The Hospice Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) provides compassionate, patient-centered personal care to hospice patients under the direction and supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN) and in accordance with the patient's individualized Plan of Care.
The CNA assists patients with activities of daily living, personal hygiene, mobility, comfort measures, and other assigned hospice aide services while maintaining the patient's dignity, safety, comfort, and quality of life.
As a PRN employee, the CNA provides patient care based on census, staffing needs, employee absences, vacations, admissions, and other agency needs.
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Provides hospice aide services according to the patient's Plan of Care and CNA assignment established by the RN.
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Assists patients with bathing, bed baths, showers, grooming, oral care, hair care, shaving, dressing, and personal hygiene.
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Provides toileting and incontinence care.
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Assists with repositioning, turning, transfers, ambulation, and mobility as directed.
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Assists with feeding and hydration when included in the Plan of Care.
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Observes for difficulty chewing or swallowing and immediately reports concerns to the RN.
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Provides routine skin care and observes for redness, bruising, pressure areas, wounds, skin tears, or other changes in skin integrity.
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Changes bed linens and assists in maintaining a clean, safe, and comfortable patient environment related to personal care.
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Utilizes appropriate infection-control practices, standard precautions, hand hygiene, and personal protective equipment.
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Uses proper body mechanics and follows established fall-prevention and safe-transfer procedures.
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Observes the patient's physical, functional, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral status during each visit.
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Promptly reports changes in condition to the supervising RN, including falls, injuries, respiratory distress, changes in level of consciousness, decreased intake, skin concerns, pain behaviors, or other significant findings.
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Provides care that respects the patient's dignity, privacy, preferences, independence, and rights.
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Provides compassionate emotional support to patients and families while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
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Communicates effectively with patients, families, facility staff, and members of the hospice interdisciplinary team.
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Completes visit documentation accurately and within agency-required timeframes.
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Documents care provided, observations, patient response to care, and significant findings reported to the RN.
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Maintains patient confidentiality and complies with HIPAA requirements.
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Immediately reports suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, misappropriation, or unsafe conditions according to agency policy.
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Participates in required orientation, education, in-services, competency evaluations, and supervisory visits.
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Performs only those duties permitted within the CNA's scope of practice and assigned by the supervising RN.
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Performs other appropriate hospice aide duties as assigned.
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Must meet all applicable federal and state requirements for providing hospice aide services.
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Current and active Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification/registry status in the state in which services are provided, as applicable.
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Successful completion of a state-approved nurse aide training and competency evaluation program or another qualifying training and competency pathway recognized under applicable regulations.
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Must successfully complete agency orientation and demonstrate competency in required hospice aide skills before independently providing patient care.
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Previous CNA or direct patient-care experience preferred.
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Hospice, home health, assisted living, memory care, long-term care, or end-of-life care experience preferred.
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Must demonstrate compassion and an understanding of the physical, emotional, and psychosocial needs of terminally ill patients and their families.
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Ability to provide care to patients with advanced dementia, Alzheimer's disease, cancer, cardiopulmonary disease, neurological conditions, and other terminal illnesses.
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Ability to follow the patient's Plan of Care and written CNA assignment.
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Ability to recognize and promptly report changes in patient condition to the supervising RN.
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Ability to communicate effectively with patients, families, facility staff, and members of the interdisciplinary team.
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Ability to read, write, understand instructions, and complete required clinical documentation.
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Ability to maintain patient confidentiality and comply with HIPAA requirements.
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Must demonstrate reliability, professionalism, good judgment, and appropriate professional boundaries.
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Must successfully complete required background checks, health screenings, and other employment requirements in accordance with agency policy and applicable law.
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Valid driver's license when driving is required for the position.
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Reliable transportation to travel to patient residences and facilities.
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Current automobile insurance meeting applicable state and agency requirements.
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Ability and willingness to travel throughout the hospice service area.
The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, including:
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Standing and walking for periods necessary to provide patient care.
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Bending, reaching, kneeling, stooping, pushing, and pulling.
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Assisting patients with transfers, repositioning, and mobility.
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Safely utilizing available transfer and mobility equipment.
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Performing personal care in patient homes, assisted living facilities, memory care communities, and other residential environments.
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Lifting or supporting weight consistent with patient-care responsibilities and agency safe-patient-handling procedures.
PRN employees are scheduled based on patient census and agency staffing needs. PRN status does not guarantee a specific number of hours or visits.
The CNA is expected to maintain reasonable availability, respond to scheduling communications, arrive on time for accepted assignments, and promptly notify the agency if unable to complete an accepted visit.
PRN coverage may include weekday, weekend, holiday, vacation, call-out, or increased-census coverage depending on agency needs and employee availability.
