Job Responsibilities
Some individuals that work in the personal care aide field are required to assist with a variety of duties, such as house cleaning, doing laundry, preparing and cooking meals, shopping for necessities and giving baths. You will also have to help patients with getting dressed and grooming themselves. You may also have to go with your patient to doctor visits and social outings.
Work Setting
Depending on where who you're employed with - you could be working within private residences of patients or within medical institutions. Personal care aides can be employed directly by clients or through non-profit agencies that offer home health aid. A lot of personal care nurses work inside of the homes of their patients, but there are others who are employed within adult daycare programs and other hospice settings.
Schedule
In most cases, personal care nurses' routines vary when they are working exclusively with just one client. In these type of scenarios, it is required that patients have round the clock coverage, which involves more than one aide coming to assist the patient. Most work eight hour shifts. Then in other cases, a personal care aid will visit multiple clients throughout the day. A lot of times, they are required to work during the night or on weekends, depending on the needs of the patient.
Education Requirements
To become a personal care nurse, you will have to have a high school diploma and obtain on-the-job training at an agency's registered nurses, senior aides or other licensed professional nurses.
