Job Summary:
Employee certified to administer medications, in accordance with state and federal laws, under the supervision of licensed staff to residents within Americare skilled or assisted living facilities. Provide residents with direct care to assure quality of life in a home like environment while offering additional support to family and visitors. Maintains professional behavior while functioning as an interdisciplinary team member meeting state and federal guidelines.
Supervision:
Administers medication under the supervision of licensed nurse. In some situations may be required to supervise other staff or work independently.
Critical Functions:
Administers prescribed medications to residents and maintains related medical records under supervision of licensed nurse. Verifies identity of resident receiving medication and records name of drug and dosage and time of administration on specified forms or records such as MAR. Presents medication to resident and observes ingestion or other application, or administers medication, using specified procedures. Takes vital signs or observes resident to detect response to specified types of medications and prepares report or notified designated personnel of unexpected reactions.
Documents reasons prescribed drugs are not administered. Gives direct patient care, such as bathing, dressing and feeding of residents and assisting with prescribed treatments. May receive supply of ordered medications and apportion, mix or assemble drugs for administrator to resident. May record and restock medication inventories.
Training and Experience:
- High school graduate or minimum age of 18 year of age
- Completion Certified Medication Technician or Med Level One course and obtain certification in current state
- Ability to communicate effectively with residents, co-workers, visitors and families
- Ability to and adhere to HIPPA regulations requiring confidentiality of resident information
- Demonstrate accuracy in observation, performance and reporting
- Required to work under direct supervision of licensed nurse
Key Competencies:
- Able to administer prescribed medication to residents and maintain related medical records
- Possess ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing residents needs and ADL
- Possess ability to effectively communicate with supervisor, peers, family members and visitors
- Maintain resident confidentiality (HIPPA) at all time and adhere to residents rights
- Ability to recognize and adhere to resident care plan and maintain safe living environment by utilizing safety equipment and communicating with charge staff any notable changes or concerns.
- Demonstrate professional behavior and performance as an Americare employee.
Working Conditions:
Indoor with adequate lighting and ventilation, carpet, tile, concrete floors. May include outdoor or public activities or attending recreational events with residents.
Relationship to other jobs:
This position entails providing physical and emotional support to facility residents, working in harmony with peers and supervisors while demonstrating professionalism. The documentation and provisional care is part of an interdisciplinary team effort to meet state and federal requirements and provide a loving home environment for residents.
Physical Demands:
(In an 8 hour day: N=Never 0%, O= Occasional 1-33%, F=Frequent 34-66%, C=constant 67-100%)
Part time or full time or PRN. Shifts include day, evening and nights and weekends. Specific schedule needs must be discussed and noted at time of hire. Changes in schedule must be approved by director of nursing or administrator.
OSHA Exposure:
Category 1, possibility of exposure on daily basis. Required use of personal protective equipment
Safety Equipment:
Gait belt, lumbar support, two man lift policy and use of mechanical lifts in noted facilities.
Essential Functions:
- Preparation and administration and documentation at appropriate times of all medications other than parenteral unless licensed. May be required to provide resident treatments as ordered by resident’s physician.
- Ability to provide direct physical and emotional care to resident including, but not limited to, personal hygiene, transferring, lifting, maintain records, confidentiality and assistance with activities of daily living.
- Recognize and report in a timely manner any change in resident condition to charge staff.
- Accurately observe, record and report resident care, condition or needs as well as concerns, food intake, output as ordered.
- Administer prescribed medications to residents and maintain related medical records under supervision of licensed nurse. Verified identity of resident receiving medication and records name of drug, dosage and time of administration on specified forms or record.
- Presents medication and observes ingestion or other application or administers medication using specified procedures. May be required to administer tube feeding. Ttake vital signs or observes resident to detect response to specified types of mediation and prepares report or notifies supervisor of any unexpected reactions or lack of such. Documents reasons prescribed medications or treatments are not administered. May receive supply of ordered medications and apportion, mix, or assemble drugs for administration to resident. Responsible for counting and documenting narcotics at beginning or end of shift.
- Support co-workers by providing assistance as needed or requested in resident care.
- Report in timely manner any accidents or incidents involving residents, staff, visitors.
- Communicate through report to staff on preceding and oncoming shifts.
- Admit and discharge or transfer residents with proper documentation noted in nurses notes and complete of necessary and required forms.
- Must be able to work independently or with peers to provide care of residents. Must be able to work eight (8) hour shifts unless otherwise designated by supervisor. Must be able to provide first aid as needed.
- Must be able to meet requirements of certified nursing assistant as well as certified medication technician. Review both job descriptions.
- Valid driver’s license and ability to meet company requirement related to driving if required.
POSITION:
- Standing: Essential, frequently, indoor/outdoor surfaces, carpet, tile, concrete
- Walking: Essential, frequently, within facility, outdoor activities, public buildings assessments, while providing resident care.
- Sitting: Essential, frequently, phone, assessments, activities, transportation, documentation
- Change of position: Essential, frequently, sitting, standing, walking, assessments, providing care
TORSO and EXTREMITIES:
- Reaching, extend, hand, arms: Essential, frequently, documentation, transport, assist residents, providing care, transportation
- Reach across midline: Essential, frequent, documentation, transportation, assist residents
- Handling, hold, grasp, seize, and turn: Frequently, essential, documentation, activities, transportation, assist residents
- Fingering, pick up, pinch: Essential, frequently, documentation, activities, transportation, assist residents
- Feeling, perceive, attributes of object: Essential, frequently, documentation, activities, transportation, assist resident
- Crouching, squatting, bend legs and spine: Essential, frequently, activities, transportation, assist residents.
- Crawling: only in emergency situations or emergency drills
- Balancing: Essential, frequently, documentation, activities, transportation, assist residents.
- Kneeling: Essential, occasionally, activities, transportation, assist residents.
- Stooping, bending: Essential, frequently, documentation, activities, transport, assist residents
- Jumping: Marginal, not normally required, may be in emergency
HEAD / NECK MOVEMENT:
- Static position: Essential, frequently, documentation, transport, assist residents, activities
- Left and right rotation: Essential, frequently, documentation, transport, assist residents, activities
- Forward and side: bending: Essential, frequently, documentation, transport, assist residents, activities
LIFT-CARRY-PUSH-PULL:
Lift / lowering:
- Essential, frequently, documentation, resident assist, transportation, 50 lb lift,
- Only assist residents to standing, or lower resident to floor 100 lb (push, pull, lower)
- Do not attempt to lift residents or support entire weight of resident.
- Lower resident to floor in the event of fall. Utilize two man lift procedure
- Utilize required safety equipment
- Carrying: Essential, frequently, documentation, resident assist, transportation, activities
- Pushing-pulling: Frequently, essential, resident assist, wheel chair assist, activities, transportation Pushing weight of resident in wheelchair up to 350 lbs. Pushing of med cart up to #100 lbs.
CLIMBING:
Stairs-ramp: Essential, occasionally, building access, assist residents, transportation
SENSORY:
- Auditory: Essential, resident request, breathing sounds, take and record vitals, assignments by staff.
- Visual: Essential, reading documents, read medication orders, administer medication noting correct resident, correct medication, correct time, correct dosage, correct route.
- Verbal: Essential, explain procedures, concerns or report to staff and residents and family members.
HAZARDS:
- Proximity of moving parts: Essential, occasional, activities, public events, transportation,
- Exposure to electrical energy: Essential, frequently, items which require electrical energy, such O2 tanks, lamps, television. Check equipment condition to prevent electrical shock.
- Exposure to toxic chemicals: Essential, frequent use of cleaning agents to clean and sanitize. Non exposure when using PPE as required.
- Blood borne pathogen exposure: Essential, frequently, assisting and caring for residents. Mandatory use of PPE per training eliminates exposure.
- Slippery, uneven surfaces: Occasionally, watch for wet floors when mopping has been done. Transportation during rain and or snow if employee assists with transportation.
SAFETY EQUIPMENT:
- It is mandatory to follow safety policies and procedures including use of safety equipment to protect residents and employees. Lumbar supports, gait belts, two man lift policy are mandatory in all facilities. Mechanical lifts are mandatory in skilled as directed by assessment and care plan.
- Mandatory reporting of all work related injuries within 24 hours to supervisor with participation in required documentation.
- Participation in our drug testing procedures is a mandatory part of employment with this facility.
