PURPOSE
The Personal Care Assistant certification documents the basic competencies involved in providing care of individuals in the home setting. This credential is beneficial to medical assistants, nursing assistants, home health aides, licensed nurses who work in a home care setting, personal aides, and family caregivers who provide personal and limited medical care assistance to individuals in the home environment.
AUDIENCE
This credential is appropriate for any medical or non-medical individual who provides care for others in the home, non-institutional environment. These professionals include family/non-medical care providers, medical assistants, nursing assistants, nursing professionals, personal care assistants, and others who work specifically in the home environment.
jOB/CAREER REQUIREMENTS
Home health and personal care aides and assistants help people who are disabled, chronically ill, or cognitively impaired and who are living at home. They also help older adults who may need assistance to remain independent. They help with activities such as bathing, toileting, and dressing, and provide services such as light housekeeping, meal planning, and transportation. In some states, home health aides may be able to give a client medication or check the client’s vital signs under the direction of a nurse or other healthcare practitioner. Many positions are in the patient’s home; however, there are many positions in group homes or similar environments. Individuals in these positions assist the client or resident in helping themselves with activities of daily living, ensure the client or resident is living in a safe and supportive environment, and provide companionship and family support; they do not provide direct medical care.
PERSONAL CARE ASSISTANT WORKPLACE TASKS
- 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
- Perform healthcare-related tasks, such as monitoring vital signs and assisting with medication, under the direction of registered nurses or physiotherapists
- Plan, shop for, or prepare nutritious meals or assist families in planning, shopping for, or preparing nutritious meals
- Provide patients with help moving in and out of beds, baths, wheelchairs, or automobiles and with dressing and grooming
- Transport clients to locations outside the home, such as to physicians' offices or on outings, using a motor vehicle
- Instruct or advise clients on issues such as household cleanliness, utilities, hygiene, nutrition, or infant care
- Participate in case reviews, consulting with the team caring for the client, to evaluate the client's needs and plan for continuing services
- Train family members to provide bedside care
- Direct patients in simple prescribed exercises or therapeutic modalities or in the use of braces or artificial limbs
- Provide patients and families with emotional support and instruction in areas such as caring for infants, preparing healthy meals, living independently, or adapting to disability or illness
EXAM STRUCTURE OVERVIEW
Number of Questions in Exam: 120
Total Time: 120 minutes
Overall Passing Score: 70%
(All sections require an individual passing score of 70%)
