Nvq Unit 1 Job Description

My job role and responsibilities as a care assistant include many different role’s. I will compile these into a typical morning shift at work. At the start of the day we all have a handover report, then before we start breakfast feeds we must always wash our hands and put on the feeding apron to prevent germs getting transferred into the food and into the kitchen. We start on a feeding list crossing every one off individually to make sure everyone has been done. We make sure the client to be fed is sat up well in bed to prevent choking, after everyone has been marked off on the list we change our aprons to blue for caring and make sure we wash our hands before starting.
My role now is to give personal care to all the residents. We assist with their mouth care, washing either done in bed or getting out and having a shower or bath and grooming. Some clients have catheter bags, so I have to empty these as well, also, some clients have specific creams they have applied after washing and some have wounds that I need to check making sure that the dressing is clean and tidy, if not then we need to get a nurse to re-do them. I make sure that whilst doing personal care that the client is treated with dignity i.e.- curtains are remained closed and the door is shut. I then assist with dressing the client, some clients can move independently or for those who cannot we use hoists or serita’s- which is a standing hoist. I have to make sure I use the right sling for the individual to hoist them into their wheelchairs or chairs, we also have handling belts for those able to weight bear. Each time you leave a client’s room when you have finished you must dispose of your gloves in the yellow bins provided and wash your hands and make sure any saturated pads are put into an outer bag and into the yellow bins. If you are doing any personal care to a client with MRSA or any infectious disease then you must always use ppe i.e. gloves and aprons and masks which you dispose of in an orange bag along with any pads. All their dirty clothing must be red bagged and put on a separate sluice wash. Any hoists used in these rooms must be screened with alcohol wipes, this is all done to minimise cross infection to the other residents. After we have done all the personal care to the clients we usually have time to interact with them in the sitting area or in the lounge, making sure they are all stimulated with something i.e. newspapers magazines and the television also playing games and sing songs to keep them entertained. Then it is usually their lunch time, we wash our hands before entering the kitchen and apply the burgundy apron. We start on a feeding list and make sure everyone is fed by ticking them off. Each client has a choice of two different meals per day whichever they prefer.
In the afternoon we have a toileting list with all the residents’ names on. My responsibility is to make sure each client has been changed. Most of our clients our doubly incontinent so it is important every client is signed off so they can be clean as they would get very sore sitting in a soiled pad. They either go on the commode if they are able or onto their bed to get cleaned. After each client is done, we have to write a comment in a ‘red’ book- the handover book, about each client and the personal care we have carried out, any changes, a note of their bowels and any dressings that have been re-done. After we have written in the red book, the nvqs 3’s always write our notes we have put into the clients care plan which is done after every shift. Each care plan is kept in a locked cupboard, these are all strictly confidential and are never to be taken out of the staff room. Each care plan includes their life history, risk assessments, medication and their daily routine diary. Also it tells you all of their needs, disabilities and allergies. It is my job role to read through every ones care plan so I know a good detail about each client, so when I need to care for the client I will do my job a lot better and fulfil all their needs.
We are also responsible for telling the nurses on duty of any changes to the client or any information they might need to know, also building up relationships is an important aspect of caring for your clients. They need to know that they can trust you, that they feel at home and have a sense of belonging. There is many different ways of good communication skills, some of our clients have dementia which can cause them a lot of confusion and frustration, maintaining eye contact, speaking softly to them and using your body language and being open to try and calm them down. If we have clients that are deaf you would obviously talk louder or use hand gestures and talk slowly so they can lip read, always taking your time with them as they can take a while to remember things. You can always tell a lot from a client’s body language if they seem withdrawn or looking down to the floor a lot of the time and not wanting to interact with other people could indicate that something could be wrong. Also, the interaction between carers and the residents’ family members is helpful because you can find out more about the clients life history, their likes and dislikes. It is also our responsibility to tell our manager if any member of staff or work colleague tells us something confidential but that information is going to be a risk or cause harm to someone.
Each shift at work is always going to be different, as there are always changes that have to be passed on during handover, so using the T.I.L.E method, Task, Individual, load, Environment, assessment each time you do a client reduces the risks of accidents and injuries to yourself, residents and others around you. When you go to do a client, my role is to check the task ahead making sure I have everything I need ready for example any hoists, toiletries and laundry. Individual clients are going to have their good and bad days with their walking and weight bearing, so it is important to make sure you recognise how the client is on the day and have the equipment around you that you might need. Load- depending on how much staff you have on to do things safely. Environment- is the area clear, is the floor wet, any obstructions in the way looking around the room for any hazards.
It is my responsibility to have regular updates from my back care advisor, on the different manual handling techniques used, how to move someone in bed correctly, making sure they have sliding sheets so you don’t damage your back and sheer the clients skin. How to use all the hoists, serita’s, handling belts and slings correctly, and knowing every piece of equipment is different and using these according to the manufacturer’s instructions. I must also report any hazards around the work place to the manager or if I could clean it up safely do it there and then. I have a responsibility to report any faulty equipment to the manager and put a sign on the equipment preventing people from using it. I Should know where all the fire extinguishers are in case of a fire and knowing how to use them, making sure all fire exits are clear from obstructions, any oxygen cylinders are kept well away from any fire hazards, making sure all chemicals are used correctly abiding by the manufacturer’s instructions and kept out of way in a locked store cupboard.
It is my responsibility to recognise the safety of the individuals being cared for and others around, and the safety of the environment I am working around; every workplace should have a health and safety poster in their workplace that you must abide by. My role is to check all the electrical and gas appliances, damaged or worn lifting equipment, mobility aids, using substances and chemicals correctly abiding by the COSHH regulations control of substances hazardous to health. This entails wearing gloves ,goggles, or it may involve limiting the time you are exposed to the substance or only using it in certain circumstances, it should also give you details on how to store hazardous chemicals. Making sure I inform my manger if there is a hazard I am aware of or if I can clear the hazard safely I would do that individually. Always using my manual handling training so there is no risk of injury to myself or the client. Knowing the fire safety procedures and the place where you meet, and making sure you know what to do during a fire, by staying calm and raising the alarm. I must attend and make sure I am up to date with the fire safety procedures making sure I know where the fire blankets and exits are and where the fire extinguishers are kept and knowing the different types of fire extinguishers used and for what particular fire. Making sure if I or a client sustains an injury or accident it gets written into the accident book riddor reporting of injuries diseases and dangerous occurrences. Reporting accidents and ill health at work is a legal requirement. Checking all the hazardous waste is dealt with in the correct way clinical waste i.e. pads, dressings, gloves to be disposed of in yellow bags which get incinerated. Any sharps to be disposed of in a yellow box. All infectious or potentially infectious diseases i.e. mrsa, HIV, meningitis etc… is to be disposed of in an orange bag and gets autoclaved. Always washing my hands before and after I start my shift, I eat any food or go to the toilet and any personal care with a client. Wearing gloves when you’re doing any personal care on a client and always changing your gloves at every client and disposing into the yellow bags. I make sure I wear protective clothing plastic aprons etc.. When dealing with bodily contact, bodily waste or fluids always tying up your hair limits the risk of cross infection and getting your hair tangled up in equipment which could cause a serious injury. Making sure any equipment used is cleaned regularly because infection can spread from one person to another. Also the security of the care home, it is my responsibility to make sure on the night shift all the doors and windows are locked and shut, and any visitors coming into the home that you do not recognise are asked ‘can I help you’ which is usually sufficient to establish whether a person has good reason to be there or not.
All of the residents have needs that need to be met that will help them achieve comfort and a feeling of well-being. One way of looking at how needs to be met is the P.I.E. chart there physical intellectual and social needs. Their physical needs would involve things like their food making sure they have the right food choice for them individually, and it’s a nutritious meal. The client’s warmth, shelter, sleep and drink. Intellectual needs involve stimulating the client, with magazines, puzzles, games or even just conversations with yourself and other residents, maintaining their mental stimulation is increasingly important if their physical abilities decline. Emotional needs involve needing or a wanting to be loved, feeling secure and a sense of belonging, without feeling these a person can become very sad and withdrawn, just being there for a chat and listening when someone feels lonely or upset can help a great deal. Social needs involve interaction between people having good communication between yourself and your clients always being there for a chat, also social interaction between the clients themselves can be good as they might be going through the same illness. This can help their self-esteem knowing they are not the only one going through an illness or disability, it is important to maintain mental stimulation as well finding out about what interests the client and responding to their needs.
Lastly, it is important for myself to promote a client’s independence. If they can help in anyway, i.e. with washing themselves, brushing their teeth, dressing or any simple things like self-help techniques, if the client can sit up by themselves using something to lean on then encourage them to do this rather than having to sit them up manually, by getting them to do this themselves even though it will generally take longer will establish a good sense of self-esteem and sense of wellbeing. It is my responsibility to ensure their rights are followed, they have a right to choose what they want to wear, what they would like for their meals, what time they would like to get up and go to bed, whether they would like to have a shower bath etc… No client should be discriminated because of their race- this can be if you have a client that is from a different ethnic origin larger numbers of black and Asians are subjected to these attacks. Gender- whether your discriminated on because you’re a female or a male, Disability- people with a physical disability are more likely to suffer from physical abuse as of their lack of ability to retaliate or communicate, or sexual orientation- if your discriminated on because a client is gay or lesbian also for religious belief’s. It is my responsibility to make sure the clients are not discriminated in any of these ways.