Job Descriptions For Winning Wheels

Homemaker

PURPOSE OF YOUR JOB POSITION

The primary purpose of your job position is to provide your assigned customers with routine daily personal care, assisting them with household, financial and time management and assisting with meal planning, preparation and nutrition and any other tasks/duties pursuant to their treatment/service plan or as may be directed by your supervisor.

DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY

As a Homemaker you are delegated the administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability necessary for carrying out your assigned duties.

JOB FUNCTIONS

Every effort has been made to keep your job description as complete as possible. However, it in no way states or implies that these are the only duties you will be required to perform. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or is a logical assignment to the position.

RISK EXPOSURE CATEGORIES:

1 = Tasks may involve exposure to blood/body fluids.
2 = Tasks do not involve contact with blood/body fluids but could result in performing a Category I task.
3 = Tasks do not involve any risk of exposure to blood/body fluids.

HOUSEHOLD SERVICES:

  • Perform routine housekeeping functions as assigned. 2
  • Perform specific tasks in accordance with daily work assignments. 2
  • Empty and sanitize ash trays daily. 2
  • Clean/polish furnishings, fixtures, ledges, room heating/cooling units daily or as instructed. 2
  • Clean, wash, sanitize, and/or polish bathroom fixtures, including toilets and showers. Assure that water marks are removed from fixtures. 2
  • Clean windows/mirrors in customer living quarters. 2
  • Clean floors, to include sweeping, dusting, damp/wet mopping, disinfecting, etc. 2
  • Clean carpets, to include vacuuming, shampooing, deodorizing, and disinfecting and spot treating. 2
  • Clean walls and ceilings by washing, wiping, dusting, spot cleaning, disinfecting, deodorizing, etc. 2
  • Provide complete personal laundry services to customer, including sorting, folding and storing clothing as necessary. 1
  • Remove dirt, dust, grease, film, etc., from surfaces using proper cleaning/disinfecting solutions. 2
  • Clean hallways and entryways. 2
  • Discard waste/trash into proper containers and reline trash receptacle with plastic liner. 2
  • Assure that work/assignment areas are clean and that equipment, tools, supplies, etc., are properly stored at all times, as well as before leaving such areas for breaks, meal times, and end of the work day. 2
  • Discard infectious wastes into appropriate containers. 1
  • Ensure customer dishes are washed and sanitized on a regular basis. Load/unload dishwasher as necessary. 2
  • Clean, wash, sanitize and/or polish kitchen appliances, counter tops, furnishings and fixtures. 2
  • Complete seasonal chores routinely such as cleaning and defrosting refrigerator, cleaning oven, cleaning closets and cupboards, cleaning windows and grounds maintenance. 2

PERSONNEL FUNCTIONS:

  • Follow work assignments, and/or work schedules in completing and performing your assigned task. 3
  • Perform all assigned tasks in accordance with our established policies and procedures, and as instructed by your supervisors. 3
  • Notify the facility when you will be late or absent from work pursuant to policy. 3
  • Report all complaints and grievances made by the customer to your supervisor. 3
  • Cooperate with supervisors, as well as other non-agency personnel to assure that services can be adequately maintained to meet the needs of the customers. 3
  • Create and maintain an atmosphere of warmth, personal interest and positive environment. 3
  • Meet with your supervisor on a regularly scheduled basis, at least weekly, to assist in identifying and correcting problem areas, and/or the improvement of services. 3
  • Help customers to establish household routines. 3

PERSONAL CARE FUNCTIONS:

  • Make customer comfortable (i.e. put to bed, get water, etc.) 2
  • Store customer clothing and teach proper clothing care. 2
  • Assist customers with daily dental and mouth care (i.e., brushing teeth/dentures, oral hygiene, special mouth care, etc.). 1
  • Assist customers with bath functions (i.e., bedbath, tub or shower bath, etc.) as directed. 1
  • Give backrubs as instructed. 2
  • Assist customers with dressing/undressing as necessary. 2
  • Assist customers with hair care functions (i.e., combing, brushing, shampooing, etc.). 2
  • Assist customers with nail care (i.e., clipping, trimming, and cleaning the finger/toenails.). 2
  • Shave male customers. 1
  • Keep hair on female customers clean shaven (i.e., facial hair, under arms, on legs, etc. as instructed). 1
  • Keep customers dry (i.e., change gown, clothing, linen, etc., when it becomes wet or soiled.). 2
  • Make beds. 2
  • Position bedfast in correct and comfortable position. 2
  • Change bed linens. Keep linens tight to avoid wrinkles from forming under the customer. 3
  • Put extra covers on beds as requested. 3
  • Assist customer with bowel and bladder functions (i.e., take to bathroom, offer bedpan/urinal, portable commode, etc.). 2
  • Maintain intake and output records as instructed. 3
  • Keep incontinent customers clean and dry. 2
  • Maintain record of menses for female customers. 3
  • Check and report bowel movements and character of stools as instructed. 1
  • Collect specimens as instructed (i.e., urine, sputum, stools, etc.). 1
  • Assist customers in preparing for medical tests (i.e., lab work, x-ray therapy, dental, etc.). 2
  • Assist customers in preparing for leisure activities. 2
  • Follow established policies concerning exposure to blood/body fluids. 2
  • Assist customers with taking medications as needed and follow self-medication programs. 2
  • Assist in transporting customers to/from appointments, activity and social programs, grocery shopping, bank and post office, etc. as necessary. 2
  • Assist with lifting, turning, moving, positioning, and transporting customers into and out of beds, chairs, wheelchairs, lifts, etc. 2
  • Assist customers to walk with or without self-help devices as instructed. 2
  • Perform restorative and rehabilitative procedures as instructed. May provide physical therapy under the supervision of medical personnel. 1
  • Change dressings, bandages, binders, etc., of a non-medical nature as instructed. 2
  • Provide eye and ear care of a non-medical nature (i.e., warm/cold compresses, eye/ear instillation, cleaning eyeglasses/hearing aids, etc.) as instructed. 1
  • Measure and records temperatures, pulse, and respirations (TPR's) as instructed. 2
  • Weigh and measure customers as instructed. 2
  • Assist in preparing the customer for a physical examination. 2
  • Assist with the application of nonsterile (moist and dry) warm/cold compresses. 2
  • Check customers routinely to assure they their personal care needs are being met. 2
  • Assist customers as necessary with correspondence and telephone com-munications, including pick-up of mail. 3
  • Observe and report customer behavior activity to supervisor. 3
  • Observe and report the presence of pressure areas and skin breakdowns to prevent decubitus ulcers (bedsores). 1
  • Provide daily perineal care. 1
  • Perform nonsterile (clean) vaginal irrigation/douches. 1
  • Assist with the application of slings, elastic badges, binders, etc. 2
  • Provide daily Range of Motion Exercises as indicated by treatment/service plan. Record data as instructed. 2
  • Perform special treatments of a non-medical nature as instructed. 2
  • Watch for and report any changes in room temperature, ventilation, lighting, etc. 3
  • Demonstrate and instruct customer family members in good hygienic practices. 3

FOOD SERVICE FUNCTIONS:

  • Prepare customers for meals (i.e., take to bathroom, wash hands, comb hair, raise bed, position tables, place bibs, take to/from kitchen, etc.). 2
  • Assist with feeding customers as indicated (i.e., cutting foods). 2
  • Assist customers with identifying food arrangements (i.e., informing customers with sight problems, of foods that are on his/her tray, where it is located, if it is hot/cold, etc.). 3
  • Record the customer's food/fluid intake as requested. Report changes in the customer's eating habits to supervisor. 3
  • Serve between meal, snacks and fluids as requested by customers. 3
  • Ensure foods are served at appropriate temperatures. 3
  • Offer appropriate food substitutes. 3
  • Plan and prepare meals in accordance with customer needs, preferences, budget and with special diets where necessary. 3
  • Prepare and serve meals that are palatable, nutritional, and appetizing in appearance, and conform to family dietary habits and food allowance. 3
  • Prepare food in accordance with special diet orders, if applicable. 3
  • Assist customers as needed during meals, setting out adaptive equipment as needed. 3
  • Assist customers with food preparation, setting table, clean up, etc. 3
  • Encourage the customer and/or family to correct inadequate or poor dietary practices. 3
  • Perform after-meal care. 2

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT:

Instruct customers in budgeting. 3 Assist customers with any/all financial responsibilities (i.e. prompt payment of bills, purchase of food stamps, management of bank accounts, and budgeting for basic necessities, food items, and leisure needs). 3 Assist in preparation of shopping lists. 3 Encourage good buying practices. 3 Make the necessary purchases of food and other basic items where the customer cannot do the shopping. 3

STAFF DEVELOPMENT:

Attend and participate in a minimum of 12 hours of in-service training classes annually and staff conferences. 3 Participate in scheduled orientation programs and activities, which shall include philosophy and purpose of homemaker service - preventive, protective, rehabilitative. 3

SAFETY AND SANITATION:

  • Follow established infection control policies and universal precaution practices when performing daily tasks. 3
  • Keep excess supplies and equipment off the floor. Store in designated areas. 3
  • Keep customers personal possession off the floor and properly stored. 3
  • Follow established smoking regulations. Report all violations. 3
  • Report all hazardous conditions and equipment to the supervisor immediately. 3
  • Follow established safety precautions (i.e., use of mechanical lifts, back support belts) in the performance of duties. 2
  • Report all safety violations. 3
  • Keep bedside rails up when the customer is in bed unless contraindicated. 3
  • Wash hands before and after performing any service for the customer. 3
  • Wash wheelchairs, walkers, etc., as instructed. 2
  • Clean, disinfect, and return all resident care equipment to its designated storage area after each use. 2
  • Assure all necessary equipment and supplies are maintained in a safe and working manner. 3

EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES:

  • Use only the equipment you have been trained to use. 3
  • Operate all equipment in a safe manner. 3
  • Use only the equipment and supplies necessary to do the job. Do not be wasteful. 3
  • Report defective equipment to your supervisor. 3
  • Assist in maintaining food storage areas in a clean and properly arranged manner at all times. 3
  • Inform your supervisor of your equipment and supply needs. 3
  • Dispose of food and waste in a safe and sanitary manner. 3

CLIENT RIGHTS:

Maintain the confidentiality of all customer information. 3 Ensure that you treat all customers fairly, and with kindness, dignity, and respect. 3 Ensure that all personal care is provided in privacy. 3 Report all grievances and complaints made by the customer to the Supervisor. 3

WORKING CONDITIONS

  • Sits, stands, bends, lifts and moves intermittently during working hours.
  • Is subject to frequent interruptions.
  • Is involved with customers, personnel, visitors, agencies/personnel, etc., under all conditions and circumstances.
  • Is subject to hostile and emotionally upset customers, family members, personnel, and visitors.
  • Works beyond normal working hours, on weekends and holidays, and in other positions temporarily, when necessary.
  • Attends and participates in continuing educational programs.
  • Is subject to falls, burns from equipment, odors, etc., throughout the work day.
  • Is subject to exposure to infectious waste, diseases, conditions, etc., including the AIDS and Hepatitis B viruses.

EDUCATION

Must possess, as a minimum, four years of high school or equivalent. Knowledge of nursing care, first aid, and personal and environmental hygiene. Knowledge of all areas of budgeting, housekeeping, nutrition, food preparation and clothing care.

EXPERIENCE

Must have experience as a homemaker, either in own home or employment.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

Must:

  • Be able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language;
  • Possess the ability to make independent decisions when circumstances warrant such action;
  • Possess the ability to deal tactfully with personnel, customers, family members, visitors, government agencies/personnel, and the general public;
  • Possess the ability and willingness to work harmoniously with professional and non-professional personnel;
  • Have patience, tact, a cheerful disposition and enthusiasm, as well as the willingness to handle difficult customers;
  • Be willing to seek out new methods and principles and be willing to incorporate them into existing work practices;
  • Be able to relate information concerning a customer's condition.

PHYSICAL AND SENSORY REQUIREMENTS (With or Without the Aid of Mechanical Devices)

Must be able to:

  • Move intermittently throughout the work day;
  • Speak and write the English language in an understandable manner;
  • Cope with the mental and emotional stress of the position;
  • See and hear or use prosthetics that will enable these senses to function adequately to assure that the requirements of this position can be fully met;
  • Function independently and have flexibility, personal integrity, and the ability to work effectively with customers, personnel, and support agencies;
  • Be in good general health and demonstrate emotional stability;
  • Relate to and work with the ill, disabled, emotionally upset, and, at times, hostile people;
  • Lift, push, pull, and move a minimum of 50 pounds.

Tasks assigned to this position involve potential and/or direct exposure to blood or body fluids.