Water Tower Nursing and Home Care, Inc. (WTN) employees/home service workers (caregivers) provide home services in accordance with the Home Health, Home Services and Home Nursing Agency Licensing Act [210 ILCS 55] (Licensing Act). WTN home services are intended to enable the Client to remain safely, comfortably and independently in his or her own residence of choice. WTN would be happy to discuss any Client specific questions you may have about the services WTN Caregiver may provide.
In accordance with the Licensing Act, the following is a list of duties WTN Caregiver may NOT provide.
1. WTN Caregiver may NOT be responsible for any type of medical assessment or medical care.
2. WTN Caregiver may NOT provide skin care when skin is broken, and when any chronic skin problems are active. The skin care may NOT be therapeutic in nature, such as the application of medicated lotions and solutions requiring a physician’s prescription.
3. WTN Caregiver may NOT assist clients who are in the process of being trained to use adaptive equipment for ambulation, such as walkers, canes or wheelchairs. These clients require supervision by an agency licensed to provide home health or home nursing services during the period of their training. Once the prescribing individual or the health care provider responsible for the training of the client is comfortable with releasing the client to work on his or her own with the adaptive equipment, a WTN Caregiver may assist with ambulation.
4. WTN Caregiver may NOT assist clients with bathing when a client has skilled skin care needs or skilled dressings that will need attention before, during, or after bathing. This type of client shall be in the care of a medical professional.
5. WTN Caregiver may NOT assist with application of an Ace bandage that can be purchased only with a physician’s prescription (the application of which involves wrapping a part of the client’s body) or with application of a sequential compression device that can be purchased only with a physician’s prescription.
6. WTN Caregiver may NOT perform Passive Range of Motion exercises.
7. WTN Caregiver may NOT assist with feedings which include syringes, tube feedings or intravenous nutrition or feeding clients who may be at high risk of choking.
8. WTN Caregiver may NOT provide hair care with products that require a physician’s prescription.
9. WTN Caregiver may NOT provide mouth care for clients who are unconscious.
10. WTN Caregiver may NOT trim nails on the hands or feet due to client that may have a medical condition that might involve peripheral circulatory problems or loss of sensation and should be under the care of a medical professional.
11. WTN Caregiver may NOT position Client when the Client is unable to identify verbally, non-verbally or through others when the position needs to be changed.
12. WTN Caregiver may NOT assist a client with shaving unless it is with an electric or a safety razor.
13. WTN Caregiver may NOT insert or remove catheters of any type or provide care of external catheters. Ostomy care which requires accompanying medical skin care is also prohibited. Caregivers may NOT perform digital stimulation, insert suppositories or give enemas.
14. WTN Caregiver may NOT assist clients in the use of mechanical or electrical transfer devices unless the client or client’s representative is able to direct the transfer step by step and WTN has conducted a competency evaluation of the caregiver using the type of device that is available in the home. Adaptive equipment may include, but is not limited to, wheel chairs, tub seats, and grab bars.
15. WTN Caregiver may NOT administer prescription or non-prescription medication of any type. Caregiver can remind the client about medication provided the medications have been pre-selected by the Client, a family member, a nurse, or a pharmacist and are stored in containers other than the prescription bottles. Caregivers may NOT provide medication set-up for the Client.
16. WTN Caregiver may NOT provide respiratory care, including postural drainage; cupping; adjusting oxygen flow; nasal, endotracheal and tracheal suctioning: and turning off or changing oxygen tanks.
17. WTN Caregiver may NOT conduct any of the Client’s financial transactions outside of the contracted services.
18. WTN Caregiver may NOT become or act as a Power of Attorney of the Client.
19. WTN Caregiver may NOT drive the Client in any vehicle without completion of necessary WTN paperwork and prior WTN authorization.