Personal Care Aide Job Description

General Purpose

To provide personal care and incidental activities of daily living as assigned to clients in the home setting in accordance with applicable law and regulations, accepted practice, and the office’s policies and procedures.

This job description for a Personal Care Aide may be used only in the following situations:

• In an organization that is not subject to the Medicare Conditions of Participation; or
• In an organization that is subject to the Medicare Conditions of Participation, a Personal Care Aide may be employed exclusively to furnish personal care services under a Medicaid personal care benefit. [CITE: 42CFR484.36.21]

Essential Functions

• Assist as assigned with activities of daily living such as bathing, grooming, toileting, elimination, and adequate nutritional intake.
• Assist as assigned with ambulation, transfers and/or range of motion exercises.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and healthy client environment.
• Assist client as assigned with incidental activities of daily living such as shopping, meal preparation, socialization activities, homemaking, and medication reminders.
• Utilize basic infection control measures such as hand washing and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) appropriate to the task and assignment.
• Recognize and document changes in client condition and safety and report to supervisor.
• Read and record client temperature, pulse, and respiration when assigned.
• Organize self to carry out visits/shifts and tasks.
• Attend mandatory in-services.
• Provide requested documents to keep employee file current.
• Follow the assignment sheet/service plan, performing only tasks that are assigned.
• Complete other assignments as requested and assigned.
• Document observations, activities, and services provided in an accurate, complete, and timely manner.
• May have access to personal health information (PHI) necessary to fulfill the above duties and responsibilities.
• Access to use and ability to disclose PHI is further defined by each organization/department.

Minimum Education & Experience Requirements

• Must be 18 years or older (age of majority in the state).
• Any training required by state and federal law and regulation.
• Six (6) months of accumulated experience in a similar job classification, similar life experience, or a graduate of a training and competency program as required by the Office and State or Federal law/regulation, or program required by the employer.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required

• Meets applicable health requirements to provide client services.
• Able to effectively communicate with all levels of the workforce.
• Able to hear, speak, write, and read in a manner understood by most people.
• Able to read and interpret technical instructions related to providing services to the client and use equipment required in providing services.
• Able to prioritize multiple tasks and effectively deal with changes based on client needs and scheduling.

Working Conditions & Physical Effort

• Work is normally performed in a residence or senior living facility.
• Work may involve frequent exposure to communicable diseases, bloodborne pathogens, and/or other potentially infectious or hazardous materials, requiring safety precautions and the use of PPE.
• Able to travel from assignment to assignment within the geographic area served.
• Medium physical activity that may require constant lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling over 50 lbs., and physically stretching, bending, stooping, twisting, standing, sitting, walking, reaching, and climbing stairs.
• Able to frequently lift, reposition, and transfer clients and assist with standing and walking.
• Able to constantly stand, bend, stoop, twist, stretch, squat, kneel, walk, climb stairs, and reach freely.
• Able to grasp with thumb in opposition to fingers of palm (e.g., manipulate pen, knobs, or objects).
• Ability to visually and audibly observe the client.