Respite Aide; CNA or MA

Who We Are

Since 1985, BHCHP’s mission has been to ensure unconditionally equitable and dignified access to the highest quality health care for all individuals and families experiencing homelessness in greater Boston. Over 10,000 homeless individuals are cared for by Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program each year. We are committed to ensuring that every one of these individuals has access to comprehensive health care, from preventative dental care to cancer treatment.

Our clinicians, case managers, and behavioral health professionals work in more than 30 locations to serve some of our community’s most vulnerable—and most resilient—citizens.

From our earliest days as a program, we have always sought to do work that is transformational: recognizing our shared humanity; centering dignity, compassion, mutual respect and supporting the right of every individual to access the highest levels of health care and every staff member to reach their fullest potential. We continue to be committed to building bridges and breaking down barriers, including systemic racism which harms us all.

We provide community-based health care services that are compassionate, dignified, and culturally appropriate, incorporating social determinants of health, with the goal of breaking down the physical and systemic barriers that our patients face.

• Hours: Part-time; 24 hours per week, Days/Evenings, 7:00am – 3:30pm, 3:00pm – 11:30pm and every other weekend/ holiday
• Union: Yes
• Union Name: 1199 SEIU
• Patient Facing: Yes

The Respite Aide (CNA or MA) is an important and integral part of the nursing department at the Barbara McInnis House. The purpose of the position is to provide the highest quality care to the McInnis House patients by collaborating with the team RN.

With direction from the team RN, the Respite Aide will offer clinical support services to the patients and will offer assistance and support to the McInnis House team RNs. These duties are essential to the overall functioning of the McInnis House clinic. The position is crucial to assure the continuity of patient care, providing an essential link for communication involving all departments.

Under the direction of the Assistant Director of Nursing, the Respite Aide performs a variety of appropriately delegated patient care interventions. Each Respite Aide is responsible for two teams.

• Treats patients in a manner that preserves and supports patient confidentiality, patient rights, and patient’s dignity
• Act as a member of the team of caregivers; collaborates with the team RN throughout the shift to determine appropriate work assignments and priorities, as well as communicating the status of delegated task completion and outcome of patient data findings.
• Maintains timely ongoing verbal communication to the team RN in order to assure good patient care and the effective running of the specific team.
• Assists nurse/provider during complex treatments/ dressings/ procedures, including but not limited to, doing preps and set‑ups for examinations/treatments, assisting during procedures when requested or required
• Accurately collects requested patient data (e.g. vital signs, weights and reason for visits), notifying the team RN of abnormalities
• Performs basic patient testing, including but not limited to urine dip, glucose finger stick and FIT testing
• Assist patients with personal hygiene, including bed baths and showering; assist with patient transfer from wheelchair to bed or to shower
• Provide personal care and one-to-one support for safety for patients needing end‑of‑life care
• When necessary, escort patients to off‑site appointments; maintains diabetic cart; maintains the oxygen supply for the patients in their care
• Cleans the oxygen condensers; collects, labels, and sends specimens to the lab (stool & urine) with appropriate laboratory slips and/or requisitions
• Check inventories on a weekly basis, order clinic supplies and stock them in their appropriate location upon arrival in order to avoid a shortage or misplacement of necessary supplies
• Maintains appropriate equipment logs and records per standards; copying, faxing and filing as needed

• Medic…