Professional Conduct and Boundaries

Attendance

The client, the rest of the care team, and your employer rely on you to come to work on time and as scheduled. The support you provide is a critical part of the client’s service plan. If you are late or absent, some of the client’s needs may be unsupported. Organize your personal life, such as transportation and child care, so you can keep your work obligations.

Emergencies and Time Off

When you are absent or late because of an emergency, call your employer as soon as possible. Make sure you know who to call and keep their phone number where you can find it. If you know you will need time off, tell your employer as soon as possible. This gives them a chance to arrange for coverage while you are away.

Illness

Stay home from work if you have symptoms of a contagious illness such as vomiting, diarrhea, or fever. If you work while sick, you may infect a client or your coworkers. If you are unsure whether you are contagious, contact your healthcare provider and follow their advice. You must be in good health to safely support others. Make sure you take care of yourself!

Inform your employer as soon as you know you will be unable to go to work. If possible, make a backup plan with your employer ahead of time in case you get sick.

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Job Performance

To provide the best care possible, stay focused on your job while you are at work. You will have many tasks to complete every day on a busy schedule. Meeting every client’s needs will be easier if you organize your tasks and prepare for work each day.

Getting Organized

Make sure you understand your assigned duties and create a plan to get them all done. Keep a daily routine, if possible. Develop a system that works for you and the clients and keep it simple. When you are planning your work for the day:

• consider client preferences and needs and build your schedule around them;

• do similar tasks together. This saves time going back and forth between unrelated tasks; and
• plan more than enough time for each task. This makes your schedule more flexible.

Remember that supporting the client’s independence, safety, and well-being is your most important duty. Look to the client for what they need you to do and stay flexible. Sometimes you will need to change your plans.

Getting Ready for Work

Preparing yourself mentally and physically for work each day will help you do your job well. Presenting
yourself as a professional will give clients and your employer confidence in your abilities. To prepare mentally, try to leave your personal life at home. Keep your mind focused on your work while you do your job. See Module 12: Self-Care for the Caregiver on page 352 for maintaining a work/life balance. Preparing yourself physically each day will make your job easier and help keep you and your clients safe. Check with your employer for specific guidelines in your care setting. In general:\

Reference the orange section on page 92 of your text for a full list of general guidelines on how to present yourself at work.

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Professional Boundaries

Professional boundaries are the limits to your relationship with a client. Although you will be in close personal contact with them, your relationship must remain professional. Developing close friendships with a client is an example of crossing a professional boundary. Crossing professional boundaries with the person you support can lead to uncomfortable or dangerous situations.

Clear professional boundaries help you keep a safe, trusting, and ethical connection with a client. If you support multiple people, professional boundaries will help you treat everyone equally and avoid favoritism.

Setting Boundaries

Establishing clear boundaries from the beginning of your working relationship will help you:\

• manage your relationship with the client and other care team members;
• keep a healthy physical and emotional distance between you and the client; and
• maintain your identity as a professional caregiver.

You need to be careful about what you say and do in order to establish clear boundaries. Think about caregiving as your job and try to separate it from your personal life. Avoid actions that are inappropriate in a working relationship, such as:

• talking about your personal problems;
• making private arrangements for services outside your assigned duties, such as extra work or errands;
• accepting tips, gifts, or money from a client or their family;
• borrowing or lending money to a client or their family;
• using a client’s possessions, such as a phone or vehicle, for personal use;
• gossiping; and
• whispering to others in front of a client or resident.

Warning Signs

Many caregivers find it challenging to keep professional boundaries with a client. It is natural to develop emotional attachments when you work closely with someone in their home or apartment. It can be difficult to refuse a gift or to say “no” to a kind offer.
However, crossing professional boundaries disrupts your ability to provide quality care. Watch yourself for signs that you may be crossing professional boundaries, such as:

• spending your free time with a client;
• sharing personal information or work complaints with a client;
• giving special attention to one client over another;
• keeping secrets with a client; or
• taking gifts or money from a client.

Accepting gifts or money from a client could be considered financial exploitation and adult protective services could be called to investigate.

If a client or their family attempts to give you a gift, kindly but firmly tell them that you are unable to accept gifts and thank them for the offer. If the client or family insists, or if you have already accepted a gift, tell your supervisor or employer right away.

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Maintaining Boundaries

Part of your job each day is to maintain your professional boundaries. Ask yourself if your words and actions are professional and appropriate. If you find yourself getting too personally involved with a client, adjust your behavior right away.
A family member or close friend employed as a Home Care Aide has different challenges in establishing a
professional working relationship with a client. See Establishing a Working Relationship as a Paid Family Caregiver in the Resource Directory on page 310 for more tips and information.