Safety Training Home Health Care/Health Aide

Conrad BoydSchool-to-Career CoordinatorPaul Robeson School for Business and Technology

                                                                                                          

Types of Home Care Personnel:

Housekeepers or Chore workers Basic household task, light cleaning or washing windows

and/or heavy cleaning.

Homemaker (Supervised by an agency) Meal preparation, household management and medication

reminders

Home Health Aide (Cert N.Asst, Nurses Aide) Supervised by Agency’s Registered Nurse - provides personal

care, hygiene essentials, walking and exercise, household services essential to health care; assistance with medications.

Homecare Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s (1)   Start the process while family member is in the hospital. (2)   Trust your instincts. (3)   Use a geriatric care manager, if necessary. (4)   Be clear about your expectations. (5)   Help to prevent burnout.

Don’ts(1) Don’t hire help solely based on cost.(2)   Don’t relinquish control to the

homecare worker.(3)   Don’t have the homecare worker

handle important communications with doctors, lawyers, accountants, etc.

(4)  Don’t share financial information with homecare workers.

(5)  Don’t let the homecare worker intimidate you or patient.

Training Task – HH AidesMinimum of 75 hours of mandatory trainingPass a competency evaluation program within four (4) months of employmentBy completing program – certification is issued by State registry of nursing aides.Attend lectures, workshops, and in-service training

Exception: Psychiatric aides must complete a formal training.

Federal Government: If under Medicare, HH Aides must pass a

competency test covering 12 areas. Communication skills Documentation of patient status and care

provided Reading and recorded vital signs, basic

infection control procedures, etc. Personal hygiene and grooming Basic Nutrition, and more..

Training Task (cont.)

Applicants should be: Tactful Patient Understanding Honest Emotionally stable Discreet Dependable Flexible Desire to help people Motivated Team player Resourceful Good communication skills Quick-

ThinkingWilling to perform repetitive tasksAvailable nights and weekend hours

Pre-Test – T/FA HH Aide needs to speak English.A HH Aide can work without training.Federal Gov’t wants training for all HH Aides.HH Care training is required on a continuous basis.Medicare and Medicaid services are not involved in State regulations.

Ans. F, F, T, T, F

HH Aides Services

Domestic service in householdsPerforms companionship servicesCare, fellowships and protectionGeneral household workPatients deserve full attention and respectCompassionate/Passionate about their work.

Appropriate Clothes

HH Aide – Flexible clothing (mobility):Easy care, non-restrictiveComfortable and conservativeDurable and stain resistance

Patient - Limited range of mobility:Buttoning a blouse – use snapsTying a shoelace – use VelcroFlexible clothing designs – wraps, slip on, draw stringsSpecial closure items – fasteners, one button closures

Sibling ConflictsCaring for family members often sets maximum stress levelsAdvise learning as much informationGetting a neutral mediator to diffuse tensionFind options availableTry to use “I statements” rather than making accusationsBe ready to say “I’m sorry,” and “I forgive you.”

Safety Equipment

Knowing different device operationsStraps/Lifting PulliesWheelchair accessible locationsHome Alarms, Medic Alert devices Always prepared…

Tools: Humane SkillsSkilled Nursing (RN, LPN)

Personal Care (Home Health Aide)

Support (Homemaker)

Therapy (PT, OT, ST, MSW)

Pediatrics

Geriatrics

Rehabilitation

Equipment/MachineryEither manual/electronic wheelchairs

Heart monitors

Bed Lifts/Pulleys and Folding/Retractable Bed Trays

Computer Health Diagnostics

Electrical DevicesThe answers to life's problems aren't at the bottom of a bottle: they're on TV! – Homer Simpson

Amplified phone receiversVoice Recognition Voicemail FeedbackEmail Messages via TVInternet Usage via voice tracking

Inspections: Floors, Doors and Exits

Questions to consider include:

Is the home/facility/nursing home close to friends and near someone they can visit often?

Is the home child-friendly?

Does the home/location feel like a home away from home?

Is the home’s furniture properly arranged for mobility?

Are the floors/doors/exists accessible for a safe exit?

Ergonomic HazardsEach room of the house poses its own risks, and avoidable accidents can occur easily in areas that have not been modified to meet their occupants' needs. Using a bath bench can be helpful because you can sit down and then swing your legs over. Or you can have a grab bar installed that's lined up with the side of the tub, so there's something to hold on to as you step over the side of the tub.With existing computer usage, we are utilizing relatively large saccades (30-45o) to continually reposition the screen/keyboard/copy-viewing-area targets onto the fovea. With large angular-difference re-fixations, transient dysmetria (under-shooting the subsequent fixation point) is not uncommon.

Medicines (Knowledge of)

Daily DosageMedication side-effectsPharmaceutical ResourcesPrescription updatesEven simple “Old Home” RemediesHomemedics, Homeopathic Care

Infectious DiseasesBe alert for symptoms colds/flus/virus’Make sure all medicines are clearly marked.Thoroughly wash hands Use anti-bacterial cleansers, if necessary.Frequent laundering to prevent re-infections

                                                       

Patient/Client Safety

Create conducive environment for patientKnow medical emergency locationsAccess to medical assistance in homeAccess to Family or Relative contactsFamiliar with medic alert bracelets/devicesDevelop routine for rapid emergency drillshttp://seniormag.healthology.com/search_new.asp?b=&searchText=home+health+aide&search_help=&mySearch=2&ignored=&valid=1#

Angry/Threatening ClientsArgumentative AssaultiveDemanding HostileHistory of multiple incidents IncontinentHistory of substance abuse IntrusiveIncompetent, organic brain syndrome (OBS)Manipulative MutePassive/passive aggressiveSexual acting out behaviorVerbally abusive (most common)Stress Managementhttp://seniormag.healthology.com/search_new.asp?b=&searchText=

home+health+aide&search_help=&mySearch=2&ignored=&valid=1#

HOW and WHOM: to report(s) an injury

Ambulance Attendant Law Enforcement

Official Physician (MD and DO)

Certified Nursing Assistant/LPN/Physicians Asst.

EMT’s/Occupational Therapist/Social Worker

Emergency Room Personnel

Physical Therapist (if applicable)

Post-Test (T/F)

There are Federal regulations for HH Aides.Some patients are argumentative and aggressive.HH Aides should know the patients medical history.A nurses aide must contact the official physician in an injury.All home aides must wash their hands thoroughly.Home aides can not work all day.Restrictive clothes are recommended for HH Aides.Household chores are always performed by the patient.

The tools used by HH Aides are skilled, caring, and being obnoxious.Home alerts and medic bracelets are important.HH Aides can accompany patient to doctor’s visit.RN’s are not allowed to become HH Aides.Family members/HH Aides must know about patient’s mechanical devices.Housekeepers should know about the patients personal financial history.Homemakers always prepare food for patients.HH Aides are good companions.

Ans: T,T,T,T,T,F,F,F,F,T,TF,T,F,T,T

Safety Web Resources

http://www.consumer.gov/health.htm

http://www.elderlifeplanning.com/links/

http://www.drugs.com/hs/elder+care/br_elder+care