Heather Donovan Email and Phone Number

Direct care staff are workers who look after patients, called residents,who are suffering from mental retardation or other disabilities and are living in a personal care home. These staff members are primarily focused on helping their residents live life as independently as possible and achieve as many of their aspirations as possible. The daily activities of a direct care staff member include helping the resident get ready, making meals for the resident and helping the resident eat and have his medical needs fulfilled. The staff member will also be responsible for helping the resident entertain himself and participate in recreation.

As a Student CNA, I gained experience by:1. Assist with patient's assessment and care planning Check and record vital signs Test urineMeasure height and weight Observe patient response to careMeasure intake and output Report and record observations of patient's conditionsCollect specimens 2. Assist patients in meeting nutrition and elimination needs. Check food trays Pass food traysFeed patients Provide fresh drinking water and nourishmentsAssist with bed pans, urinals and commodes Empty urine collection bagsAssist with colostomy care Give enemasObserve faeces and urine Monitor intake and output3. Assist patients with mobility Turn and position patients Provide range of motion exercisesTransfer patients to wheelchair/stretcher Assist with ambulation4. Assist patients with personal hygiene and grooming Bathe patients Provide nail and hair careGive oral hygiene Provide denture careShave patients Assist with dressing and undressing5. Assist with patient comfort and anxiety relief. Protect patient privacy and maintain confidentiality Keep call signal within patient's reachAnswer call signal promptly Provide orientation to the room or unit and to other visitors and patientsAssist patients with communication Protect personal possessionsProvide diversional activities Give backrubsPrepare hot & cold applications 6. Assist in promoting patient safety and environmental cleanliness. Make beds Clean and care for equipmentCarry out isolation precautions Practice medical asepsis and infection controlPractice standard precautions Observe oxygen precautions7. Assist with unit management and efficiency. Admit, transfer and discharge patients Transport patientsTake specimen to lab Assist with special proceduresTelephone answering Document and assist in unit record-keeping.