When working as a home health aide for a home health aide agency there will be a list of procedures and policies that all staff members including yourself will be expected to follow. This may come in the form of an employee handbook, but regardless, everyone that works for the agency will be made aware of where they can find this policy list. A policy is a course of action that should be taken every time a certain situation occurs.
For example, a common policy at many agencies is that the client care plan must be followed. To follow this policy, you will need to ensure that every time you visit a client, what you do matches and is determined by the procedures outlined in the care plan. A procedure is a particular way or method of doing something. AN agency example would be the agencies client reporting procedure. The procedure will inform the HHA what form needs to be filled out, how often, when and to whom the form should be submitted.
Here is a more expansive list of procedures required by many home health aide agencies:
- Keep all information confidential
- Always follow the client’s plan of care
- HHAs should avoid and not conduct any tasks that are not on the client care plan or job description
- HHAs must report to their assigned supervisor at regular, scheduled times
- HHAs must report important shifts or events and changes in clients and their families
- Personal problems (of the HHA) are not to be discussed with the client or client family.
- HHAs are expected to be both punctual and dependable. Any employer or client will expect this of their employee.
- HHAs must meet documentation and paperwork deadlines.
- HHAs are expected to provide all client care in a clam, friendly, pleasnt and most importantly, professional manner.
- HHAs are not allowed to give or recieve gits from clients or client families.
Your specific employer will have their own policies and procedures for each client care situation but they will likely mirror at least some of the bullets above. Though these written policies may seem long, complicated or just plain boring, each step is truly important.
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