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Direct Care Worker Duties, Skills & Responsibilities: a Guide for Employers

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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

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When hiring Direct Care Workers, it’s important to properly describe the job opening with the duties, skills and responsibilities of the role. We’ve compiled a guide to Direct Care Worker Duties, Skills & Responsibilities using data from actual job postings on Indeed.

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Popular Direct Care Worker Duties and Skills

Here are some commonly found skills and other specifications in job postings for Direct Care Workers.

Developmental disabilities experience

  • Definition : Experience treating or working with individuals with developmental disabilities.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 13.5% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.

Care plans

  • Definition : Experience developing, reviewing, or administering patient care plans in a medical setting.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 8.4% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.

QIDP Certification

  • Definition : Designation issued, upon successful application, to individuals who satisfy education and professional experience requirements for providing care to individuals with developmental disabilities, as defined individually by state.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 5.6% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.

Childcare

  • Definition : Skill or experience providing care and supervision for children while also providing them with educational development.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 4.1% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.

Resident's rights

  • Definition : Knowledge of or experience with promoting resident's rights policies in a medical setting.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 2-3
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 3% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.

Medication administration

  • Definition : Skill or experience giving medication to patients, observing patient response, and completing any needed documentation.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 1.5% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.

Case management

  • Definition : Experience assessing, planning, and coordinating healthcare services.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 1.2% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.

Caregiving

  • Definition : Skill or experience providing non-medical support or assistance to children, the elderly, or individuals with special needs or developmental disabilities.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 0-1
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 1% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.

Senior care

  • Definition : Skill or experience providing care to elderly individuals, either in the individual's home or in an assisted living facility.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 0.8% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.

ADLs

  • Definition : Skill or experience providing training or instruction on basic activities needed for daily living.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 0.7% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.

Assisted living

  • Definition : Skill or experience working in an assisted living facility. Assisted living facilities serve individuals who cannot or choose not to live independently, typically elderly or disabled populations.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 2-3
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 0.6% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.

Vital signs

  • Definition : Knowledge of or experience monitoring and recording vital signs in patients, including heart rate, blood pressure, pulse, and temperature.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 0
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 0.6% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.

First aid

  • Definition : Knowledge of or experience providing first aid.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 1
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 0.6% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.

Autism experience

  • Definition : Experience working with individuals with autism.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 0-1
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 0.4% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.

Behavior management

  • Definition : Knowledge and experience with the tools, strategies and techniques used to maintain control of a group of people, typically in a classroom, but also at an inpatient facility, or other group settings.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 1
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 0.4% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.

Patient care

  • Definition : Experience directly providing care to individuals in a medical setting.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 0
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 0.3% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.

Social work

  • Definition : Experience in social work.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 0.3% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.

Direct support

  • Definition : Knowledge of or experience with working directly with people with physical disabilities or intellectual disabilities with the aim of assisting the individual to become integrated into their community or the least restrictive environment.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 0.3% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.

Dementia care

  • Definition : Skill or experience providing care to individuals with dementia.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 0-1
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 0.3% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.

Memory care

  • Definition : Skill or experience providing care to individuals with dementia or Alzheimer's disease in a safe, structured environment. Memory Care typically includes the same personal care offered by other forms of assisted living, such as bathing, dressing, and meal assistance.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 0
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 0.2% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.

Special needs

  • Definition : Skill or experience providing care to individuals with special needs.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 2-3
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 0.2% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.

Conflict management

  • Definition : Experience or skill managing disputes among individuals.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 1-2
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 0.2% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.

Home care

  • Definition : Skill or experience providing supportive care to elderly or disabled individuals in their own home. Care may include assisting with daily living tasks such as bathing, dressing, cooking, or cleaning.
  • Years of experience most commonly required: 2
  • How common is it? This skill is found in 0.2% of Direct Care Worker job postings on Indeed.
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Duties and Skills Examples

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    Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.