The Importance of General Duty Assistants in Healthcare Facilities

About General Duty Assistants

Highly instrumental in bridging the gap between patient care and medical professionals, GDAs or General Duty Assistants are aides that perform a patient’s regular care and offer them utmost comfort and safety. Working under the guidance or supervision of registered nurses, these healthcare professionals address a patient’s healthcare requirements, ensure suitable diet and maintain a hygienic environment.

Highly proficient in effective communication and personal care skills, these nursing care assistants closely collaborate with the nursing team to take care of less complex and administrative tasks. By doing so they enhance the nursing team’s efficiency giving it more time and energy to take care of critically ill patients.

Main Service Areas of a General Duty Assistant

Getting into the details of the role played by General Duty Assistants in healthcare facilities, they take care of everything from the admission of the patients to tending to their requirements and creating a comfortable environment for them.

They are solely responsible for maintaining hygiene throughout the patient premises and even handle emergencies implementing solutions they find best within the confines of legal and ethical rules of medical practice.

Complete Patient Care

Speaking solely of patient care, General Duty Assistants offer timely and prompt care with their role encompassing medication management and helping the patients whenever needed. Other important duties of a GDA include keeping in check the patient’s health condition and maintaining proper sanitation.

Help in Admitting the Patient

If a patient needs to be admitted to a hospital or nursing home, the GDA takes care of everything starting from shifting the patient from one room to another to tending to the patient’s personal care requirements. Right from when the patient is admitted at the hospital to discharge, the GDA ensures their welfare and comfort, arranging all treatments and observations, and keeping all vitals in check. Even during emergencies, like stroke or heart attack, GDAs ensure quick admission into hospital and immediate treatment.

Carrying Out All Examinations and Recording the Patient’s Medical History

Once a patient has been admitted to a nursing home or hospital, the GDA records their medical history and briefs the same to the doctor or physician. They also arrange all important examinations, like CT scans or Computed Tomography, MRI scans or Magnetic Resonance Imaging, X-rays, ultrasound, blood tests, allergy tests, and more. By being there for the patient as and when required, GDAs safeguard them from extra emotional or physical distress, providing adequate and appropriate services as per diagnosis and doctor guidelines.

Carrying Out the Patient’s Grooming Activities

Starting from bathing and dressing the patient to toileting and dental care, a General Duty Assistant takes care of the patient’s grooming activities. Key aspects of these services include:

• Rinsing the patient’s body and taking care of their hygiene.
• Ensuring the patient wears easy-to-wear and comfortable clothes.
• Brushing the patient’s teeth and helping them get to the bathroom on time in case the patient has been diagnosed with a memory-affecting condition.
• For patients suffering from constipation, it is the responsibility of the GDA to take care of their water and fiber intake.
• GDAs also ensure the patient follows proper hygiene, like washing hands and wiping them properly after using the toilet.

Ensuring Emotional Care for the Patient

One of the most crucial responsibilities of a GDA is ensuring the patient’s emotional well-being. The professional can do so by taking several steps like:

• Preparing an easy and convenient routine for the patient so they are comfortable with it and easily get used to it.
• Ensuring the environment around the patient is amicable and calm and does not have possible triggers that may be a cause of distress for the patient.
• Creating a strong bond with the patient so they are comfortable when any medicine is administered or a new medical procedure is performed.
• Adjusting and fixing meetings with the patient’s friends and family members as per the patient’s routine so as to prevent emotional stress.
• Introducing new staff members to the patient during emergency hospitalization so they can easily grasp the patient’s routine.

The Bottom Line

The role of a General Duty Assistant is necessary and crucial in different healthcare facilities, ensuring proper care for patients and the overall growth of the healthcare industry. One of the most rewarding jobs, a GDA may face new problems and challenges every day while treading on the path to success. At Vesta Elder Care, they have the most competent and highly trained General Duty Assistants available for at-home patient care. Contact them now for more details.