Personal Care Aides
Provide personalized assistance to individuals with disabilities or illness who require help with personal care and activities of daily living support (e.g., feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and ambulation). May also provide help with tasks such as preparing meals, doing light housekeeping, and doing laundry. Work is performed in various settings depending on the needs of the care recipient and may include locations such as their home, place of work, out in the community, or at a daytime nonresidential facility.
Sample of reported job titles:
Caregiver, Home Care Aide, Medication Aide, Patient Care Assistant (PCA), Personal Care Aide, Personal Care Assistant (PCA), Personal Care Attendant (PCA), Resident Care Assistant (RCA)
Occupation-Specific Information
Tasks
- Perform healthcare-related tasks, such as monitoring vital signs and medication, under the direction of registered nurses or physiotherapists.
- Administer bedside or personal care, such as ambulation or personal hygiene assistance.
- Prepare and maintain records of client progress and services performed, reporting changes in client condition to manager or supervisor.
- Perform housekeeping duties, such as cooking, cleaning, washing clothes or dishes, or running errands.
- Care for individuals or families during periods of incapacitation, family disruption, or convalescence, providing companionship, personal care, or help in adjusting to new lifestyles.
Technology Skills
- Calendar and scheduling software:August Systems Visit Wizard
- Computer based training software:Appletree
- Data base reporting software:Mi-Co Mi-Forms
- Electronic mail software:Email software,Voltage SecureMail
- Medical software:MEDITECH software
Occupational Requirements
Work Activities
- Assisting and Caring for Others:Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
- Documenting/Recording Information:Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates:Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Getting Information:Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Performing General Physical Activities:Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
Detailed Work Activities
- Administer basic health care or medical treatments.
- Assist individuals with special needs.
- Develop plans for programs or services.
- Document client health or progress.
- Drive vehicles to transport patrons.
Work Context
- Contact With Others:70% responded"Constant contact with others"
- Work With Work Group or Team:68% responded"Extremely important"
- Physical Proximity:68% responded"Very close (near touching)"
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets:66% responded"Every day"
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results:60% responded"Very important results"
Worker Requirements
Skills
- Service Orientation:Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Social Perceptiveness:Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Active Listening:Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Speaking:Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Monitoring:Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service:Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- English Language:Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Education
How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation? Respondents said:
- 54%High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
- 17%Less than a High School Diploma
- 17%Some College Courses
Worker Characteristics
Abilities
- Oral Comprehension:The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Oral Expression:The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Problem Sensitivity:The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
- Deductive Reasoning:The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Near Vision:The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Interests
- Social:Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
- Realistic:Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
- Conventional:Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Values
- Relationships:Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
- Achievement:Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
- Support:Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Work Styles
- Dependability:Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Integrity:Job requires being honest and ethical.
- Concern for Others:Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
- Cooperation:Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
- Self-Control:Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
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