The opportunities of improving the quality of life of the people who are in need makes this job very rewarding.Working as an HHA or home health aide does not always mean one should be working in a private home. Some clients are residing in assisted living facilities, retirement communities, group homes and others. An HHA may work in poor areas or neighborhood for the rich and affluent. Regardless of where HHAs work, most of them care for one client at a time but may also have to visit several clients in one day. They are most commonly supervised by the health care provider of the patient and in some cases, the family member of the client. The case length could vary from weeks to years. Sometimes, shift work is necessary.

Requirements in Becoming a Home Health Aide

Education: To become an HHA, there is no standardized requirement on education. In fact, some states will not even require a student to have a high school diploma. Other states will require aspiring HHAs to enroll in preparation classes in a vocational or technical school or at community colleges before starting to work.

Training: Home health aides are taught by healthcare professionals, members of the family or by other HHAs. They also learn their skills on the job training. Each and every patient or client has unique needs and so home health aides may need to train for few hours or even days depending on the complexity of the case. There are some employers including government certified agencies providing home care that provide training classes as well as require the HHAs to pass a test before they get started with their first assignment.

Home health aides do not basically hold licenses but a lot of employers would prefer them to have certification. The process in getting certified involved passing an examination after 75 hours of skill testing and training.

Set of Necessary Skills and Qualities

The work of a home health aide can be physically demanding and difficult and so it is necessary for the aide to possess strength and good health. They also need to be dependable, patient, should have good interpersonal skills and must be able to manage their time in a more efficient manner.

Career Advancement Opportunities

Home health aides that have many years of experience and a variety of skills can move into positions of educating and supervising other home health aides. Those that have high school diploma can further their training and education to become nurses, medical assistants and other health professionals. An HHA who is not certified with less than an education in high school will only have fewer opportunities to advance in their career.

There is no or there will never be shortage of jobs for home health aides in the future. The government has projected a 70% growth of this job over the next ten years and this is triggered by the increasing number of elderly individuals who will require the services of a home health aide. If you are planning to get a career as a home health aide, you will be pleased to know that there are more jobs readily available especially if you are a certified HHA.

In the business, every single aspect of the personality and character of a job applicant is assessed in detail to determine the best candidate. To apply for home health aide jobs requires more than just filling out an application if you are hoping to achieve success. Candidates for should be able to show and convince the employer their edge over the rest of the other applicants for the job. But this should be done in such a way that it won’t appear to be arrogant or egocentric.

While this could seem a fine line to tread, you can accomplish this quickly and may lead to getting a good position as a home health aide. To apply for a job as a home health aide, one is required to carry out some homework before contacting an employer. Your first step in the process is making sure that a currently updated resume is completed with the intention to portray the candidate in a more professional manner as a competent individual and perfect candidate for the job.

After making your resume, you need to examine it as if you are the employer meeting a potential candidate or an applicant for the first time. Putting yourself in the shoes of your employer can give you a fair understanding about the types of questions that they might be asking you in an interview situation and any causes for concern a resume may create for potential employers.

This very simple task can play an important part in helping an applicant for a home health aide job to exceptionally perform well during a job interview since there will be no questions that would come as surprise. In essence, the answer of the applicant to the tough questions the employer may raise are scripted and rehearsed. It is also necessary to include the skills that you have and the abilities you have accumulated through your years of training and education. This will give you an edge over the others and will definitely create a good impression to the potential employer. Do not forget to include past employers and the number of months or years you have worked for them. The more experience that you have as a home health aide, the better your chance of getting accepted in a job will be.

One of the best ways to apply for a home health aide job is to make sure that a long list of valid references are included in your resume. Due to the nature of the work of home health aides, employers have to be convinced the individual they are about to hire has not just a certain competence level in the field of medical and health care but devotion and strength of character as well to the well-being of those who are in their care.

The employment reference will not only show your good and impressive work history when you apply for a home health aide position. It will also demonstrate your compassion and effectiveness as an individual in helping alleviate the emotional and physical distress of patients.

A home health aide is in charge of giving care to the patient. It is a part of the responsibilities of home health aides to follow the orders of the medical professional or a registered nurse. As a home health aide, it is one of your important duties to ensure the client is taking the prescribed medication on time and on the correct dosage. Aside from that, aides should also change the surgical dressing the patient and to monitor its vital signs including the blood pressure, temperature, respiration and pulse rate.

Home health aides are also responsible in assisting the patient with all of the daily living activities. If the patient is moved from the hospital to the home and is not immobile, then the aide should be able to assist the patient in using a bedpan, in taking a bath and in dressing them.

Along with giving proper care for the patient and attending to their medical needs, a home health aide should also be able to carry out light household tasks such as changing the linens as needed and taking care of the general housekeeping responsibilities. They may need to cook and prepare the meals for the patient provided by another agency.

To sum it all up, the duties and responsibilities of a home health aide or HHA may include but not limited to the following:

• Implement and support the care-plan of the patient
• Take and record the vital signs of the patient
• Give routine care to patient such as feeding, bathing and dressing
• Accompany patient to doctor’s appointments and other outdoor activities
• Grocery shopping
• Light housekeeping
• Provide reminders on medication
• Do the laundry and change the linens
• Prepare meal and clean-up
• Ensures a safe living environment for the patient without breaking in on the rights of the client
• Report if there are some changes in the condition of the client

Depending on the employer, the duties of a home health aide may require you to be tested and certified by the state. This is similar to the certification of a CNA or certified nursing assistant. There are many of these companies that can also offer their students with paid training and will train according to their expectations and specifications while making sure that you pass the test administered by the state.

If you are someone who loves caring for the disabled patients and the elderly, or if you know how physically demanding this job is, a career as a home health aide can be exactly what you are looking for. This career is not just about taking care of the patient, it is also about feeling a sense of contentment when you see that you have helped them get through the day without any pain and difficulties.

A home health aide job is not easy but will definitely give you a rewarding experience especially when you have seen that the patient is satisfied with your service. Home health aides are normally working 8 hours daily. But in some cases, they may need to work for 12 hours or even 24 hours to accommodate the needs of the patient. The schedules for HHAs are very flexible and usually can be worked into your lifestyle.

A home health aide certificate program can train a student to work in the home of elderly, disable or convalescent persons to give services such as administering medication, changing bandages, checking vital signs and assisting them with the medical equipment. Most home health aides are working under the direct supervision of a registered nurse or any medical professional. Certification programs for HHAs are typically offered by home healthcare agencies, community colleges and online training classes. It typically takes 6 months to 1 year to complete.

The admission requirements for home health aide certificate programs may include meeting health screening and immunization requirements, a high school diploma or passing criminal background check. There are some schools that can necessitate students to pass admission examination to get into a program or completing a clinical evaluation.

Generally, home health aide certification programs are comprised of one or two courses which provide the student with an inclusive training in the skills and knowledge needed for patient care and assistance. In the program, the students are instructed in a classroom setting and in clinical context. The topics which are covered in the program include life support, healthcare basic concepts, first aid, medical terminology and CPR or cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 921,700 jobs in 2008 held by home health aides or HHAs. It has also projected a 50 percent growth in the jobs for home health aides until 2018. This large and tremendous increase was expected because of the growing population of the elderly and also the increase in the number of people that have debilitating health problems. In 2010, BLS reported an annual wage of $21,760 per year for home health aides. But as the demand for home health aides increases, it was also projected that the salary of home health aides will increase each year.

Although the salary of a home health aide may not be as high as other careers in the field of health care, but the reward and satisfaction HHAs get every time they help patients is priceless. Also, for a job that does not require a degree and intensive training, this amount of money is fair enough and can help them make a living.

Each and every state has a requirement on its own for home health aide or HHA certification. There are some states that will only require the employing agency to be certified while programs are requiring home health aides to pass certification exam after completing the education and training program.

Aside from the skill assessment examination, certification may also require criminal background check administered by the state. Some states are maintaining a registry basis of home health aides who are certified and this is accessible to the general public.

Advancement in career for home health heads is however limited without further education. There are some home health aides that want to complete a nursing degree program to become licensed practical or registered nurses. This is ideal to those who want to expand their career and are aiming for higher salary in the field of health care.

Becoming a home health aide is not difficult especially if you are someone who naturally has the passion, dedication and the willingness to help the sick and the needy. You can easily find an agency that can find employment for you if you possess the traits of a good home health aide and if you have completed education and training and received your certification.

There is no exact federal or state requirement for home health aides. Every home health agency will set requirements on its own and provide their employees with on the job training. Most home health aides are graduates of high school with no post-secondary education. On the job training for HHAs consist of information regarding the procedures as well as regulations for home health aides, how to prevent infection risks, how to handle emergency situations and other care protocols.

There are HHAs who are CNAs or certified nursing assistants. They have received and complete a training program with duration of 4-6 months. Additionally, the National Association for Home Care and Hospice provides HHA voluntary certification. They may have or may not have to be trained to give basic medical services.

Home health aides can assist patients in completing their day to day activities which they found to be difficult to do because of their physical or mental disability. These individuals may suffer conditions like stroke, paralysis, mental illness and cerebral palsy. The personal care tasks of an HHA include helping the patient to get bathed and dress, to use the toilet, to prepare meal and eat, to move the patient to another area of the house to work on exercise assigned by the physical therapist and to accompany the patient when visiting the doctor.

Sometimes, a home health aide may help the patient with the medical procedures. But generally, those who do are CNAs who have prior experience in the healthcare field. Basic medical care includes changing surgical dressings, measuring the urine input and output, reading the vital signs and administering prescribed oral medications. Normally, all these are taught during the course and training and so some HHAs can provide basic medical care of assistance to patients.

Home health aides may also assist patients with the household tasks or chores. When they care for a family that as disabled parent and children, the service they offer can be extended to child care.  Home health aides may provide transportation and accompanying the patient when doing the grocery. Mostly, they can assist with cooking, housekeeping, laundry and other household chores.

One of the vital duties a home health aide can provide is emotional support both to the patient and the family. Because aides are spending most of their time with the patient, usually, they are the first to discover if there are problems or changes in the condition of the patient. Home health aides are responsible in having this information reported to medical professionals. But also, they have to ensure the patient is maintaining a maximum amount of privacy and independence.

Since home health aides are working in the home of the patient, their work environment could vary and this depends on the patient’s living situation. Aides must be able to adjust their working environment and should be willing to work even during the night or weekend to accommodate the patient’s needs and to ensure proper care and assistance is provided to them. People who are interested in having a career as a home health aide must know that they might have to work overnight or on rotating shifts particularly if the patient requires 24 hour care.

To become a home health aide requires willingness and dedication to make little sacrifices. It won’t be that easy to provide assistance and care to different kinds of people most especially if they are going through serious health problems. Home health aides should be able to understand and communicate to the patient well so they will know the problem and provide the care and assistance needed by the patient.

There are a lot of queries about the average salary of home health aides by average people especially those who are interested to pursue this career. Though variations exist obviously from one employer in terms of the offered salary, still general figures are made available online for those who want to become home health aides. There is a detailed list of home health aide salaries found online where you can learn about how much you will be making depending on your location, employment and other factors.

So what is the median pay of home health aides? The median pay is reflecting the salary at which half of the group of home health aides earned more than the figure while the other half earned less which made it the central salary data.

The median salary for home health aides in 2010 was $20,170 yearly. This is not an overwhelming sum of money but undoubtedly, it is quite a good figure to hear. Despite the economic crisis, the salary of HHAs is still in the $20,000 range and this can make for a comfortable lifestyle. But the salary of HHAs is said to increase year after year giving more money making benefits to these hardworking individuals.

Breaking down to the hour, the average salary of HHAs is $9.70 an hour. This figure can be easily used to compare easily the amount of payment received by home health aides and compare it to other jobs you may want to consider. Therefore the salary of home health aides can be considered acceptable for this group of people who want to serve people and provide them care and assistance right when they need it. Financially, being a home health aide seems to be a stable profession.

What do you need before you can earn a home health aide salary? Without any doubt, the salary is not just the factor that is considered when you want to pursue a career as an HHA. Additionally, the average salary is a reflection of variables affecting the employment and job salary for any job on the market. For example, applying for a job as a home health aide, just like any other job, requires minimum requirements in education.

For the entry level, the required education to become a home health aide, anything that is below qualifications in high school can make you fit to be an HHA. Of course to become a home health aide requires some specialized training in client or patient care at the later stage. All that you need is some formal education below the high school level and you are good to go. Though work experience may seem to be beneficial and advantageous in other jobs, there is no need for you to have work experience when applying for a home health aide job.

The reason for this is that most of the teaching and training that you have to undergo before you become competent will be taught to you in the home health aide course yourself.

There are many things that you can learn from the course work and training that you receive as a home health aide. Generally they include assisting patients to take a bath, feeding them, performing some household tasks, accompanying them it their appointments, changing their bandages and administering prescribed medications to name a few.

With job opportunities for home health aide looking good in the future, it can be considered one of the most promising and rewarding careers for those who have the dedication to help the needy and the sick.

Many people have shown interest in becoming home health aides and proof to this is the growing number of agencies and institutions providing education and training for those who feel they can be best at working as a home health aide. As a matter of fact, there is an estimate of increase by 50% in the employment rate of home health aides. This only goes to show that there will never be a shortage of home health aides. HHAs will also not run out of jobs due to the increasing number of the elderly who primarily need their care and assistance that their families are not capable to give.

Home health aides also help the chronically ill, injured and disabled individuals with their day to day activities like cooking, cleaning the house, shopping for groceries, doing the laundry and monitoring their blood pressure. Most HHAs are earning their salaries by working in the homes of patients, through some are employed at larger care facilities or small group homes. Like any other occupation, their salary could vary depending on the geographic location and employer.

The average salary for home health aides start at $7.89 per hour and the highest salaries were $14.20 per hour. The average wage is $21,820 every year. It has been projected that the employment for this profession will increase by 69% and this is more than twice the 34% expected for health care support professions and almost 5 times more than the 14% for all professions in all industries. What fuels the demand for HHAs is the growing and aging population. Therefore if you want to enter into the healthcare field as a home health aide, you will be able to benefit from a stable employment.

With estimated 37% of the total positions, home healthcare services provided the most employment for HHAs. The average salary is $10.22 per hour. The second were the residential mental health, mental retardation and substance abuse facilities that employed 18% at an average of $10.53 per hour. The state government was the highest paying employer averaging $17.07 an hour. Next were other ambulatory healthcare services with average salaries of $16.35 per hour and it is followed by management, technical and scientific consultants at $13.92 per hour.

There are some cities or states in particular countries that are paying their HHAs more. Hence your geographical location has a very important role to play in your salary. Overall, HHAs have promising job opportunities especially those who are willing to expand their career and try out other fields in the healthcare industry.

Although no formal education is required to become a home health aide, most do have high school diplomas. They have received on the job training from more experienced HHAs, nurses and supervisors. This allows them to understand the scope of job that HHAs should perform. A home health aide should learn to carry out basic housekeeping chores and tasks like cleaning and cooking and responding in an emergency like during heart attack. Agencies employing home health aides typically obtain reimbursement from government sources like Medicaid or Medicare. Those who are also working in agencies may be required to obtain certification from the state and this is granted after the aspirant has received the necessary training and also passed an exam.

The first step in creating an HHA resume is to write your contact details. This includes your name, resident address, your mobile phone number and the personal email address you are currently using. Next, you need to include your career or professional objective. This will clearly underline your aspirations and aims in this profession. As a home health aide, you need to emphasize your desire to help other people by providing them care and assistance.

Then, add your career achievements. If you have some major achievements in your career, do not forget to list them. Some of these achievements may include assisted clients to bathe, dress and groom, administered prescribed medications under the direction of a physician or under the supervision of a nurse and applied treatments to patients.

The next entry in your resume is your experience. Your previous work experience has a very important role to play when applying for a job as a home health aide or any other type of job hence it must be presented well in your resume. Most of the questions in the interview are related to your previous job. Make sure to include the name of the organization you have worked for, the duration of the work, the post or designation, duties or responsibilities and achievements. But you should list first the most recent and make sure to emphasize the achievements you have had and the contributions you made to the employer.

You also have to include your education and certification in the resume. The academic details have to be mentioned in a tabulated form with respect to the courses or degrees you have undertaken in the past. The latest course or degree must come first and it will be followed by the last completed course. You have to list first your highest degree, followed by the name of the institution, city and state. Next, include your degree, major award and the year it has been awarded. Also, include the special training, courses, seminars and certification you have received. In case you have won any competitions, they can be highlighted also in your resume.

Although optional, including references in your resume can make a huge difference on not having it included. Generally, the references are required by some employers so they can gauge you through the eyes of those who were associated to you or you have worked for. Your teachers or trainers are the best references you can provide. You can also include your past employer where you worked for. Make sure the name of the people you enter are those you know well and have them informed you are placing them as references since many companies will call to confirm.

Some HHAs were not able to get employment because they failed in making their resumes professional and attractive to employers. Therefore you should learn the important tips when making your resume. You should avoid using ‘I’ all throughout your resume. Also, you should keep it clear, short and concise. Your resume should be easy to read and must not look cluttered. Make sure to leave spaces in between the sections and use headings to make the details more organized. Finally, you should keep your resume focused.

Creating your resume should not be taken lightly. You should know the right guidelines if you want to impress your future employer.

An RN or registered nurse, physical therapist and other health professionals or a home health aide agency will generally give duties and assignments to HHAs. For every patient, a home health aide is responsible in recording the services they perform and the condition as well as progress of the patient he or she is providing care to. Additionally, an HHA records and reports if there are changes in the condition of the patient to the supervisor and discuss what their observations are with them.

The types of patients a home health aide may give care or service to include the elderly, terminally ill, physically disabled, hospice patients, convalescent individuals, children with mental diseases, adults with mental disabilities and individuals who have long term conditions.

Generally, a home health aide will work in the private home of the patient or in a residential care facility by providing assistance and performing variety of tasks including checking respiration rates, pulse and temperature, changing dressings, helping the patients move in and out of the bed, car or wheel chairs and assisting them with the exercise prescribed by the PT or physician. A home health aide will also be allowed to administer prescribed medications to patients and provide emotional and psychological support.

An HHA should also be able to have conversation with the patient and in most cases, HHAs need to do the grocery and prepare the meals of the patient. Home health aides are also tasked to groom the patient, dress them and help them with their personal hygiene.

Home health aides are also asked to perform variety of housekeeping chores like cleaning, grocery shopping and doing the laundry. Depending on the assignment of the HHA, he or she may be responsible to pick up prescriptions or transport the patient to the scheduled appointment to the physician or any place the patient desires to go.

Although some home health aides are working part time, majority of them are working full time and this is equivalent to 40 hours a week. Many are also working during the night, evenings or holidays for those who require special and round the clock care and assistance. If HHAs are not self-employed, typically they are employed by private home health agencies or the welfare agencies on their state.

Mostly, HHAs do have heavy workloads including physical demands like standing or walking for longer periods of time. Additionally, it may be necessary for an HHA to move a patient from one place to another and assist them to stand or walk, it is vital that they learn and also apply the right procedures in lifting and moving the patients.

There are home health aides who work at the same time with variety of patients in which the duration of every assignment may last anywhere from few hours to days or weeks. In a given day, HHAs will drive from one client to another. There are HHAs as well who work with the same patient at their homes for months or years.

Through emotional and physical demands are part of this profession, most home health aides have found satisfaction in helping and enhancing the lives of people who are in need. Individuals who want to be a home health aide most possess patients, emotional stability, dependability, honesty, strong communication skills, precision and accuracy, sensitivity, good physical health and discretion.

These are just some of the many important questions that need to be answered when exploring career opportunities of home health aides. There are some HHAs who are certified while others obtained professional training without certification. HHAs are mostly supervised by registered nurses or medical doctors but some are being supervised by the homecare agency they are working for. With these factors, home health aide job description is not that simple. You may find some general descriptions but the day to day activities and duties of home health aides can vary a bit.

Home health aides differ from CNAs or certified nursing assistance mostly because of the fact that HHAs are specifically trained to work in home setting. This means that while HHAs casino internet are performing most of what CNAs do, their job includes errand running, meal preparation and housekeeping. To simplify, the job of a home health aide is basically to provide patients with both medical related and personal care services, in the home of a patient on a daily basis. Here are some of the responsibilities of a home health aide.

• Check and monitor the vital signs of the patient such as the body temperature, pulse rate and breathing
• Accompany the patient to doctor’s appointments or on other important errands
• Change the surgical or wound dressing
• Prepare meal and feeding the patient
• Light household work and chores
• Run errands for patients who are unable to travel
• Administer medications under the supervision of a medical doctor or registered nurse
• Update the records of patients and report their progress

The job of an HHA also requires them to be prepared to care for all types of patients such as those that need hospice services or those who are chronically ill. Other HHA jobs are short term such as patients who are recovering from surgery, accident or short term but debilitating conditions. HHAs can also provide care and assistance to the elderly, immobile or those who can no longer perform their day to day activities due to their age or condition.

To become successful as a home health aide, you should have the willingness to care for patients and individuals who require the help of people that their loved ones can’t provide. HHAs should also adapt their car to fit the patient’s needs. They must be able to communicate and cooperate with registered nurses, medical doctors and the family members of the patients effectively. This is why the requirement of being able to write, read and speak in English is essential to home health aides.

The job of home health aides varies a bit depending on the needs of the patient. Health service agencies employing HHAs place newly trained aides in less demanding and more straightforward jobs. This way, they are able to give basic care and as they go along, they will be able to master the other important duties that a home health aide should perform. Also, they are able to handle those patients with long term and critical needs.

If you consider pursuing a career as a home health aide in the healthcare agency, you should take a look at the job description in advance so you can acquaint yourself of the tasks that you need to perform.