Caregivers Job Descriptions

Clearly, the duties of a Caregiver are not glamorous, but the position is highly suited for people who are interested in helping to cure illness, mitigate misery, and generally add to the wellbeing of other people at the time they need it most.

Due to the personal nature of the occupation, a trained Caregiver job description must include people skills and the ability to be compassionate and enjoy helping others.

A trained Caregiver’s workload can become intense and fast-paced, but the human contact and ability to help those in medical need is a strong motivating factor. A desire to help people and compassion for patients can help a Caregiver get through difficult days.

It should be noted that a trained Caregiver’s job has peaks and valleys. It can be physically demanding at times with some unpleasant responsibilities, but the role also allows them to build strong relationships with patients.

Due to the nature of the medical field, they normally work irregular hours (nights, weekends and holidays). However, Caregivers enjoy solid job security and frequently work a flexible schedule.

However, the Caregiver needs a strong work ethic and ability, but issues of liability and legality prevent them from performing certain procedures. The challenges faced by Caregivers are vast. It encompasses provision of those that are on special diet, requiring medical attention, under-aged, and mental problems among others.

The job responsibilities vary based on where they work and live. Other duties might include transporting patients to operating rooms or treatment units and setting up equipment at a nurse or doctor’s request.

Aspiring Caregivers should understand the job isn’t glamorous and can be graphic at times. From dressing wounds to cleaning a patient after an accident, Caregivers are often put to the test on a daily basis.

Below is a list of some of the more common Caregivers duties and responsibilities.

A. Monitor Patients: It is often the Caregivers duties to monitor patients and clients in order to record their findings. Since care givers have daily contact with patients, they are gatherers of vital information about the patients’ conditions, which they must then transmit to their supervisors. This includes measuring and recording vital signs, like blood pressure and heart rates. They document patients’ health issues or otherwise report observations of patient behavior, complaints, or physical symptoms to nurses. Caregivers are also responsible for keeping track of patient’s or client’s intake and output, and alerting doctors and other registered nurses of problems as well as answering patient calls.

B. Administer Medications/Treatments: The Caregiver as directed by a physician or nurse administers medications/treatments such as catheterizations, suppositories, irrigations, enemas, massages, or douches to patients. In some facilities, a Caregiver will always be conscious of the patient’s medication timing as directed by the physician/nurse.

C. Personal Hygiene: Caregivers often help patients and clients that are unable to attend to their own personal hygiene as well. This often includes helping patients with tasks such as bathing, dressing, brushing their hair, and brushing their teeth.

B. Housekeeping: Patients in hospitals or nursing homes are typically never required or expected to keep their rooms clean and orderly. This is usually because many often find it difficult to move around, let alone clean. In most cases, this responsibility falls upon Caregivers, who help keep patient rooms and linens neat and clean. They clean and sanitize patient rooms, bathrooms, examination rooms, or other patient areas.

E. Dietary Needs: Caregivers play an integral role in helping many patients eat. They may simply be required to bring meal trays to some patients, while they may be required to help other patients eat. When a patient is done eating, some Caregivers are also required to record how much patients eat and how often they eat. This includes measuring and recording their food and liquid intake

F. Transportation: Since many patients find it difficult to get around, Caregivers are often required to help them. Depending on the severity of a patient’s illness or injury, this may involve everything from simply escorting them to pushing them in a wheelchair as well as turning or repositioning bedridden patients

G. Exercise and Massage: Bedridden patients are at risk of developing such things as muscle atrophy and embolisms. Because of this, Caregivers are often responsible for helping a patient move and exercise on a regular basis. At times, they might also be called upon to give patients therapeutic massages as well.

H. Wound Care and Prevention: Some patients – such as those who have had surgery – must also have dressings and bandages changed from time to time. The Caregivers apply clean dressings, slings, stockings, or support bandages, under direction of nurse or physician. Along with this task, they must also periodically check for and try to prevent bedsores in bedridden patients.

A trained Caregivers do not always want to leave the work they are doing. They gain valuable knowledge and experience on the job that can’t be replicated and definitely prepares them for a career in any part of the medical field but many Caregivers choose to stay in the profession for a long time.

While Caregivers may not have the most glamorous positions, they are usually quite happy at their jobs.