Job Overview

Employment Type:

Part time

Shift:

Evening Shift

Description:

Responsible for assisting tenants who are functionally, physically, and/or socially impaired and may need continual oversight. The Associate’s role is to assist tenants with those activities of daily living that they are unable to perform without some form of assist, fostering at all times the tenant’s independence and freedom of choice. In addition, assists with tenant activity programs, administers medications, serving their meals, cleaning and laundry tasks, light baking/continental breakfast set up, and assistance with state regulated activities, such as fire drills. All responsibilities will be conducted in a manner that is consistent with the mission, vision, and philosophy of Mercy Medical Center, as well as the philosophy of assisted living adopted by the Ellen Kennedy Living Center.

Customers include tenants, families/visitors, physicians, physician assistants, nurse and nurse practitioners, case managers, representatives of third-party payers, representatives of referring agencies, interdepartmental and intradepartmental staff, vendors, and volunteer.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
1. Adheres to the principles of caring and expected behaviors outlined in Mercy Medical Center's Model of Caring and Trinity Health's Code of Conduct, fostering a climate where all customers are treated in a manner consistent with Mercy Medical Center's Mission and Values.
2. Maintains a working knowledge of applicable Federal, State and local laws and regulations, Trinity Health’s Organizational Integrity Program, Standards of Conduct, as well as other policies and procedures in order to ensure adherence in a manner that reflects honest, ethical and professional behavior.
3. Performs other duties consistent with purpose of job as directed.
4. Demonstrates specific customer focused behaviors regarding attitude, acknowledgement, privacy/confidentiality, communication skills, professional behavioral and timely responsiveness.
5. Assists in the Daily Living activities such as dressing and undressing as needed. Assists with clothing choices appropriates to season. Provides bathing assistance. Provides personal hygiene. Takes care of assistive devices such as glasses, hearing aids, walkers, wheelchairs, and canes including the monitoring of safe transfers and ambulating techniques. Assists tenants, visitors, and other staff during fire drills and evacuations and accounts for each person in the building.
6. Assists in instrumental tasks such as dialing a telephone and adaptive devices. Provides housekeeping duties such as vacuuming, dusting, emptying trash, cleaning the bathroom, scrubbing floors, bed making and linen changes. Does personal and flat linen laundry. Escorts and assists with transportation needs. Assists with mail delivery, reading and letter writing.
Responds immediately to an emergency push button call from tenants on the assisted living and independent living levels of facility. Responds by calling and/or going to or locating tenant is required.
7. Administration of medications, which includes monitoring of medication supplies and documentation. Reminds tenant when it is time to take a medication(s) if in their care plan. Reports to R.N. Case Manager if a tenant is not taking medications according to the service plan or instructions on the medication label or if tenant refuses to take medication.
8. Observes and reports changes in tenant’s physical condition, cognitive and emotional status to the R.N. Case Manager. Conducts well being checks as needed. Monitors the environment for safety. Records incidents, errors, accidents or changes in tenant’s condition.
9. Assists in a variety of tasks related to the dining experience, including, but not limited to, setting up and cleaning the tables, serving the food, doing the dishes, assisting with dietary requests. Provides tray service to tenant’s apartments if they are ill or unable to come to the main meal. Assists kitchen/dining staff with dining service. Before direct care chores or cleaning, may do food preparation work such as cooking/baking, preparing and setting up for continental breakfast in the morning.
10. Maintains and cleans any or all common spaces, such as, wellness room, spiritual room, dining room after all meals, whirlpool room and tub, billiards room, quilting room, etc. Cleans up after various social activities with tenants. Cleans all tenant’s apartments on a weekly or bi-weekly based on their level of care (includes cleaning furnace filters in each apartment).
11. Responsible for implementation of or assistance to Lifestyle/Activity staff as needed for tenant programs that support and encourage tenant participation and socialization. Assists Lifestyle/Activity staff with planning of monthly social events and calendars when needed. Transfers tenants to out-of-facility activities as needed (shopping). Encourages tenants to participate in social activities, realizing however, that participation is not required. Assists with facility and tenant fish and plant care within the tenant’s apartment and common areas. Encourages tenant’s continued involvement with family, friends, and community activities.
12. Serves as an integral member of the service plan team by assisting with assessment and development of each tenant’s service plan as needed. Visits with tenants to determine services and support needed, as well as past interests. Follows and implements service plan developed by R.N. Case Manager in coordination with each tenant’s desires and wishes. Recognizes when tenant is in unsafe situation or non-compliant with their medications, and bringing this to the attention of the R.N. Case Manager or Director so a Negotiated Managed Risk Agreement can be completed and signed by tenant, tenant’s family and Director or R.N. Case Manager.
13. Demonstrates leadership skills such as planning and completing duties with minimal direction from supervisor. Works collaboratively with co-workers and other team members. Uses tactful and diplomatic communication in potentially sensitive or emotionally charged situations. Follows-up on reported complaints, problems, and concerns. Acts as positive ambassador. Maintains all certifications required for employment. Accepts training provided or offered by employer. Provides tours and information as needed on the Assisted Living and Independent Living program.
14. Demonstrates administrative responsibilities such as monitoring supplies and reports when needed to order. Copies special paperwork or forms. Keeps and updates/documents daily the tenant’s service plans and any extra service charges for each tenant. Keeps other staff updated on any tenant changes on their daily shift and logs in communication book. Prepares and maintains tenant census records. Documents all Medicaid paid services provided to Tenants in accordance with State and Federal laws. Assists in training of new staff. Attends all in-services, projects, or committees as assigned. Demonstrates an understanding of the aging process and philosophy of assisted and independent living.
15. Observes safety hazards and emergency situations. Performs all duties in a safe and efficient manner; assures that safety regulations are followed at all times by all staff. Assists with routine tenant fire evacuations. Demonstrates knowledge of emergency policies and procedures.
16. Interacts with tenants, families, staff, and other visitors to the center in a pleasant, respectful, and courteous manner. Acts as a positive representative of the facility at all times.
17. Provides privacy and maintains the confidentiality of all tenant care in formations.
18. Attends all in-service education programs mandated by federal, state and company guidelines.
19. Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor.
20. Demonstrates activity to impact change within your departments, with other departments.
21. Promotes and establishes effective relationships within the department, with other departments, physicians, and with facility guest and clients.
22. Takes an active role in enhancing abilities to carry out job functions through personal and professional/job-related growth and development.
23. Attends periodic staff meetings.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES RQUIRED:
1. Maintains a professional, collaborative work environment so as to foster a positive public image for Mercy Medical Center.
2. Knows and adheres to all laws and regulations pertaining to patient health, safety and medical information (i.e., HIPAA, Stark, etc.)
3. Ability to work independently/self-directed/motivated.
4. Must be able to think, act and intervene independently and in the safest manner for the tenant in both routine and emergency situations. Must have ability to assess an emergency situation and think clearly to act in the appropriate manner for each specific situation.
5. Excellent interpersonal and guest relations skills.
6. Must be able to relate to tenants and staff in a courteous and diplomatic manner under all circumstances.
7. Ability to work as a team member.
8. Must be able to work flexible hours (rotating weekends and holidays) and participate in special activities.
9. Must be able to read, write and speak fluent English.
10. Must demonstrate use of mature judgment and demonstrate excellent problem-solving skills and ability.
11. Able to handle job responsibilities in a positive, professional manner.

WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
1. Job requires lifting and carrying frequent (21-50% of work time) 11-24 lbs., and occasionally (6-10% of work time) up to 50 lbs. without assistance.
2. Must be able to stand and walk for several hours at a time.
3. Must be able to lift, carry, stand, bend, squat, crawl, reach, and kneel using good body mechanics for sustained periods of time.
4. Must possess sight/hearing senses or use prosthetics that will enable these senses to function adequately so that the requirements of this position can be fully met.
5. Must be in good general health and demonstrate emotional stability in order to cope with the physical, mental and emotional stress of the position.
6. Must be able to work under stress when confronted with critical or unusual situations.
7. Exposed to body fluids, infection, odors, and behaviors of tenants.
8. Exposed to chemical/cleaning solutions.
9. Works primarily indoors in a well-illuminated, reasonably climate-controlled environment.
10. Involves possibility of exposure to communicable disease.
11. Works with frequent interruptions.
12. Must adhere to applicable organizational requirements on an annual basis for Employee Health Directives.

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXERIENCE REQUIRED:
1. High School Diploma strongly preferred.
2. Child and Dependent Adult Abuse Mandatory Reporter Training is required within 6 months of hire and every 3 years thereafter.
3. Basic Life Support Certification (BLS) is required with recertification every other year.
4. Must have a valid state driver's license.
5. Must be 18 years old as required by State regulations.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Trinity Health is a family of 115,000 colleagues and nearly 26,000 physicians and clinicians across 25 states. Because we serve diverse populations, our colleagues are trained to recognize the cultural beliefs, values, traditions, language preferences, and health practices of the communities that we serve and to apply that knowledge to produce positive health outcomes. We also recognize that each of us has a different way of thinking and perceiving our world and that these differences often lead to innovative solutions.

Our dedication to diversity includes a unified workforce (through training and education, recruitment, retention, and development), commitment and accountability, communication, community partnerships, and supplier diversity.