Lesson 7- Caregiving as a Professional Job
There are three important considerations to caregiving as a professional job, including:
Attendance
People need to be able to count on you to come to work when scheduled and on-time. This means having your home life
organized so that things like child care and dependable transportation have already been arranged.
There are times when things go wrong in spite of your planning. When you are not able to go to work or will be late, call your
employer as soon as possible. Know who to call and keep the phone number where you can easily find it.
If you know ahead of time you need time off, let your employer know about your plans as soon as possible. This gives your
employer or the case manager a chance to arrange for coverage while you are away. Not calling when you are unable to get to work or not showing up may be considered abandoning a client. Besides inconveniencing or even putting a client in danger, you can get into legal trouble for abandonment.
When you are sick
You should not go to work if you have a contagious illness (e.g. chicken pox, fever, flu, diarrhea). It puts the client at risk of getting sick. If you are unsure if you may be contagious, contact your health care provider and get his/her medical opinion. Follow your health care provider’s instructions and/or use your best judgment when making a decision to go to work. If you can’t go to work, call your employer as soon as possible. Have a backup plan worked out ahead of time with your employer.
Performance
While you are at work, focus on your job. Make sure you have a good understanding of what you are to do and complete all of your assigned duties. Do not let your personal problems interfere with your job duties.
Getting organized
Keep a daily routine. Come up with a system that works for you and the client, and keep it simple. When you arrive at work, get an idea of what you are supposed to do that day and how long it will take. Make yourself a task “to-do” list. A written list will help keep you on track and get everything done. Here are some tips for organizing your “to-do” list.
Remember, there will be times you need to be flexible and change the routine.
Appearance
Take pride in your appearance and use the following guidelines when getting ready for work.
Hair - Your hair should be clean, neat, and pulled back out of your face.
Jewelry - Make sure your jewelry will not get in the way when you are providing care tasks.
Shoes - Wear shoes that you can work in (e.g. no high heels, loose shoelaces).
Clothing - Wear clean, comfortable clothing that you can move in.
Perfume - Many people have allergies or are sensitive to odors. Be thoughtful and aware.
Avoid wearing too much perfume or fragrance.
Fingernails - Fingernails should be clean, filed smoothly, and short enough not to injure yourself or others (e.g. scratching, cutting, pinching).
Hygiene - Remember the importance of daily oral and body hygiene.
- Attendance;
- job performance;
- Appearance.
Attendance
People need to be able to count on you to come to work when scheduled and on-time. This means having your home life
organized so that things like child care and dependable transportation have already been arranged.
There are times when things go wrong in spite of your planning. When you are not able to go to work or will be late, call your
employer as soon as possible. Know who to call and keep the phone number where you can easily find it.
If you know ahead of time you need time off, let your employer know about your plans as soon as possible. This gives your
employer or the case manager a chance to arrange for coverage while you are away. Not calling when you are unable to get to work or not showing up may be considered abandoning a client. Besides inconveniencing or even putting a client in danger, you can get into legal trouble for abandonment.
When you are sick
You should not go to work if you have a contagious illness (e.g. chicken pox, fever, flu, diarrhea). It puts the client at risk of getting sick. If you are unsure if you may be contagious, contact your health care provider and get his/her medical opinion. Follow your health care provider’s instructions and/or use your best judgment when making a decision to go to work. If you can’t go to work, call your employer as soon as possible. Have a backup plan worked out ahead of time with your employer.
Performance
While you are at work, focus on your job. Make sure you have a good understanding of what you are to do and complete all of your assigned duties. Do not let your personal problems interfere with your job duties.
Getting organized
Keep a daily routine. Come up with a system that works for you and the client, and keep it simple. When you arrive at work, get an idea of what you are supposed to do that day and how long it will take. Make yourself a task “to-do” list. A written list will help keep you on track and get everything done. Here are some tips for organizing your “to-do” list.
- List your activities in terms of importance. That way, if some less important things don’t get done, it can be shifted to another day.
- Figure out when you work most efficiently. Do priority tasks then.
- Do similar activities at the same time. This saves time going back and forth between unrelated tasks.
- Provide for more time than you think you will need. This makes your schedule flexible enough to allow for the unexpected.
Remember, there will be times you need to be flexible and change the routine.
Appearance
Take pride in your appearance and use the following guidelines when getting ready for work.
Hair - Your hair should be clean, neat, and pulled back out of your face.
Jewelry - Make sure your jewelry will not get in the way when you are providing care tasks.
Shoes - Wear shoes that you can work in (e.g. no high heels, loose shoelaces).
Clothing - Wear clean, comfortable clothing that you can move in.
Perfume - Many people have allergies or are sensitive to odors. Be thoughtful and aware.
Avoid wearing too much perfume or fragrance.
Fingernails - Fingernails should be clean, filed smoothly, and short enough not to injure yourself or others (e.g. scratching, cutting, pinching).
Hygiene - Remember the importance of daily oral and body hygiene.