Home Care Aide

Sea Mar Community Health Centers, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) founded in 1978, is a community-based organization committed to providing quality, comprehensive health, human, housing, educational and cultural services to diverse communities, specializing in service to Latinos in Washington State. Sea Mar proudly serves all persons without regard to race, ethnicity, immigration status, gender, or sexual orientation, and regardless of ability to pay for services. Sea Mar's network of services includes more than 90 medical, dental, and behavioral health clinics and a wide variety of nutritional, social, and educational services. We are recruiting for the following position:

Sea Mar is a mandatory COVID-19 and flu vaccine organization

Sea Mar Home Care Program services are non-medical.  Program’s Home Care aides must limit themselves to following the clients' care plan/services.

Home Care Aide performs basic household management and provides personal care assistance to assigned clients. The non-medical tasks provided to the clients fluctuate depending on the client’s health condition and may include all or some of the following duties and responsibilities:

Personal Care Tasks include but are not limited to providing assistance with:

• Toileting This may range from performing full toileting for bedbound clients, emptying and washing bed pans, wiping/cleaning clients after bathroom trips, assisting clients to sit and get up from the toilet.

• Bathing    This may range from a sponge bath for bed-ridden clients, to providing full bath/showers to the clients unable to perform this task, assisting them with tasks they are unable to perform, providing support to get in/out of bath- chairs, or supervision.

• Dressing   This may range from full dressing to providing assistance to clients to select clothes, or tying their shoes. This will vary based on clients’ health condition.

• Transfers   This may range repositioning bed/wheel chair bound clients to assisting the client in/out of chairs/bed.

• Medication Reminders This non-medical task is limited to reminding the client to take his/her medication, utilizing at all times the following Client identifiers. It is very important to ask the patient their full name: first, middle and last name, date of birth. Additionally, the community aides must always check the medication’s expiration date.

• Skin Care Community aides must ensure client’s skin remains intact and health.  In the event they notice any skin redness or discoloration, or any other skin issues they must notify the home care supervisor immediately so that he/she can contact the case manager and or the client’s medical provider.

• Ambulation This may range from providing support or steadying the client to pushing the wheel chair.

• Pain Measurement Upon arrival at the client’s home, the community aide will ask the client if he/she has pain. For this purpose, the community aide will utilize the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale show it to the client so that he/she can indicate the level of pain. If the client cannot see well, the community aide will ask the client to indicate the level of pain using as an example the numbers from one to 10, ten being the highest level of pain.  Once the client has stated the level of pain, the community aide will enter the number on the Matrixcare Tool Daily Visit Sheet, the employee will indicate the steps the client is taking or willing to take to address his/her pain.

• Escort/Transport Provide transportation to client for medical, dental/other health related appointments; essential shopping/errands.

• Supervision This task ensures the safety of those clients who are unable to recognize and/or respond to unsafe situations.

Household Management Tasks include but are not limited to providing assistance with:

• Housekeeping Cleaning the assigned clients living environment. Regular activities include sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, dusting, emptying trash to garbage cans, changing linens & making the bed, and cleaning the kitchen and bathroom.  Occasional activities include washing interior windows, cleaning cupboards/closets, and oven cleaning.

• Laundry   This includes washing, drying, folding, and putting clothes   away.

• Meal Preparation This may include preparing more than one meal at a time, to be stored   (frozen), and eaten later. Dishes are to be washed and put away, and countertops cleaned.

Occasional duties may include:

• Snow Removal Shoveling snow from walkways to/from the entrance to the client’s home.

• Wood Chopping Cut or chop stack wood if it is the client’s sole source of heat and/or cooking.

CLIENTS’ LIVING ENVIRONMENT

Home Care Aides are responsible for maintaining a safe and healthy living environment for their assigned client(s).  All tasks are designed to allow the client to remain in his/her home and in the community by delaying institutionalization.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES BUT NOT LIMITED TO

• Clocking in and out appropriately in the Matrixcare Mobile App.
• Ensure the client signs the Matrixcare Mobile App at the end of their shift.
• Notifying a Supervisor of absences if unable to work according to schedule.
• Notifying a Supervisor of any need to change a client’s schedule.
• Attending all scheduled meetings and required training.
• Observing and reporting all client or service related problems to a Home Care Supervisor.
• Reporting all accidents to a Home Care Supervisor.
• Being available to work the number of hours, and/or days of the week, agreed upon at time of hire.

• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

A minimum of one year experience in household management, paid or unpaid.  Prior experience with adults unable to care for themselves is preferred, as well as demonstrates knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the clients served.  Home Care Aides must be mature, empathetic, and able to deal with the multiple demands of the job. 

This person must pass a Department of Social & Health Services background check.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

A Home Care Supervisor will interview Home Care Aide Candidates. If the candidate passes the interview, he/she will be scheduled for a training/introduction to the home care industry, infection control and a competency skills test with a Home Care Supervisor. During the training/introduction to the home care industry, the applicant will learn about all home care industry requirements.  At the end of the training and competency skills test she/he will be invited to continue the hiring process if the individual is interested.

If the applicant decides to continue with the hiring process, he/she will complete all the necessary steps of the hiring process and will receive additional training provided by a Home Care Supervisor. This training will focus on job assignments, required program’s documentation, professional job performance requirements, etc.

The purpose of the training sessions are to ensure the individual understands their role in the home care program and the importance of the client’s wellbeing.  The individual acknowledges receipt of the training received on the training outline/schedule.

Upon completion of the initial hiring process, Sea Mar’s Human Resources Department will provide the candidate with the necessary documentation to sign and return. This will be completed through DocuSign, so the candidate must have a computer and a working email. Once the documentation is complete and in order, the final decision for hiring will be made. The Home Care Aide (if hired), will receive a 5 hour training CD, and will be scheduled to attend 70 hours of class room training (Basic Training) in order to be able to take the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) certification exam, successfully complete it and be able to obtain the DSHS certification. The 70 hours of classroom training must be completed within 260 days.

During his/her employment the home care aide will be required to attend the home care aide quarterly training/meeting, and any other training (formal or informal) as deemed appropriate by the Home Care Supervisors, Administrator/her designee.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Verbal and written English communication skills are required; Bilingual desired. (Spanish will be preferred)
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to write and keep client timesheets for payroll purposes.
• Ability to speak effectively with clients, staff such as office personnel and home care supervisors.

COMPUTER SKILLS

• Ability to use computer, mouse and keyboard for training purposes.

MOBILE PHONE USE

• The ability to use a “smart” phone either Apple IPhone or an Android to place calls, download the Electronic Record App and EVV (electronic visit verification) Program and enter data into the App as required and obtain client signature.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to respond to emergent client behavior and/or rapid changes of client medical stability i.e., call 911 immediately for emergency medical assistance.  Report client ongoing changes within a reasonable time frame to supervisor/program manager as circumstances arise.

Education and Experience, Certificates, Licenses, Registrations, and Medical Screening

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

Effective from January 1, 2012; New Home Care Aides are required to attend 75 class room training hours (Basic Training) for the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) certification exam and must obtain the DSHS HCA certification, Must obtain DSHS HCA certification in no more than 200 calendar days. High school diploma or GED preferred, but not required for this position. Previous experience in nursing home, geriatric setting is preferred. 

Effective from January 1, 2012: All Home Care Aides must renew the DSHS certification annually prior to the expiration date (their birthdate). Without valid certification, they will be suspended from employment immediately until the home care supervisor/manager receives proof of the renewed certification.

All Home Care Aides must provide to the home care office supervisor/program manager valid Washington State driver’s license, proof of current automobile insurance (liability), and clean driving record when assigned to transport clients or run any client related errands (shopping, medication pick up, etc.). TB test and other health screening results as required under Sea Mar Community Health Centers Policies and Procedures. Must successfully complete 12 (twelve) hours of annual Continuing Education prior to his/her birthdate. Failure to comply will result in immediate suspension from employment, which will last until the employee completes and submits proof of required annual training.  

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must have and maintain a current TB test, be current with standard health immunizations.
• Must provide evidence of COVID 19 Vaccinations and Booster
• Must provide evidence of receiving an annual flu vaccine

Employees operating a motor vehicle during the course of their work must:

• Provide a copy, and maintain a current Washington State Driver’s License.
• Provide proof, and maintain current automobile insurance.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

Services are required to be performed in the client’s home and/or apartment.  Employee will accompany the client to his/her medical office building and/or grocery store.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands for fine and gross motor tasks; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, and sit. The employee is occasionally required to bend, stoop, and walk and are not limited to the provision of housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation, shopping, and escort/transport services. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

What We Offer:

Sea Mar offers talented and motivated people the opportunity to work in a dynamic and growing community health organization. Working at Sea Mar Community Health Centers is more than just a job, it’s a fulfilling career with opportunity for advancement. The fringe benefits surpass most companies. For example, Full-time employees working 30 hours or more, receive an excellent benefit package of:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Prescription coverage
• Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• EAP (Employee Assistance Program)
• Paid-time-off starting at 24 days per year + 10 paid Holidays.
• We also offer 401(k)/Retirement options and an exciting opportunity to work in a culturally diverse environment. 

Sea Mar is an equal opportunity employer.

Please visit our website to learn more about us at www.seamar.org. You may also apply thru our Career page at this link.