Attendant Care Nurse

About the role

Under general supervision of the Project Director, participates in planning, implementing, and evaluating health services in specialized nursing care areas for training and certification for the Attendant Care Project with the Center for Disability Resources, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina. Independently assesses, determines, and certifies participants or representatives for self-directed care or representative-directed care and evaluates attendants’ ability to provide safe and participant-specific care. Provide training as appropriate. Demonstrates commitment to conducting business lawfully and ethically by consistently adhering to USC / DHHS compliance policies, procedures, and regulations. This position is established in support of service/training activities.

Responsibilities

• Observes participants and designated attendants in the actual performance of care and independently evaluates the suitability and effectiveness of the participant-attendant match to ensure safe and appropriate service delivery.
• Certifies the participant/representative’s ability to supervise services, evaluates the attendant’s ability to perform required care, and assesses participant-specific service needs.
• Identifies service delivery, safety, compliance, and operational concerns and recommends corrective action or escalation when appropriate.
• Monitors assigned cases for adherence to program standards, contractual requirements, policies, and established procedures.
• Receives and independently processes client referrals within established timelines.
• Initiates participant, representative, and attendant contact; coordinates required assessments, training, and certification activities; and monitors completion of program requirements.
• Provides technical assistance regarding program policies, documentation standards, service requirements, and participant/attendant responsibilities.
• Identifies barriers that may delay service initiation and coordinates with appropriate internal and external stakeholders to facilitate timely resolution.
• Conducts telephone assessments and/or home visits to reassess participant/representative and attendant arrangements and determine continued suitability, effectiveness, and compliance with program requirements.
• Evaluates complex service-delivery concerns, facilitates problem resolution, identifies potential participant safety or program compliance risks.
• Coordinates follow-up activities and escalates significant issues to program leadership when necessary.
• Establishes and maintains comprehensive participant records documenting contacts, home visits, evaluations, certifications, denials, follow-up activities, and program actions in accordance with contractual and project requirements.
• Reviews documentation for completeness, accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with established standards.
• Identifies documentation deficiencies and coordinates corrective action.
• Provides accurate program information and required documentation to the ACP Central Office for maintenance of official records and monitoring of program compliance.
• Serves as a program liaison with Community Long Term Care (CLTC), Head and Spinal Cord Injury (HASCI), Intellectual Disability and Related Disability (ID/RD), Medically Complex Children (MCC), and other external stakeholders.
• Coordinates participant and service-delivery matters, provides technical assistance regarding program requirements, facilitates resolution of operational issues, and ensures required notifications and actions are completed within established timelines.
• Maintains communication necessary to support continuity and quality of participant services.
• Maintains effective communication with the ACP Project Director and Central Office.
• Compiles, reviews, and analyzes administrative documentation, performance information, reimbursement materials, and program data.
• Identifies trends, discrepancies, service gaps, or operational concerns and provides information and recommendations to program leadership.
• Ensures required reports and supporting documentation are submitted accurately and within established timeframes.
• Coordinates with Licensed Practical Nurses and other program personnel in the implementation and continued operation of the Medically Complex Children initiative.
• Monitors transition and service activities, identifies barriers or operational concerns, provides technical assistance, and assists with developing and implementing procedures to support consistent service delivery and program compliance.
• Identifies and recruits potential attendants within assigned geographic service areas.
• Develops, updates, and delivers standardized training materials and educational resources for attendants.
• Provides guidance regarding program expectations, participant-specific responsibilities, documentation requirements, and service standards.
• Evaluates training needs and recommends modifications to improve understanding, consistency, and service quality.
• Researches and develops educational materials related to participant diagnoses, care needs, and program services for participants, representatives, and attendant providers.
• Evaluates program processes and identifies opportunities to improve efficiency, consistency, compliance, and quality of service delivery.
• Assists program leadership with implementation of procedural changes, new initiatives, special projects, and program enhancements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a job related field and 2 or more years of job related experience, which may be substituted by an equivalent combination of job related certification, training, education, and/or experience.
• Licensure as a registered nurse by the South Carolina Board of Nursing.
• Purified Protein Derivative (PPD) tuberculin skin test unless a previously positive reaction can be documented, no more than 90 days prior to employment (or documented annual testing).
• Valid driver’s license.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in nursing.
• Bachelor’s degree in nursing and 2 years’ experience.
• Diploma from an accredited school of nursing and 3 years’ experience.
• Experience as a registered nurse in public health, hospital, or long-term care setting working with people with disabilities, children with chronic physical health conditions, and/or who are aging/elderly.

Skills

• Capable of providing individualized training for the participants, representatives and attendants.
• Capable of providing group training.
• Meets OSHA requirements for bloodborne pathogen training.
• Serves several counties of South Carolina; a state vehicle is provided.
• Required to conduct business lawfully and ethically by consistently adhering to USC / SCDHHS compliance policies, procedures, and regulations.
• Effectively plans, organizes, and prioritizes work activities to meet schedules and goals while working independently.
• Thinks clearly and logically to solve unexpected problems and exercises sound judgment and discretion when interpreting and applying policies and procedures.
• Communicates courteously and effectively with the public while managing stress and maintaining confidentiality.
• Demonstrates self-motivation, organization, task orientation, and attention to detail.
• Adheres to University Specialty Clinics Patient Privacy Procedures and conducts business lawfully and ethically in accordance with applicable compliance policies, procedures, and regulations.