| Observation and Reporting |
- Reporting changes in the patient’s/client’s condition and needs to the registered nurse; including inputs and outputs, weight, bowel movement, and appetite.
- May perform vital signs (temperature, blood pressure, pulse, respiration, pulse.
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| Housekeeping Services |
Housekeeping services related to patient medical needs. |
| Skin Care |
- Skin care using only non-medicated or non-prescription products
– Preventive skincare |
| Ambulation |
- Assist with ambulation
- Assist with ambulation of the patient using adaptive equipment for ambulation (walker, cane, wheelchair)
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| Bathing |
- Bathing assistance, including the provision of bed baths
– Includes bathing of patients whose skin is not intact |
| Dressing |
– Assist client with dressing, including clothing and support stockings that can get purchased without a physician’s prescription
- Can apply physician-prescribed support stockings if trained and competency tested
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| Exercise |
- Assist with exercise, including passive assistance limited to normal bodily movement
- Encourage a prescribed exercise program
- Perform simple procedures as an extension of therapeutic services
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| Feeding |
- Assist with the normal feeding when the patient can independently swallow and can be positioned upright
- Can assist patients with special feeding needs if trained and competency evaluated, and services are provided under the general supervision of a nurse
Exclusions:
- No syringe feeding, tube feeding, or intravenous nutrition
– No feeding of a patient at high risk of choking |
| Hair Care |
- Assist with the maintenance and appearance of hair (non- medicated shampooing, drying, combing, styling hair)
- Can apply medicated shampoo and shampoo requiring a physician’s prescription
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| Mouth Care |
- Assist in and perform mouth care, denture care, and basic oral hygiene, including suctioning for mouth care
- Can provide mouth care for an unconscious patient
– No suctioning related to respiratory care |
| Nail Care |
- Assist with nail care, including soaking of nails, pushing back cuticles with utensil filing of nails, and nail trimming
- Excludes nail trimming of patients with conditions that might involve peripheral circulatory problems or loss of sensation (e.g. diabetic)
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| Positioning |
Assist client/patient with positioning when the client can identify to the worker, verbally Assist client/patient with positioning when the client can identify to the worker, verbally, non-verbally, or through other means, when the position needs to be changed and when skilled skin care is not required In conjunction with the positioning, non-verbally, or through other means, when the position needs to be changed and when skilled skin care is not required in conjunction with the positioning
- Positioning may include simple alignment in a bed, wheelchair, or other furniture
- Positioning can be provided without the patient requesting the change, but based on the written assignment/plan of care
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| Shaving |
– Assist client with shaving only with an electric or safety razor |
| Toileting |
- Assist client to/from the bathroom
- Provide assistance with bed pans, urinals, and commodes
- Provide peri care
- Change clothing and pads of any kind used for the care of incontinence
- Empty or change external urine collection devices, such as catheter bags or suprapubic catheter bags
- Empty ostomy bags
- Remove and replace clip-on bags/pouches
Exclusions:
- No insertion or removal of catheters or care of external catheters
- No removal of the Ostomy Wafer attached to the skin
- No digital stimulation, insertion of suppositories
– No enemas |
| Transfers |
- Assist with all types of transfers for which the aide has been competency evaluated
- Assistance of the client is not required in transfers, nor does the client have to be able to direct the use of transfer equipment
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| Medication Reminding |
Assist a client with medication reminding only when medications have been pre-selected by the client, a family member, a nurse, or a pharmacist, and are stored in containers other than the prescription bottles, such as medication minders;
- Medication minders must be clearly marked as to the day and time of dosage
- Medication reminding includes: inquiries as to whether medications were taken; verbal prompting to take medications; handing the appropriately marked medication minder container to the client; and opening the appropriately marked medication minder container for the client if the client is physically unable to open the container
- Immediately report to the supervisor any irregularities noted in the pre-selected medications, such as medications taken too often, or not often enough
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| Respiratory Care |
- May temporarily remove and replace oxygen nasal cannula or mask from the client’s face for purposes of shaving or washing a patient’s face
- May provide oral suctioning only for mouth care
Exclusions:
- No respiratory care such as postural drainage; cupping; adjusting oxygen flow; nasal, endotracheal, or tracheal suctioning; and turning off or changing tanks
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