HUMAN SERVICES TECHNICIAN (DEAF LANGUAGE SPECIALIST)

Definition

Under direction of a supervisor in a health care facility performs nonprofessional nursing care facility performs nonprofessional nursing care and assumes responsibility as a member of a treatment team. Works with residents, their families, and community agencies; provides guidance and instruction to other staff personnel. Works with the aged, the disabled and the chronically ill to assist in their social and emotional rehabilitation and to optimize their remaining physical and mental competency; does related work as required.

NOTE: The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.

Examples of work

• These examples of work are to be performed by utilizing the language of the deaf, particularly American Sign Language.
• Contributes as a member of the team in the determination of short range and long range residents goals; participates and involves the resident in goal planning sessions.
• Helps residents establish goals for social activities, family interventions, and peer relationships.
• Assists in establishing resident recreation, social, and occupational programs and assures that nonprofessional assistants and others are following resident's treatment plan.
• Works closely with families; provides feeling of concern, trust, and confidence to residents and families.
• Interprets hospital rules and regulations to coworkers, residents, members of patients' families, and visitors.
• Carries out proper methods of administering care while interacting with resident to include such things as observing and/or reporting changes in appearance, behavior, and condition.
• Assists in the planning and implementation of basic therapy techniques such as counseling, socializes, behavior modification, and re-motivation activities under the supervision of a professional team member. Carries out appropriate elements to the prescribed programs independently.
• Participates in structured group meetings of a therapeutic or problem solving nature including community meetings and task oriented groups meetings in order to encourage client independence.
• Serves as co-therapist in group therapy programs for residents.
• Assists in planning and participates in a continuous resident education program with emphasis on self-help and social development within the resident's individual ability.
• Teaches housekeeping skills to residents and performs basic housekeeping duties to assure cleanliness of the resident living quarters.
• Collects and bags soiled linen and sorts clean linen.
• Bathes, dresses, combs hair, trim nails, shaves, and provides whatever other assistance in required by residents to assure adequate standards of personal hygiene.
• Assists in orientation of paraprofessional personnel as directed.
• Receives in-service educational training and clinical experience in order to become more proficient in job related skills.
• Provides medical supplies and equipment for assigned wards, rooms, and buildings as directed.
• Attends continuing in-service educational programs offered by the department as well as interdisciplinary programs appropriate to the level of work.
• Makes regular tours of the unit to check fire equipment and other safety factors. Recognizes actual and potential safety hazards. Takes corrective action and/or reports condition to the person in charge.
• Participates in fire and disaster drills. Takes appropriate action in fire and disaster situations.
• Assists in training of residents and staff in principles of fire safety and disaster measures when so assigned.
• Renders basic first aid and emergency care to residents when necessary using principles as taught.
• Makes rounds of cottages on ward area for the purpose of checking residents.
• Supervises residents during meals; assists the residents to eat as required; encourages socialization during meal time; intervenes when behavior becomes inappropriate.
• Assists in the coordination and planning of household activities such as cooking, cleaning, shopping and its implementation.
• Assists in the coordination and planning of dressing and grooming needs of residents.
• May be required to transport and/or escort resident to locations within or outside the facility as assigned and remain with them when indicated.
• Assists resident to become familiar with community service and resources (transportation, library, adult school, and so forth).
• Helps residents plan activities and appointments (doctor, dentist, clinics, and so forth).
• Assists in search for missing residents. Participates in search as required. Prepares appropriate reports related to the circumstances.
• Assists in individual cottage/ward programming.
• Lifts and/or moves residents as required.
• Takes vital signs- temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure.
• Prepares resident for special tests.
• Compiles and maintain essential records as required.
• Performs related direct care work as required.
• May be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.

Experience

One (1) year of experience in the nonprofessional nursing care of children and/or adults in an institution, nursing home, or hospital.

SPECIAL SKILL: Ability to communicate effectively in the language of deaf, particularly, American Sign Language, sufficiently to perform the duties of the position.

License

Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform essential duties of the position.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of the specific problems encountered in the non-professional care of persons confined to nursing homes, hospitals, and other institutions that are for the ill and mentally deficient.
• Knowledge of physical, mental, and emotional needs of mentally deficient and geriatric residents and of procedures and methods to provide for their needs.
• Knowledge of first aid and emergency care.
• Knowledge of housekeeping, fire and safety, and sanitation problems likely to be encountered and the methods and equipment needed for solution.
• Knowledge of the principles of body mechanics.
• Ability to perform nonprofessional nursing care, physiotherapy, and other special care prescribed for residents.
• Ability to communicate in sign language and AMSLAN.
• Ability to assist professional staff in recreation, social, and occupational therapy programs as related to the individual treatment plan.
• Ability to follow written and verbal instruction, rules and regulations and express them to coworkers, residents, and visitors.
• Ability to bathe, dress, and assist residents within the standards of personal hygiene.
• Ability to organize assigned work, analyze problems, and develop appropriate work methods.
• Ability to recognize changes in appearance, behavior, and condition of resident and report to supervisor.
• Ability to prepare written factual reports.
• Ability to work effectively with associates, superiors, and residents.
• Ability to work with the offer guidance and support residents in a cottage.
• Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording information systems used by the agency, office or related units.
• Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
• Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.