DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL

Job Description

Job Description

1. JOB SUMMARY:

A Direct Support Professional cares for individuals experiencing intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). Their main duties include helping patients complete basic housekeeping tasks, attain goals, transporting patients to appointments or other social outings, and keeping patients safe from potential health hazards in their surrounding environment. The goal is to help persons with IDD achieve a more comfortable level of independence.

1. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

   1. Job activities:

• Assisting clients with daily personal tasks, including bathing and dressing.

• Completing housekeeping tasks such as vacuuming, washing dishes, and tidying.

• Helping plan a person’s appointments and organize a schedule.

• Arranging with transportation arrangements to appointments.

• Shopping for groceries and preparing meals that meet specific person dietary needs.

• Encouraging personal engagement in social networks and communities.

• Reminds and assists persons with self-administration of medications (with proper training).

• Encourages self-help activities.

• Ensures each individual’s rights are protected.

• Treats individuals with dignity and respect.

• Observe individuals for evidence of injury or bruises and evaluate for changes in emotional and physical status.

• Reports all medical-related incidents to the Program Director and the delegating nurse.

• Maintains resident confidentiality.

• Teach persons tasks that they can ultimately learn to do for themselves.

• Interact with persons always served professionally and respectfully and respond to their needs in a dignified and timely manner.

• Support each person’s needs, choices, and participation in the community.

• Refer parents and guardians to the Program Director when needed.

• Provide supervision and vocational training to assist persons in learning work ethic, appropriate work behaviors, and job readiness skills.

• Willingness and ability to work well with others.

• Demonstrate initiative, respect, and courtesy for staff, persons served, supervisor, and the organization.

• Attend required meetings.

1. ADDITIONAL DUTIES.

   1. Perform other job-related duties as directed.

   2. Work as a team player at all times and be prepared to be flexible in order to ensure that operations are always as efficient and profitable as possible.

   3. Education, experience, and skill requirements.

   4. High school diploma

   5. Good communication and organizational skills

   6. Ability to handle stressful situations and be and be able to prevent and/or handle emergency situations.

   7. A cheerful, positive attitude when working with a variety of people, and being able to work well under pressure.

   8. Responsible, neat, and clean in appearance

   9. Strong communication skills with supervisor and team members

   10. Must be able to read, write, and speak English.