The Direct Care Worker, hereafter referred to as DCW, delivers treatment, care, assistance, direction and provides supervision to clients who are under Taylor’s Special Care Services, Inc (TSCS). The DCW shall ensure that all clients are safe, their living needs are satisfied, health needs are met and their Individual Plan of Service is followed as written. Services shall be implemented within a very strict, regulatory environment and each DCW is required to adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local regulations, as well as licensing certification and contractual requirements. This position reports to the Home Manager.
The DCW duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following areas:
Provide supervision, physical and verbal assistance needed to implement the following items in a safe and positive manner:
- Client Individual Plan of Service Program.
- Hygiene, toileting, dressing and eating.
- Client assistance needed for first aid, CPR, urgent or emergency situations.
- Participate and plan client recreation event and outings.
- Client medication distribution as order by doctors.
- Participate in client medical appointments and follow health orders.
- Assure clients receive adequate nutrition; assist with food purchases when assigned, menu planning and meal preparation.
- Ensure clients receive adequate care.
- Transport clients to scheduled appointments, activities, work, meetings, etc as needed.
- Schedule appointments as assigned.
- Maintain neat, accurate records and reports of all activities carried out in the program/home.
- Support the maintenance of a clean, orderly home; supervise and participate with clients in completing assigned duties and meeting defined housekeeping standards.
- Participate in team meetings for program planning, sharing of ideas and feedback.
- Communicate ideas, suggestions and concerns clearly and in a timely fashion using effective communication methods and chains of command.
- Promote and encourage the resolution of problems and disputes through open and honest communication.
- Observe professional confidentiality, privacy and security at all times.
- Protect the rights of clients and their families, and abide within the guidelines of the organization’s policies and procedures.
- Work schedules as assigned by the supervision and accept additional tasks and responsibilities as necessitated, as able and as assigned.
Strive to create an environment marked by warmth, empathy and respect.
Uphold the dignity and rights of each client, and report any abuse.
Respect clients and understand their needs and feelings, regardless of race, social, ethnic and religious background.
Communicate with other program staff and outside contacts including clients’ families, case managers, referring workers and support staff.
Work closely with persons involved in clients’ treatment plans, establish, monitor and implement activities needed to meet their goals and objectives stated in the plans.
Have an attitude and aptitude for providing best quality services.
Follow and acknowledge all necessary cleaning and upkeep as deemed necessary to maintain licensing, certification, and contractual obligations as directed by housekeeping schedules, chore list, daily schedules and normal household maintenance.
Work with clients to maximize potential, by providing consistent reinforcement to learning and continuous positive feedback to each client for learning and meeting their goal and objectives.
Provide a stable, positive role model for clients.
Be sensitive to the ideas, needs and feelings of others.
Support, encourage and give feedback to other team members on an ongoing basis.
Assist in the evaluation and implementation of client treatment programs.
Ensure that client progress notes are completed daily.
Ensure that the “staff recap log” is completed daily.
Participate in the development, implementation, and evaluation of program outcomes, team meetings, and the completion and reporting of required reports.
Know and support the organization’s policies and procedures and the various roles of each staff member including treatment, support, and administrative personnel.
Training
Direct care workers must be able to attend, understand and successfully complete and implement or facilitate training or in-services directed by licensing, certification, contractual agencies, accrediting bodies and TSCS.
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here, are representative of those encountered by an employee while performing the essential functions of this job. It should be noted that this work environment may have other conditions not presented here.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works near, with or around the following areas:
- Vehicles that travel normal road systems, during all types of weather conditions;
- Wet or humid conditions; outside weather conditions of extreme heat, cold, rain and snow.
- Caustic chemical in the form of normal household cleaning supplies, maintenance of household appliance and simple maintenance of a vehicle.
- Moving mechanical parts, in the form of household appliances, or maintenance tools, including microwaves.
- Clients with contagious or communicable diseases, with possible exposure to
- blood borne pathogens, such as, but not limited to Hepatitis B, and acute and
- chronic diseases with possible exposure to colds, flu, diarrhea, respiratory ailments, etc.
- Risk of radiation, from assisting clients in diagnostic tests.
- Other Duties
All other duties as assigned by the Taylor Special Care Services, Inc., and duties that contribute to the advancement of Taylor Special Care Services as a premier provider of services for people with mental illness and other special needs. Direct care worker performs job duties and responsibilities in accordance with applicable Safety and Health policies and procedures.
