Choosing a career is a difficult decision for most people. It is one of the most important decisions you will ever make because it will affect the rest of your life. If you have always been interested in the healthcare field and you enjoy helping people, you might want to consider taking a personal care worker course. A career as a personal care worker is a rewarding one. Here is some information about what this job involves.
1. Overview
As people get older, they lose the ability to perform many daily tasks that younger and healthier people take for granted. These elderly people do not always have family and friends available to help them with these tasks. Therefore, they need to hire professional help to assist them.
2. Responsibilities
In order to be successful as a personal care worker, you will need to possess a great deal of compassion. People in this profession view it more than simply a way to make a living. They often form deep bonds with the people they take care of. This type of emotional connection makes your work much more meaningful than a standard job where you punch out at the end of the day and leave your work at the office. Some of the tasks you will be expected to perform for your patients include giving them medication, preparing meals, personal hygiene, helping them eat, helping them get dressed and bathing. Not all patients will require all of these services. It all depends on the health of the patient. Therefore, your tasks will vary on a case-by-case basis.
3. Required skills
In order to qualify for this position, you will first need to successfully complete a training course. It is possible to obtain a diploma and become a personal care worker in as little as 32 weeks from some schools. When employers are looking to hire someone for this position, they will usually look for a person who takes initiative and performs necessary tasks without being told to do so. You must also be very careful to protect the confidentiality of the patients that you care for. Excellent communication and organizational skills are also essential. Since many patients will need your help administering their medication, it is critical that you have the ability to keep track of what medications need to be taken, as well as the exact time they should be administered.