The Role

Works as a part of a multi-disciplinary team to provide person-centred care to residents and create a home-like environment where residents feel listened to and cared about. Supports care approaches that are evidence-informed, recognize the uniqueness of each person, put people before tasks, and support an awareness of one’s contribution to each relationship, including personal attitudes, values, and actions. Documents care and assistance provided. Performs clerical, portering, and housekeeping duties as required.

Works as part of a multi-disciplinary team to create a caring, person-centred, homelike environment where residents feel listened to and cared about.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Works as a part of a multi-disciplinary team to provide person-centred care to residents and create a home-like environment where residents feel listened to and cared about.
• Assists residents to maintain personal hygiene (e.g., bathing, nail grooming, teeth cleaning, mouth care), and with dressing/undressing. Labels resident clothing and care items. Assists residents in and out of beds, wheelchairs, geriatric chairs, on/off toilets, bedpans, and commodes using resident-appropriate lifting techniques and mechanical protocols. 
• Encourages meaningful, relaxed, social mealtimes for residents and team members. Serves and assists during meals, assists residents with meals as directed, cleans residents as needed, and clears tables. Documents food intake per procedures and reports unusual occurrences to RPN, RN.
• Engages with residents, promotes resident participation, and participates with residents in programs and activities.
• Delivers effective, efficient care according to resident care plans. Promotes resident/family choice, maximizes resident strengths, supports limitations, and ensures safety of the resident, other residents, and staff. 
• Reads kardex and behaviour support plans (as applicable) for each resident. 
• Carries out routine bowel and bladder programs. Distributes and cleans bedpans and urinals, as required. 
• Makes/changes resident beds when required. Rinses and sorts soiled clothing and linens for laundering.
• Applies topical lotions, oils, prescription creams, and ointments under direction of RPN, RN, or delegate. Collects specimens for testing as directed.
  Responds promptly to resident call bells and participates as directed in resident rounding.
• Operates mechanical lifts and transfer devices per policy and care plans.

Additional Duties/Responsibilities

• Documents care provided and activities of daily living per policy. Attends resident care conferences and meetings as needed. Participates in shift reports. Observes and immediately reports changes in resident physical and emotional condition and assists to maintain condition and care records. 
• Assists residents to prepare for appointments and activities, and assists with activities, as required.  Assists resident care staff with resident exercises and walking. Accompanies/transports residents to in-house appointments (e.g., hairdresser, barber, optometrist, programs).
• Ensures resident rooms are maintained in a clean, tidy manner. Follows established procedures for soiled linens, equipment, and products using proper infection control procedures. Stocks resident bathrooms and rooms with items needed to provide care (e.g., continence supplies) and changes bedding when required. Submits work orders for repairs. 
• Reports hazards that could impact staff and resident safety.
• Assists with admissions, discharge, and transfers per instruction from Team Lead, RN, RPN, including unpacking/packing possessions and making residents feel welcomed. Answers visitor questions promptly and courteously, and re-directs to caregiver if required. Answers telephones, takes messages, and refers callers after office-hours. 
• Fills oxygen tanks.
• Completes ostomy care. 
• Supports a palliative approach to care by delivering compassionate end-of-life care that considers the needs of the resident and their families.  
• Tends to deceased residents when directed (e.g., bathing, dressing, belongings, assisting with other preparations).  
• Keeps knowledge current through in-service training and communications. Demonstrates/explains work procedures to help train new staff and volunteers as directed. 
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Understanding of the geriatric population, as well as knowledge, skill, and judgment acquired through completion of a Personal Support Worker Certification program per the requirements of the Long Term Care Homes Act and Regulations that meets:
  • (i) the vocational standards established by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, or
  • (ii) the standards established by the National Association of Career Colleges, or
  • (iii) the standards established by the Ontario Community Support Association
  • and is a minimum of 600 hours in duration, counting both class time and practical experience time.
• Must have a tuberculosis (TB) test and required immunization(s).
• Knowledge of and ability to comply with policy, procedures, the restorative care philosophy (with a focus on team work), and related legislation. 
• Demonstrated human relations and communication skills to interact pleasantly and professionally with residents, their families, and other staff; engage residents and their families in recreation and social programs, using positive language to support emotional well-being; assist on outings; work with RPN and RN to provide personal care; and participate as an effective team member. 
• Ability to demonstrate compassion, validate emotions, support dignity, and promote understanding of those who we serve. 
• Ability to read, participate in, and communicate as it relates to resident care plans, health status updates, daily reports, information forms, case histories, and flow sheets.
• Ability to operate mechanical lifts and transfer devices per policy.
• Must provide an acceptable vulnerable sector police check. 
• Ability to work day, evening, night, weekend, and statutory holiday hours.
• Ability to support and demonstrate the Region’s values.