POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR CAREGIVERS
  1. Clocking in and out is part of your daily responsibilities and must be done EVERY shift.  If, for whatever reason you forget to clock in- let the office know AS SOON AS POSSIBLE what time you arrived so your time can be adjusted. When your shift has ended, clock out as usual. Your time card and ADLs are finalized first thing every morning and this information must be submitted at the end of your shift.
  2. You must clock in and out from the client’s phone.  If you are unable to do so, use your own phone and please let the office know.
  3. All clients, unless otherwise specified, need at least 2-3 of the ADLs marked with (ADL) on your time card entered at the end of every shift.  You can also find these ADLs on the back of your Time Card & Shift Log Instructions.  All tasks completed on shift should be entered.
  4. EVERYTHING you do for/with a client should be entered as an ADL when you clock out.  From housekeeping (what you cleaned); meal preparation; assisting with dressing, showering, bathing, toileting (even if you are just standing by to make sure all goes well, you’ve assisted with these activities); transportation to a doctor’s appointment or errand; etc. must be entered daily. This is not only for insurance purposes.  A lot of our clients have family members who check on the portal to see what was done every day.
  5. If you are going to be late or you are unable to work a shift, you must CALL the office as soon as possible so that we may notify the client, even if it is outside of office hours. Text messages or emails are NOT acceptable in these circumstances. If you no call, no show for a client, you will no longer be employed by Amada Senior Care.
  6. When you are scheduled a shift, you are scheduled for a certain amount of time. 
    1. If you are scheduled for 4 hours, you work 4 hours.  If you are late, you must stay that amount of time later. 
    2. Please do your best to stick as close to the time you are scheduled to work. If the client would like you to leave early or stay late, please call the office.
    3. If you are more than 5 minutes early, wait until 5 minutes before your start time to enter the client’s home.
    4. If you are working a shift that requires another caregiver to relieve you, you must stay until that caregiver arrives. If they do not arrive at their scheduled time, please call the office.                                                                                                                                                                                       
  7. Office hours are Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.  Please do not call outside of these hours unless it is absolutely necessary.
  8. Please call the office at 615-933-7494 during office hours with any issues and outside of office hours with any emergencies.  If no answer, always leave a message and someone will return your call ASAP.  Please do not text the office number.  You may text the office cellphone at 615-920-0823 with any non-emergency issues.  Your calls/texts will be returned in a timely manner during office hours or the next business day if contacted after office hours. For ALL CALLS use: 615-933-7494. For TEXTS only use:  615-920-0823 .
  9. You are required to register yourself on the caregiver portal prior to being assigned to a client.  The portal is a great resource to see your upcoming schedule, confirm your schedule, see client information and update ADLs prior to schedule finalization. Once you have been made aware of your shifts, you are required to work your schedule whether you confirmed them or not.
  10. When you are called/texted to work with a new client, it is your responsibility to let the office know if you have an issue with dogs, cats, smoking, etc. 
  11. You are to have your phone in working order at all times and return calls/texts from the office or staff in a timely manner. That includes having your voicemail set up, and your mailbox should not be full. If you are contacted to cover a shift, please respond whether you are or are not able to do so.
  12. You are NOT to use your phone for personal reasons other than in an emergency while with a client.
  13. While with a client, you may use your phone to contact the office for pressing issues or to respond to a message from the office.  If you have a question about something that is not pertinent to that shift, you must wait until you are not with the client.   
  14. If there is ANY issue with a client (e.g. acting out of the ordinary, change in physical well-being, injury, damage that may occur while you are on duty, issues between you and the client, etc.) we need to be made aware ASAP.
  15. You are not a nurse.  We do not administer medication. We can offer medication reminders.  Clipping of finger and toenails is also prohibited.
  16. No sleeping during working hours unless otherwise noted.
  17. DO NOT give your phone number to a client or the client’s family members.  ALL correspondence must be done through the office. This ALSO means that you should not have the client's phone number, call the client directly for ANY reason or be the one to notify the client of any change in schedule.
  18. If the client would like a change in the schedule and informs you, you and the client must notify the office.  If you would like a change in the schedule, you must arrange that through the office, not with the client.
  19. Please refrain from ‘over sharing’ personal issues you may have with the clients- such as personal, financial, relationships, etc… Please keep your relationship professional.
  20. You are to discuss your client’s care or needs ONLY with those on the care team.  This includes Amada, the client’s family if the client gives permission, home health if providing care, the client’s physician and the like.  You ARE NOT to discuss the client or the care you provide with insurance companies.  They ARE NOT part of the care team.  If an insurance company contacts you or the client, please tell them to call the office to get the information they are looking for and state you do not have time to discuss as you are busy caring for your client.
  21. If you would like to request time off, we require 2 weeks written notice.
  22. Unless requested by the client and the office is aware, you are to wear scrubs, closed toed shoes and your ID badge every time you are with a client. The ID badge should be worn high on your shirt and picture facing out.
  23. You may not solicit the client to work privately for direct compensation.
  24. You may not borrow money from a client or solicit the client to purchase items on your behalf.
  25. If a client would like to give you a tip or a gift, you must notify the office prior to accepting and we will make sure appropriate documentation and approval is provided.
  26. Theft is a crime and all reported incidents will be thoroughly investigated and if found to have occurred, will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
  27. No electronic devices other than your cellphone are permitted to be brought into a client’s home.
  28. No personal visitors allowed at any time at the client’s home.
  29. You are not to use the client’s laptop or tablet under any circumstances.  If they need assistance with something on these devices, they need to ask a family member or friend for assistance.
  30. Paychecks are deposited or mailed for receipt on the 5th and 20th of every month.  The first pay period is the 1st-15th.  The second pay period is the 16th through the end of the month.  If payday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, payday is then the Friday before.
  31. Regardless if you sign up for direct deposit, your first and maybe second check will be a paper check as the bank checks the account to make sure it is a valid one.  You may either pay to have tracking on your check to have it mailed (there’s a $5 charge to do so and it will be deducted from your paycheck) or you may pick up your check in the office.  Checks will not be mailed as we have had many issues with the postal service.
  32. If you use your own vehicle while clocked in for a client, you are reimbursed the IRS standard for your mileage.  Let the office know at the end of your shift via email or text the miles that were driven.  We do recommend using the client’s car if available.
 
  1. The following are a list of the holidays that are observed and paid at time and a half.  If you are normally scheduled on a day that one of these holidays fall on, you may request off and we will do our best to find coverage.  However, if coverage is not available, you will be required to cover that shift.
-New Year’s Eve                          -Fourth of July                  -Thanksgiving                 
-New Year’s Day                         -Memorial Day                 -Christmas Eve
-Easter Sunday                            -Labor Day                      -Christmas Day
  1.  Unless absolutely necessary for scheduling purposes, caregivers will not be scheduled more than 40 hours  per week due to the new overtime guidelines for caregivers.
  2.  Per Tennessee law, caregivers do not have scheduled “breaks” throughout the day as the client is not to be left alone.  It is advised that you bring your lunch/dinner/snacks to have during your shift while still caring for your client. This includes smoking.
  3. Smoking- there is to be NO smoking while on shift- no exceptions.  If you are a smoker and cannot last for long shifts, please do not accept them.  We have plenty of shorter shifts.  Please understand that not only are you leaving the client without care, but you will return smelling of a cigarette which may be offensive to some clients.  We do, however recommend nicotine gum if necessary. Also, covering up with perfumes may be equally offensive.
  4.  Harassment in any form is strictly prohibited.  If you feel harassed, let the office know and the matter will be promptly, and thoroughly investigated and appropriate action will be taken.  There is absolutely no retaliation by Amada Senior Care for an employee filing a complaint.  Any employee who engages in any action or conduct constituting harassment will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action. Here are some examples: Race/color, gender, sexual orientation, age, weight, etc.
  5.  Caregivers are required to stay current with First Aid Certification.  We offer an online course at no charge to you.  There are also many other courses available and periodically will be assigned.   If interested in taking some courses on your own, a list will be provided.  Please let the office know which courses you would like assigned.
  6.  A TB test or negative chest x-ray is required for all caregivers as we do send caregivers   to facilities.  Please contact your family doctor to have this done before your first shift.  We will reimburse $25 of the cost after you have worked 40 hours.  Please submit your results as soon as possible to get started.  If you do not have access to a family doctor, please let us know and we will help you find where to have the testing done.
  7. Background checks are performed on every caregiver PRIOR to being assigned a case.  These are through the FBI, are required by law and go back indefinitely.  If you have any record of theft, abuse or ANY felony on your background, please do not get your background check completed because these will preclude you from working for AMADA.   Please share with someone in the office of anything that will show up on the background check that you are aware of to determine if it may prevent your assignment to a case.
  8.  Please keep the office updated with any of your important information. Documents, i.e., driver’s license, car insurance, first aid, TB test/neg chest X-ray have expiration dates. If you have any certifications such as CNA, MA, LPN/LVN, or RN keep us updated with those as well. Also, if there any changes to your availability or to your client’s care plan, please let the office know. 

Amada Senior Care
402 Uptown Square 
Murfreesboro TN 37129
615-933-7494

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