of Clients and Ways to Work with Them
  • Follow the plan of care for the special needs of physically disabled clients and report any needed changes to the plan
  • Follow the plan of care for the special needs of the aging clients and report any needed changes to the plan
  • Follow the plan of care for the special needs of clients who are dying, assist their families, and report any needed changes to the plan
  • Follow the plan of care for the special needs of clients who are cognitively impaired or mentally ill, and report any needed changes to the plan
• Proper Use of Equipment
  • Properly assist client in and out of a wheelchair and properly open and close a wheelchair
  • Properly transfer client using slide board
  • Properly place gait belt around client to provide assistance when standing, walking, and transferring
  • Provide stand by assistance for client when using a rollator
• Role of the HHA in Caring for Cognitively Impaired Clients
  • Use care plan for interventions and report interventions and their result to the supervisor and family
  • Monitor and document episodes of targeted behaviors and/or new behaviors
  • Recognize signs of stress and strategies for coping within self, other caregivers, and family members
• Demonstrate Effective Communication & Interaction with Cognitively Impaired Clients and their Families
  • Redirect a client
  • Use validation therapy, communicating with people who have dementia in a way that acknowledges their words and actions with respect and empathy
  • Verbalize and demonstrate various approaches for a client who is resisting personal care that will maintain dignity and respect
  • Use appropriate interventions for client who is yelling or screaming
  • Use ongoing communication with significant others
  • Use coaching techniques to help other caregivers and family members cope with the dementia process
• Provide Assistance with Independence, Mobility, and Therapeutic Activities
  • Assist with activities/exercises to maintain joint function for the cognitively impaired client
  • Implement care strategies that encourage independence in Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s) while minimizing increasing client anxiety, respect the client’s dignity and desire for control
  • Assist with activities appropriate for early, middle, and late states of dementia
  • Use activities to de-escalate a client who is anxious
• Use Nutritional Interventions to Enhance Nutritional Well Being
  • Adapt meal preparation to maximize nutritional intake (i.e., offering small servings, finger foods, introducing foods one at a time, frequency meals, snacks, and fluids that are acceptable to cognitively impaired clients)
  • Explain modifications needed to maintain nutritional status to the client and supervisor
• Psychoactive Medications and Side Effects
  • Describe basic features of psychoactive medications and their side effects to the client and supervisor
  • Observe, record and report side effects
• Maintain a Safe Environment for Cognitively Impaired
  • Maintain a safe environment for wandering clients
  • Maintain safety from potential toxic substances that the confused client may attempt to ingest
  • Implement interventions to minimize environmental stimuli that may increase a confused client’s agitation, (i.e., noise levels, large groups, television, and radio)