Home Health Aide (HHA)

The VITAS Home Health Aide (HHA) is a non-exempt employee, who is trained to provide personal care and services to hospice patients to augment care given by family members or other caregivers.

ASSIGNED JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Performs only those personal care activities contained in a written assignment. Home Health Aide (HHA) assignments may include:

1. Home Health Aide (HHA) helps the patient to maintain good personal hygiene.


2. Home Health Aide (HHA) plans and prepare meals. Feeds or assist with feeding the patient when needed.


3. Home Health Aide (HHA) assists the patient ambulation.


4. Home Health Aide (HHA) assists with certain treatments as ordered by the physician, and taught and supervised by the nurse for a specific patient including: assist with the change of the colostomy bag; assist with the use of a walker or wheelchair; reinforcement of a dressing; assist with prescribed range of motion exercises; assist with prescribed ice cap or collar; measure intake and output of fluids; and assist with medications that are ordinarily self-administered.


5. Home Health Aide (HHA) reads and records temperature, pulse and respiration.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE HOME HEALTH AIDE (HHA) NOT INCLUDED IN A WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT MAY INCLUDE:

1. Home Health Aide (HHA) assists in maintaining a safe and healthy environment.


2. Home Health Aide (HHA) promotes the patient’s mental alertness through involvement in activities of interest.


3. Home Health Aide (HHA) provides simple emotional and psychological support to the patient, family, and other caregivers.


4. Home Health Aide (HHA) reports any changes in the patient’s mental or physical condition or home situation to the VITAS Nurse and members of the interdisciplinary team.


5. Home Health Aide (HHA) teaches basic personal care to the primary caregiver.


6. Home Health Aide (HHA) practices basic infection control measures.


7. Home Health Aide (HHA) observes, reports, and documents patient status and the care and activities provided.


8. Home Health Aide (HHA) completes at least 12 hours of in-service training per calendar year.


9. Home Health Aide (HHA) handles other tasks as assigned.

THE HOME HEALTH AIDE (HHA) MAY NOT:

1. Be assigned by VITAS to any institutional setting.


2. Change sterile dressings.


3. Irrigate body cavities (such as an enema).


4. Irrigate a colostomy or wound.


5. Perform a gastric lavage or gavage.


6. Catheterize a patient.


7. Administer medications.


8. Apply heat by any method.


9. Care for a tracheotomy tube.


10. Suction a patient.


11. Provide any personal care that has not been assigned by the VITAS nurse or included in the plan of care.

QUALIFICATIONS

1. High School graduate or equivalent preferred.


2. Meets personnel qualifications of a Home Health Aide as specified in 42 C.F.R. Section 484.4 and Section 484.36.


3. Documented evidence of 75 hours of training as specified in 42 C.F.R. Sections 484.36 (a)(1).


4. Documented evidence that Home Health Aide has successfully completed a Competency Evaluation program as described in 42 C.F.R. Section 484.36(b).

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Home Health Aide (HHA) has the ability to read, write, and carry out directions.


2. Home Health Aide (HHA) has the ability to travel per job requirements.


3. Home Health Aide (HHA) has a telephone available in home.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described for the Home Health Aide (HHA) are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.   Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of the Home Health Aide (HHA), the employee is regularly required to:

• Assist in lifting and transferring patients, as required.


• Lift objects in excess of 20 pounds


• Stand or walk in excess of one hour per day


• Talk and hear

Specific vision abilities required by the Home Health Aide (HHA) include:

• Close vision


• Distance vision


• Ability to adjust focus

 The Home Health Aide (HHA) will be required to sit and stoop, kneel, and crouch.

DIRECTION RECEIVED

1. Home Health Aide (HHA) reports directly to the VITAS Nurse.


2. Home Health Aide (HHA) receives clinical direction from the VITAS Nurse.