How To Become A Home Health Aide
To become a home health aide, youâll want to receive some training before you start working, and an excellent way to do this is to enroll in a training program. Home health aides donât have to be certified to work unless there are special requirements from the state or facility. However, earning a certification provides the credibility to land a job more easily and can lead to faster career advancement opportunities.
A training program will equip you with the right patient care skills. Youâll learn how to monitor vital signs and wound care, as well as maintain a consistent bedside manner when spending hours with patients. While it may seem straightforward to assist with tasks such as bathing, dressing, or feeding an individual, doing so professionally is differentâand can feel ambiguous when youâre not being monitored in a workplace environment.
You can get certified through a training program, which typically requires 120 hours of classroom training and 40 to 60 hours of clinical work . It is best to choose a program registered with the National Association for Home Care & Hospice. There are also community colleges, non-profit organizations, and home health agencies that provide HHA certification. Specific requirements vary by state, so do your research before enrolling in a training program.
Medicare/Medicaid training requirements
National Association Of Home Care And Hospice Certification
The National Association of Home Care and Hospice is one of the biggest licensing agencies and most well-regarded professional associations for home health aides. After completing your training at a hospital, vocational school, or college, you may be required to take the NAHC certification exam.
Taking the NAHC certification is a good idea if you live in an area with a highly-competitive job market, or you are planning on moving in the next few years. This is one of the most widely-recognized HHA certifications, so its a good idea to take the exam, if possible. If you do so, you may also avoid having to take competency exams during on-the-job training, which makes it easier to get hired by a large health aide company.
What Does A Home Health Aide Do
Home health aides enter a patientâs home to assist with daily living, general housekeeping, and companionship. They might help with buying groceries, planning meals, picking up prescriptions, bathing, and grooming.
Home health aides can also work in group homes or adult day care facilities. While some HHAs care for the same client for years, others might work with agencies to gain new clients every few weeks.
To better understand the challenges and innovations behind the home health care industry, watch this video from the University of Minnesota:
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How To Get A Home Health Aide Certification
Becoming certified as a home health aide is increasingly important for getting a job. Many states will require it because it tends to mean that you have received additional training. A certification allows HHAs to take on more responsibilities so that they can learn more on the job.
Hereâs how to get certified.
In Less Than A Month You’ll Learn:
- How to provide compassionate, individualized care to your clients
- How to give bed baths, how to use mechanical lifts, and how to provide skin care, mouth care and denture care, incontinence and peri care, and so much more
- Effective communication skills
- How to assess your client’s needs and document them appropriately
- Infection prevention protocol, including how to use proper personal protective equipment
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Home Health Aide Classes That Can Be Taken Online:
Creating safe home environments. Students in this course consider some of the everyday items that can act as safety hazards for those they serve. Learners consider outdoor hazards, learn how to assess an environment for safety issues, and how to help their patients avoid situations that would cause them to slip, trip, or fall.
Communicating effectively. This class helps learners build effective communication skills for working with patients and other healthcare providers. Students learn how to observe and identify changes in patients, communicate with family members, and work with their patients to regularly assess comfort and health.
Serving children. This specialized course helps learners develop the unique skills needed to serve children in the home. Some of the specific topics covered include understanding developmental stages, identifying developmental disabilities, navigating family relations, addressing abuse, and providing care to premature infants.
Nutritional needs. Individuals enrolled in this class learn about how to plan, purchase, and serve food to their patients. They learn about My Plate guidelines, how to navigate food allergies, proper food preparation and storage, and how to handle feeding issues. They also cover several therapeutic diets.
How Long Does It Take To Complete Hha Training
Most states require minimum 75 hours of training . Most Home Health Aide training programs last for a few weeks or 1-2 months.
Typically classes are held during weekdays during normal work hours. Some schools do in fact offer evening classes for those who are also working at the same time. Remember to ask the school if they have flexibility in attending classes.
Then there are online Home health Aide Training program options that allow students up to 12 months to complete their curriculum. Make sure you ask youre online training provider for how long you will retain access to the course material.
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What Can You Expect In Hha Training
In order to become certified as a Home Health Aide, you will be required to undergo training in basic safety techniques. This is needed not to keep the patient safe, but also to prevent injury to the HHA when completing tasks such as transfers, bathing and dressing. Training will also include emergency response skills, such as basic first aid training and cardiopulmonary resuscitation .
Following are the salient points any Home Health Aide training program covers (Note: given state specific requirements differ and therefore, syllabus for each program may also differ slightly
- Basic concepts of healthcare
- Terminology common in the medical field
- Communication and working with people
- Basic body movements and positions
- First aid and CPR
- Cleaning and care of homes
- Common diseases
Benefits Of Being A Bayada Home Health Aide:
- Fulfilling work
- Free supplies, like gloves and hand sanitizer
- Employee Experience Surveysso we can always be improving as an employer
- Employee referral bonusif you refer a friend to BAYADA, and if that friend works a minimum number of hours, you’ll both get paid!
- Continuing education and training
- Career growth opportunities
You’ll also work with confidence, feeling safe and supported with PPE supplies, the highest infection prevention standards, daily pre-screens, and close monitoring of the COVID-19 outbreak.
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Best For No Prerequisites: Ashworth College
Ashworth College
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Doesnt meet some state requirements
Without a high school diploma, its hard to find professional education classes that are thorough, accredited, and provide career assistance services. Ashworth College offers one of the best fully online home health aide courses you can take with absolutely no prerequisites.
In this course, students learn how to care for patients who are elderly, those who have disabilities, and those who are chronically or critically ill. Topics covered include bloodborne pathogens, safety in the home environment, safe patient handling, communication skills, hospice care, infection control, food preparation safety and hygiene, skin and personal care, emergency procedures, and more.
Tuition for this course costs $974 if you pay monthly or $749 if you pay in full. While this is more expensive than many other HHA courses, this program is also more thorough than most.
All Ashworth College graduates can access career services through the Ashworth College Central Network, which offers resume-writing tips, professional development advice, and more.
Ashworth College discloses that its HHA classes do not meet the state education requirements for several states, including California, Indiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, and Washington, D.C. Students will also be responsible for independently pursuing and completing the federally required 16 hours of in-person skills training to meet Medicare requirements.
Why Choose Online Training For Hha Certification
Online training for home health aide certification is becoming more and more popular as it makes it possible for learners to complete programmatic requirements at times best suited to their unique schedules without needing to drive to/from campus multiple times per week. Online learning offers numerous benefits for students determined to further their educations. Before committing to this option, however, individuals should do their research to make sure its right for them. Some of the components to consider include:
Convenience
Any location with a secure and steady internet connection can be used for completing online education programs, making them convenient for individuals with packed schedules. Prospective learners should remember that they must complete at least 16 in-person clinical hours as part of programmatic requirements.
Reputation
When looking at potential community colleges and vocational schools offering home health aide courses, students should ensure they maintain a good reputation. Individuals should look for institutional accreditation especially if they plan to return to school for a degree, as reputation can affect their ability to receive admission.
Cost
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Salary & Career Outlook For Home Health Aide Professionals
Before committing to a career as a home health aide, many individuals want to learn more about how much money they can expect to make each year and whether the career offers stability in the future. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, roles for home health aides and personal care aides are projected to grow by 41% between 2016 and 2026. 2.93 million Americans currently fill these roles, and the BLS projects that 1.21 million new positions will be added during the same time frame.
In terms of income, the BLS found that the 2017 median pay for this profession sat at $23,210, although some industries pay more or less than this figure. Nursing care facilities, for instance, pay the highest average salary of $24,360, while home healthcare services pay the lowest average annual salary of $22,900.
After working as a home health aide for a number of years, some individuals may decide to advance their careers. Some decide to pursue training as a licensed practical nurse by completing a postsecondary certificate/diploma. These individuals earn an average salary of $45,030. After working in this role for a few years, these same individuals may decide to complete an LPN to RN bridge program and become a registered nurse. These individuals earn $70,000 annually. By getting on the path to a career in healthcare by becoming a home health aide, many individuals pursue various paths that help build their skills while also growing their salaries.
It Leads To Meaningful Work
Here are three reasons many people consider home health care work meaningful:
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Companionship: Besides physical health care, home health aides provide company for their patients. While providing care, they often listen to their patients’ stories and share their own.
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The comfort of home: When home health aides provide care, they allow their patients to remain in the privacy and familiarity of their own home. They provide a necessary service to people who can only receive care in their homes, instead of inside a hospital.
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Helping materially: Home health aides reduce the stress levels of their patients and help them live a life with dignity. It’s a type of work that attracts compassionate and tender people.
Read more:CNA vs. HHA: A Definitive Guide
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Faqs For Blackstones Online Home Health Aide Training Program
A helpful resource for students interested in learning how to become a Home Health Aide. Learn home health aide duties and obtain your home health aide diploma through Blackstones renowned Online Home Health Aide Training Program.
Do Blackstone Career Institute offer financial assistance?
Blackstone offers 3 affordable, interest-free payment plan options but is not a Title 1V school that accepts FAFSA or Pell Grants. Students may also apply for tuition reimbursement from their employer, or check with their State and Local Assistance. Learn more here
How do I enroll for Online Home Health Aide Training Program?
Students can enroll anytime for Online Home Health Aide Training Program from our website by or calling our student service center Mon Thurs from 8:30 AM 4:30 PM EST at . Blackstone has open enrollment, so students can enroll in our Online Home Health Aide Training Program anytime, 24/7/365.
Is your school accredited?
Yes. Blackstone Career Institute is nationally accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission , and regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools. Accreditation assures the public that our curriculum, faculty, administrative procedures and polices meet the accrediting agencies exceptionally high standards. To better understand the value of accreditation, read this document published by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation .
How much is tuition for Online Home Health Aide Training Program?
Get Listed In The Hha Registry
Once home health aides pass their exams, they contact a registry to record their certification. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services controls this registry. After you contact this department, you can legally use your certification on resumes and job applications.
Please note that none of the organizations mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.
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Home Health Aide Training Online Option 7 Southern Technical Institute Florida
At Southern Technical Institute, you can find fast Home Health Aide training.
The courses cover topics that teach you how to help elderly or disabled people or those in poor health.
HHA assist patients to maintain their independence at home and quality of life.
After you complete the online HHA course, you will have the required knowledge to succeed as a Home Health aide.
These online HHA certification courses train home health aides through online software, videos, reading, and pre-/post-quizzes as well as the final exam.
You will have to attend the institute for one full day.
This is necessary for practicing hands-on clinical skills as well as see the instructors demonstrations.
Alternatively, you can provide documentation from a supervising HH agency or RN that supervised your skills on the job.
HHAs working for agencies accepting Medicaid and Medicare are required to complete at least 75 hours of study.
To work as an HHA in Florida, you dont need to pass an exam.
After you complete your training, you can receive a 50-hour HHA certification.
If you are licensed as a CNA in Florida, you will obtain a 75-hour certification with proof of your Florida CNA certification.
What Is A Home Health Aide Certification
A home health aide certification is one that provides professionals with the training to care for people with chronic health conditions and disabilities. Home health aides who get their certification learn how to provide care within the homes of their patients. A home health aide certification also teaches them how to:
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Monitor and record patient vital signs and food intake
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Communicate patient health changes to a supervisor or case manager
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Provide patient care such as bathing, dressing and feeding
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Track and administer patient medication
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Care for infections and change bandages
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Perform patient chores like washing dishes, vacuuming and folding laundry
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Transport patients to medical appointments
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Provide companionship to patients, listen to their stories and give emotional support
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Online Home Health Aide Class Prerequisites
A high school diploma or equivalent GED is recommended to enroll in the Online Home Health Aide Course.
Prior patient care experience is required. Experience in patient care includes previous work experience and/or licensure as a CNA, Home Health Aide, Direct Care Worker, or other medical professional. Students must submit a letter from their employer on company letterhead or a notarized resume as proof of experience.
Best For Certified Nursing Assistants: Southern Technical Institute
Southern Technical Institute
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Must travel for skills check
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Doesnt meet federal Medicare requirements unless youre a CNA
Florida-based Southern Technical Institute offers a fast-track for CNAs looking to expand their work into home health care. This home health aide course is completely online with the exception of a two-hour, hands-on clinical exam. If you dont live in Florida, you must arrange to travel there for the skills examination or request a certified instructor to come to you. If you dont complete or pass the skills exam, you wont be awarded your certificate.
The program costs $239 and covers home health basics, including infection control and prevention, personal care and hygiene, bathing and clothing, food safety, body mechanics, positioning and transferring, and body systems.
Southern Technical Institutes program does not meet the federal requirements for Medicare reimbursement unless you are already a certified nursing assistant. If you are not a CNA, this course only awards 40 hours of classroom instruction, enough to work as an HHA in the state of Florida but not through a Medicare-billing HHA agency. You should check your states individual requirements for HHAs before enrolling in this course.
If you are a CNA, however, you will be awarded a 75-hour certificate upon completion of the online program and two-hour skills check.
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Benefits Of Being A Certified Home Health Aide
Your skills will always be needed. The aging population is only getting larger which means job security is high. 72.1 million persons aged 65 or older are expected by 2030 and most find it more comfortable and affordable to remain living in their own homes as long as they can. That means the need for qualified home healthcare professionals will also be on the rise, making this a great opportunity for those interested in expanding their skillset or a welcomed change of pace.
- Employment opportunities in Home Care, Hospice, VNA’s, Assisted Living Communities
- Build Personal Relationships With Your Patients
- Have Greater Flexibility In Your Schedule
- Make Home Life Better For Your Clients
- Hone Your Interpersonal Social Skills