Job Title:
Health Care Assistant
(In-patient Unit and Daycare Unit)
Accountable to: Director of Patient Services
Responsible to: Senior Nurse Manager
Senior Sister
– In-patient Unit
Senior Sister
- Daycare
Liaises with: PA to the Director of Patient Services
Administration
and Clerical Staff
Catering Staff
Housekeeping
Staff
Support
Services Manager
Maintenance
Manager
Volunteers
Hours of Work: Equivalent to 37.5 - full time / part
time
24 hour cover
shift work
Location: Kenton Grange
JOB SUMMARY
The post holder will be a member of the health care team. He/she
will be supporting qualified nursing staff in the provision of nursing
care for the daycare unit, outpatient clinic and the in-patient unit.
The post-holder will be expected to work across all areas of patient
care
The Health Care Assistant will be supervised and directed by the
registered nurse, and will undertake duties only that he/she has been
assessed as competent to perform. The Health Care Assistant is
also required to undertake administrative duties and support services
duties that contribute to the efficient functioning of the hospice.
The postholder is required to comply with all St. Luke’s Hospice
policies.
Following a period of induction, whereby the Health Care Assistant will
be trained and assessed, he/she will work under close
supervision and will be competent in the following:
CLINICAL DUTIES
· Giving and receiving reports on the
condition and progress of patients and working at all times under the
direction and supervision of the qualified professional to ensure that
patients gain maximum benefit from care and treatment.
· Receive patients and visitors to the hospice
in a courteous and welcoming manner, and orientate them to the area.
· Communicate with patients and visitors in a
polite and courteous manner, respecting their individual needs,
beliefs, wishes and culture.
· Maintain confidentiality of information
relating to patients, staff and the organisation.
· Support patients and maximise their comfort,
privacy and dignity throughout a physical examination or procedure.
· Taking and recording temperature, pulse,
respiration, and weighing patients.
· Establish appropriate method, and assist the
patient to use a bedpan/commode/toilet.
· Measuring/recording oral fluid intake and
testing, measuring and recording
urine/stool output.
· Collecting sputum, urine and stool specimens
for investigation and monitoring blood, glucose and naso-gastric feeds.
· Measuring/recording oral fluid intake and
testing, measuring and recording urine/stool output.
· Assist patients in personal grooming and
dressing according to their wishes, maintaining privacy and dignity.
· Bathing and showering patients, assisting
with their personal hygiene, elimination mobility and maintenance of
healthy pressure areas.
· Report any bleeding/exudate from a patient’s
wound or wound drain to the Registered Nurse.
· Assist with the serving of meals and
beverages, feeding patients and ensuring nutritional needs are
met. Comply with the hospice’s food hygiene standards.
· Prepare patients and their environment
appropriately so that they may eat/drink in a comfortable and
personally acceptable manner, maximising the patient’s independence.
· Administer supplementary foods and drinks,
as appropriate.
· Prepare patients and their environment for
moving and lifting, using appropriate equipment as trained.
· Safely assist patients to move from one
position to another.
· Assist patients to exercise/mobilise safely.
· Assist patients to prepare themselves and
their personal comfort in order to enhance rest and sleep.
· Maintain the health and safety of self and
others by identifying and reporting potential dangers, and adhering to
St. Luke’s policies and procedures.
· Ensure appropriate storage and maintenance
of instruments and equipment.
· The post-holder must be prepared to attend
training sessions at the request of the Director of Patient
Services. Eg: Food Handling Certificate, Moving &
Handling, Health & Safety, Fire Precautions, First Aid and any
other courses for the development of the service and the individual and
for the protection of staff.
ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT SERVICES DUTIES
· Assist in administrative duties of the
day-centre, outpatients and in-patient wing, under the guidance of a
qualified nurse. This may include communications liaison with
external agencies, data collection and ordering and receiving of stores.
· Assist in the provision of clean linen
across the hospice. This may include working in the laundry
room, being competent to run industrial machinery and to be up-to-date
with Health and Safety regulations and COSHH regulations.
· Assist in the provision of a clean and safe
environment for patients, by undertaking vacuuming, cleaning of
surfaces, patient equipment, beds and furniture.
· Maintain areas that require disinfection
procedures and to be knowledgeable of prevention of cross infection.
· Organising and managing the volunteer
drivers’ rota (Daycare Unit only).
Equal Opportunities Policy
The post holder must at all times carry out his/her responsibilities
with due regard to St. Luke’s equal opportunities policy.
Data Protection Act
All employees of St. Luke’s Hospice must not, without prior permission,
disclose any information regarding patients or staff. In
instances where it is known that a member of staff has communicated
information to unauthorised persons, those staff will be liable to
dismissal. Moreover, the Data Protection Act 1984 also renders an
individual for prosecution in the event of unauthorised disclosure of
information.
Training
The post holder is required to undergo such training as may be required
for the safe and effective execution of his/her duties.
Smoking
It is the policy of this Trust to promote positive health.
Smoking therefore is actively discouraged and is prohibited in the
Hospice.
Health & Safety
Employees must be aware of the responsibilities placed on them under
the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to ensure that the agreed safety
procedures are carried out to maintain a safe environment for employees
and visitors.
This job description is a guide only; the operational management of the
new building and therefore patient care, may create the need to reflect
and review the job description according to the needs of the Senior
Management Team.
The post-holder will be expected to contribute to the review of the
post and therefore on-going self reflective support will be offered.
The post-holder will be expected to comply with all policies and
procedures as laid out in the Terms and Conditions of Employment
(contract of employment).
Employees are not permitted to smoke within the hospice
buildings. (You will recognise that discretion is allowed to
patients and their relatives in this respect and designated
accommodation is made available for patients and relatives only).
ST. LUKE’S KENTON GRANGE HOSPICE
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Post: Health Care Assistant
Factors Essential Desirable
Qualifications/Education Numeracy and
literacy.GCSEsNVQ level 2 or 3 (Health/Care)
Skills/Abilities Clear and concise communication.Good
listening skills and ability to anticipate needs.
Able to record temperature, blood pressure, respirations and
pulse.Computer literacy or willing to learn
Knowledge Understanding of ill health.Understanding
of disabilities. Some knowledge of anatomy.
Experience Experience of working in healthcare
setting:- acute hospital, or caring for patients in their own homes.To
be comfortable with close contact with patients and their
families. Previous administration experience
Updated: April 2007 - KJS