Position: Direct Support Professional

Employee: Part time – Full time. Hours may vary according to needs.

Summary of position:
• Provide care and supervision of the persons served in a manner that supports the person’s preferences, daily needs, activities and accomplishment of the person’s personal goals and service outcomes while supporting what is important to as well as what is important for the person.
• The care and supervision of the persons served as directed or needed to maintain health, safety and high quality of life including assisting persons served with physical and personal care needs, assisting with or administering medications as prescribed and other health service needs.
• Ensuring the environment is safe, preparing meals, implementing training and behavior programs and social interactions as directed. Assisting with or doing designated housekeeping, laundry and other household tasks.
• This position requires an awake staff throughout the entire shift unless specifically designated hours are “sleep” hours.
• Documentation including daily progress notes, program data pages, incident reports, seizure reports and other reports as needed or directed.
• This staff person is a mandated reporter.
• Responsibilities may change to meet the needs of the persons served.
• Follow all policies and procedures of the PRGH, Inc.

Qualifications:
• 18 years of age or older.
• Valid driver’s license and good driving record.
• Pass a state background check.
• Maintain First Aid/CPR training or certification, as designated.
• Maintain medication administration certification.

Essential Functions:

Attendance and Promptness:
• Arrive to work as scheduled/arranged and complete the entire shift.
• Attend and participate in team meetings and workshops and in-services.
• Find replacement staff person for shift when time off is needed after schedule is posted.

Shift Responsibilities:
• Review schedule of events, appointments and information in the daybook, calendars, medical notes and incident reports.
• Provide care and supervision of persons served to ensure health and safety.
• Complete outcomes, daily tasks and other items as directed including documentation.
• Complete hygiene care as needed including but not limited to bathing and assisting with toileting (wiping, feminine hygiene care).
• Safely intervene in emergency situations using de-escalation skills and emergency use of manual restraint when indicated.
• Maintain clean, healthy, safe environment.
• Prepare and store food safely and sanitarily.
• Ask questions for clarification.
• Provide assistance with money handling if needed.

Relationship to Persons Served:
• Develop positive relationships with persons served.
• Support, promote and respect the person’s dignity, history and cultural background.
• Support, promote and allow the opportunity for the development and exercise of functional and age-appropriate skills, decision making and choice, personal advocacy and communication including communicating with persons served according to their preferred method of communication (i.e., verbal, sign language, visual aids).
• Affirm and protect civil and legal rights of persons served.
• Support, promote and allow inclusion and participation in the person’s community and support the person in developing and maintaining a role as a valued community member including transportation to and supervision during community activities.
• Support, promote and allow opportunities for self-sufficiency and independence as well as supporting the development and maintenance of social relationships and natural supports including family members, friends, case managers and guardians.
• Support, promote and allow a balance between risk and opportunity, meaning the least restrictive supports or interventions necessary, provided in the most integrated setting in the most inclusive manner to support the person to engage in activities of the person’s own choosing with persons of their choosing.
• Assist persons served as needed with activities of daily living
(i.e., Dressing, bathing, hygiene, meals, laundry, banking, shopping, etc).
• Assist persons served to learn new skills and/or behaviors according to their preferred learning style.
• Maintain privacy of protected information and documents at all times.

Relationship to Interdisciplinary Team:
• Participate respectfully as a member of the team.
• Communicate with team about the care of the person as needed, desired or directed.
• Attend and participate in team meetings as directed.

Relationship to Staff:
• Participate as a member of the team.
• Communicate with staff on shift and when leaving shift about the care of persons served or any other necessary information.
• Assist other staff when needed in the completion of their duties, as time permits. Also, when another staff member is handling a difficult situation, pitch in and help.

Medical Concerns:
• If needed, obtain and maintain certification in Pine River Group Home Inc. in-house Medication Administration Course.
• Administer medications, therapies and medical treatments according to doctor’s orders, nursing orders, the MAR and standing orders.
• Document medical concerns in progress notes, on seizure reports or incident reports as
indicated.
• Contact RN and program director with medical concerns.
• Schedule and assist at medical appointments and advocate for person served.
• Follow Universal Precautions for Infection Control at all times.
• Maintain privacy of health information at all times.

Documentation:
• Document clearly, legibly and timely for each shift in the progress notes and program data pages.
• Document clearly, legibly and as needed in other documents including but not limited to seizure reports, incident reports, the day book and other documents.
• Complete time card for payroll and billing accurately and timely.
• Maintain privacy of data and documents at all times.
• Submit expenses for reimbursement within all guidelines.

Special Conditions:
• Obtain and maintain required certifications as directed by the Administration including but not limited to CPR/First Aid.
• Physical effort is required to perform the following:
• Lift or physically assist individuals in daily activities.
• Perform one or two person transfers of persons.
• Restrain and/or redirect individuals using therapeutic intervention techniques.
• Carry supplies.
• Perform routine household tasks including cleaning and moving furniture
• Standing, walking, bending, grasping, hearing and seeing are required.
• Ability to speak, write, and read in English and communicate in alternative communication methods as needed.
• Both indoor and outdoor activities are required.
• Exposure to unpleasant sights, sounds, odors and physical and verbal aggression may be encountered.
• Additional work related duties may be requested as deemed necessary by the administration.