What are 5 Key Duties of a Support Worker?

In the world of healthcare, support workers are the real helpers who provide aid and assistance to the physically, mentally, or emotionally needy people. The job they perform is not limited to being as basic as providing a helping hand to an elderly person unable to walk, but it requires a certain expertise, strength, energy and compassion.

Whether you’re considering a career in support work or simply curious about what are 5 key duties of a support worker, this article has answers to all your questions! So, let’s get started!

Responsibilities of support workers:

Some of the essential tasks for support workers include:

• Personal Care Assistance:

Support workers personally assist clients by helping them with simple daily tasks such as bathing, dressing and other hygienic tasks as well as providing assistance with mobility

• Emotional and Social Support:  

Support workers are great listeners and help  people who need assistance with emotional leads and provide them with necessary support advises and companionship

• Medication Management:

Support workers administer all the necessary medications for their clients in order to maintain a proper schedule for the daily dosage

• Meal Preparation and Nutrition:   

Support workers prepare meals for their clients who have certain restrictions related to their daily diet and assist them with feeding

• Household and Daily Tasks:

Support workers help with daily household tasks such as doing laundry, doing dishes, necessary grocery, and other cleaning tasks so that the client can live in a comfortable clean ambience.

• Health Monitoring:

Support workers are also assigned to monitor an individual’s health status and keep a track of their medications, vital signs, concerning health conditions and book an appointment with health consultants where necessary.

• Documentation and Reporting:

Support workers are also responsible to keep a record of all the care they provide to an individual as they are answerable to their supervisors in case of any necessary.

• Advocacy and Communication:

Support workers are sort of advocates for the people they provide support and care to.

• Crisis Intervention and Problem-Solving:

Support workers are trained to handle any emergency situation with patience, effectiveness and in accordance to the set protocols by the community. 

• Continuous Learning and Development:

Support workers are entitled to stay actively engaged in training programs to professionally develop their support care skills.

What are 5 key duties of a support worker?

Among all the above mentioned duties, the 5 essential tasks for support workers include:

• Personal Care

• Emotional Support
• Medication Management 
• Advocacy
• Household and Daily Tasks

Essential Skills and Qualities of a Support Worker:

Support worker job requirements include the following skills and qualities;

• Maintaining an empathetic behaviour with clients 
• Trustworthy 
• Addressing client issues 
• Providing the right solution 
• Sense of companionship 
• Verbal and non verbal communication skills 
• Active listeners 
• Flexibility 
• Patience
• Physical and emotional strength

Specializations in Home Care

Support workers responsible to take care of clients at the comfort of the patient’s home are specialized to carry out the necessary tasks. 

Some of the core duties of support workers specialized in home care include:

1. Taking care or the elderly by assisting in daily routine tasks, medication, dietary plans, bathing, cooking etc.
2. Taking care of disabled individuals by helping them physically such as mobility aid, grocery runs, physiotherapy etc
3. Conducting paediatric care by providing the necessary assistance to differently-abled children with mental, emotional and physical needs and helping children engage in play therapy and other necessary developmental activities. 
4. Palliative and Hospice Care is also provided by support workers at home comfort which includes providing assistance with pain management, emotional support, personal care, family counselling etc.

Managing Challenging Behaviours:

Support workers manage challenging behaviours effectively in order to maintain a safe healthy environment. Some of the ways a support worker manages such situations is as followed;

1. Staying patient and calm
2. Being emotionally stable
3. Understand the triggers
4. Create a safe space
5. Use an empathetic tone
6. Don’t react harshly 
7. Avoid aggressive behaviour and tone
8. Respect Privacy

Conclusion:

Therefore, it can be concluded that the key duties of support workers involve around taking care of individuals emotionally, physically and mentally. The support workers are required to be empathetic, sympathetic, calm and composed to create a safe space for the client and manage challenging situations effective which makes them the real compassionate and strong heroes of the healthcare industry.

I hope this article answered your question; “What are 5 key duties of a support worker?”

FAQs:

• What qualifications are required to become a support worker?

 Diploma in health and social care, NVQ and first aid certification.

• How do support workers handle clients with complex medical needs?

Monitor vital signs regularly, administer their medications, and stay in contact with health professionals.

• Are support workers allowed to administer medications?

Yes, support workers are allowed to administer medications.

• What is the average salary range for support workers?

36,775$ per year

• Can support workers work with children as well as adults?

Yes, support workers can work with both children and adults.