Housekeeping Aide

Position Overview
Assist in maintaining a clean, sanitary and orderly facility through the routine performance of a variety of environmental services tasks.

• Some knowledge of housekeeping methods, supplies and equipment.
• Follow verbal and written instructions.
• Sincere desire to work with elders and others who have a limited capacity for self-care.
• Mental and physical capacity to perform the essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodations.
• Work with and provide care to individuals of a wide range of personality types and maturity levels.
• Demonstrate creative initiative and mature judgment in making competent decisions.
• Consistently maintain courteous, empathetic, and professional attitude.
• Maintain a professional appearance at all times.
• Communicate and comprehend orally and in writing to effectively receive and share information as necessary to perform job duties.
• Transportation accessible to enable flexibility of work schedule.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Assure Resident safety at all times.
• Willing to address each Resident by his/her preferred name as well as learn and abide by Residents’ Rights, rules and regulations.
• Commitment to work well with other staff avoiding petty conflicts that disrupt a productive work environment. Does not participate in facility gossip and rumors.
• Follows proper techniques in the use of chemicals and potentially hazardous materials in the workplace and ensures that established infection control and universal precaution practices are maintained when performing housekeeping and laundry procedures.
• Perform routine tasks such as clean and service Residents’ rooms, baths, lavatories, offices and other general use areas, according to policy and procedures.
• Arrange or re-arrange furniture and equipment as required.
• Accept change in a positive and productive manner.
• Ability to commute to and from work on a regular, dependable basis.
• Maintain clean attractive floors: mop, dust mop, scrub, strip, wax, buff or vacuum as indicated or instructed.
• Maintain adequate hand-washing and toilet supplies in all assigned areas.
• Monitor, restock and maintain housekeeping supplies and equipment as needed.
• Maintain equipment in a clean and well-functioning manner, and stored in secure area.
• Adhere to departmental policies and procedures.
• Maintains confidentiality of all activities, persons, and records.
• Perform daily assignments correctly and completely to meet established standards.
• Clean puddles expediently, using signs and verbal cautions to help Residents avoid accidental falls.
• Replace light bulbs as necessary to maintain visibility in all Resident areas.
• Report malfunctioning equipment, broken furniture, etc. to supervisor.
• Keep corridors clear of items that obstruct flow of traffic.
• Keep electrical cords and other obstacles out of traffic mainstream.
• Allows verbalization of complaints or dissatisfaction within the housekeeping department.
• Report any situations or individuals not respecting Residents’ Rights to the Executive Director, or Director of Nursing.
• Comply and maintain correct isolation procedures as ordered by physician.
• Follow disease specific techniques as posted on Residents’ door.
• Especially ascertain that contaminated waste and linens are bagged and labeled properly.
• Perform terminal cleaning when isolation is ended.
• Adjusts workload to accommodate unscheduled requests expediently.
• Demonstrate ability to effectively resume routine tasks after unscheduled interruptions.
• Place priority on common Resident areas and situations that could jeopardize the safety of others.
• Resident preferences are followed when providing care and service.
• Maintain Resident privacy, values and right for decision making.
• Immediately notify supervisor and Executive Director for any injury, illness, or if develop a condition, that might impact the aptitude to perform job functions.

Ancillary Duties and Responsibilities

• Perform duties in compliance with established policies and procedures.
• Note changes in Resident’s condition and report immediately to charge nurse or Director of Nursing.
• Report on and off duty at assigned times.
• Maintain positive public relations by greeting Residents and visitors cheerfully.
• Establish and maintain positive rapport with administration, interdepartmental personnel, volunteers, Residents, visitors and outside agency representatives.
• Maintains an attitude of support for department activities.
• Remain alert to health safety standards by reporting expediently to the Director of Housekeeping suspected hazardous/unsafe conditions and responds according to policies and procedures during fire/disaster drills and emergencies.
• Responds quickly to requests to obtain annual TB tests.
• Do not work during periods of illness that might transmit disease.
• Adhere to safety policies and procedures by demonstrating proper body mechanics when lifting, bending and stooping.
• Demonstrate proper precautions to avoid accidental fires and bodily injuries.
• Adhere to dress code.
• Be receptive to constructive feedback from co-workers and supervisors.
• Attend mandatory in-services or seminars as often as possible and apply new knowledge to day–to-day job performance.
• Accepts additional assignments within scope of training, education or experience that may be assigned from time to time by the Director of Housekeeping.

Resident Rights

• Maintain the confidentiality of all Resident care information including protected health information. Report known or suspected incidents of unauthorized disclosure of such information.
• Ensure that the Resident’s rights to fair and equitable treatment, self-determination, individuality, privacy, property and civil rights, including the right to wage complaints, are well established and maintained at all times.
• Review Resident complaints and grievances and make written reports of action taken. Discuss such actions with Resident and family as appropriate.

Safety and Sanitation

• Ensure that you and all facility personnel, Residents, visitors, etc., follow established safety regulations, to include fire protection/prevention, smoking regulations, infection control, etc.
• Ensure that the building and grounds are maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary manner as well as in good working order by reporting all concerns to management.
• Ensure that you and all facility personnel follow established regulations governing the use of labels and SDSs for hazardous chemicals.
• Ensure that facility procedure manuals identify safety precautions and equipment to use when performing tasks that could cause bodily injury or exposure to a hazardous chemical or infectious waste.
• Ensure that you and all facility personnel follow established ergonomics policies and procedures to prevent selfinjury.
• Ensure that you and all facility personnel performing tasks that involve potential exposure to blood, body fluids, or hazardous chemicals are appropriately trained prior to performing such tasks.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT: All statements addressed in the "Working Hours," "Environment" and "Physical/Sensory Demands" sections below are applicable to all jobs maintained by the employer.
Working Hours: The employee will

• Be employed on a full-time, part-time or PRN (as needed) basis. May be subject to change after employment.
• Work unusual hours as necessary and as required.
• Be expected and required to adhere to policies and procedures regarding attendance.