Home Health Aide Training : Where To Get It And What It Costs
Home health aides are part of the medical field. People in this profession deliver basic medical care and other tasks to a variety of individuals, generally in the patient’s home. Home health aide training and education requirements may vary slightly from state to state, but the Federal Government has set forth certain standards for people who want to be certified in home care. For a person who is unsure of whether a career in the medical profession is the right choice, becoming a home health aide is the perfect opportunity to try out the career with only a minimal amount of schooling.
Recent studies released by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimate that the need for home health aides is going to increase in the next decade. This is due to the aging of a generation known as the “baby boomers.” Home health aides are common in the homes of the elderly who are not yet ready to live in an assisted type of environment. This means home health aides are going to be in high demand over the next decade.
Home health aide training consists of both classroom work and hands-on, or clinical, training. The internet has made it possible for people to do the classroom work from the comfort of home, but the clinical hours will still need to be met at a facility the school recommends.
What are the Requirements to go to Home Health Aide Training?
It is not required to take training to become a home health aide. If a person decides to work in the field of home care without any formal training or education, the job duties will be extremely limited and will not entail any direct patient care. The home health aide that is not trained will most likely be found performing menial tasks such as cleaning the home, doing laundry and fetching groceries. Additionally, the untrained home health aide will only make minimum wage or slightly more than minimum wage and has no opportunity for advancement in the field of home care or in the medical field.
Where Can I get Home Health Aide Training?
Many community or junior colleges offer home health aide training classes, and many of these are in the evening so adults can work a full-time job during the day and take classes in the evening. Other educational facilities that offer home health aide training are vocational programs through local high schools, which are sometimes referred to as adult education classes.
How Much Does Home Health Aide Training Cost?
Home health aide training ranges in time from a few weeks to several months, depending on the particular program. A potential student can expect to pay several hundred dollars if taking the training through a night class at the local vocational center. If a community college is the only option, classes may cost up to several thousand dollars.
There are a couple of ways to prevent paying for home health aide training. The first way is to apply at a nursing home or nursing agency that offers free training for aides. Normally this works by signing a contract agreeing to work at the nursing home for a specified amount of time. In exchange for this signed agreement, the nursing home will pay for all the classes required to become a home health aide.
Another surefire way to become a home health aide without having to pay for the schooling is to go to nursing school. While nursing school is not free, after completing the first semester of an associate degree nursing program, the student will be able to work as home health aide. No additional training is required.
Becoming a home health aide is a great choice for the person who is unsure if the medical field is a good fit. Although it is not necessary to be trained to be a home health aide, those who are untrained will not care for patients but provide cleaning services. Training for home health aides is offered at a variety of education institutions and is also offered online. There are several factors that affect the cost of schooling to become a home health aide. There are ways to get home health aide training for free as well.
How To Become a Home Health Aide
Home health aide training requires the trainee complete the state-mandated training objectives prior to taking the state examination to become certified. The home health aide can choose to train in a variety of educational settings, and some employers offer the training free of charge. Home health aides can expect to make a modest living while working in this field.
Training requirements may vary slightly by state, but the general home health aide training requires each student to complete bookwork as well as hands-on or clinical hours. Each state has mandatory training requirements for home health aides, and training programs follow these requirements. Normally a home health agency will require their aides to complete at least 16 hours in the clinical setting prior to beginning work as a home health aide. When a home health aide works for a company that receives money from Medicare or Medicaid, additional clinical hours are required, generally a total of 75 hours in the clinical setting. After completing all training and clinical hours that are required by the state, the home health aide is ready to begin working. It should be known that some companies may require additional home health aide training by their staff. This training is generally to inform the aides of company-specific policies and procedures as well as completing paperwork. Home health aides are generally not required to take a state examination and don’t need to be certified prior to working in the field. Certification just shows the aide is competent in the area of home care. Certification for a home health aide is offered by the National Association for Home Care and Hospice. The aide that passes this voluntary examination may be able to work with different clients and negotiate a higher rate of pay.
Home health aide training is basically the same as training for a certified nurse assistant. Some employers may require the person who is working as a home health aide to be a certified nurse assistant rather than just a home health aide. Certified nurse assistants are required to complete training that can range from six weeks to about nine months, depending on which state the training is in and who is offering the training. Some companies will offer nurse aide training in-house to their employees in exchange for a contract stating the employee will work with the company for a specified amount of time. Certified nurse aides are required to take and pass a state examination prior to beginning work in the chosen profession. Both home health aide training and certified nurse assistant training teach students to remain professional at all times, in all situations. In addition, these aides need to have compassion and empathy for their clients. Either one of these professions requires the student to take a comprehensive health exam in order to determine physical and mental health. Aides must be physically and mentally healthy prior to working in this field.
There are a variety of settings where training for a home health aide is offered. By applying at a company that offers the training to their applicants free of charge, potential students can avoid paying for the training. In addition, these students will be able to log clinical hours when shadowing another aide. This type of training is beneficial to the future home health aide because working in the home with another aide who works for the same company can teach the student company policies, procedures and expectations as well as gaining clinical experience at the same time. Home health aide training can also be in vocational schools such as a vocational high school as evening classes, in community or Jr. Colleges, online, in nursing schools and high school students have the opportunity to take this training as a vocational program in their last two years of high school. Not all formal training is considered “certificate training.” Certificate training programs basically mean that the program meets all of the requirements mandated by the state. During this training, the home health aide student will learn different aspects of basic patient care and basic medical care, what to do in emergency situations and general housekeeping duties. Some states allow home health aides to administer medications and complete treatments. When taking a certified home health aide training course, the student will take classes in medical terminology, home organizational skills, patient support and supervision. Clinical training will teach the home health aide student things like how to monitor vital signs and different ways to help a client with bathing and other basic duties.
After completing home health aide training, students are ready to work in the residences of clients. Because home health aides are not required to be certified, the median income in the United States is around $26,000. Remember though that taking the certification test and passing may mean a slightly higher wage. Additionally, experienced home health aides get higher paying positions. For those students that choose to take a certified nurse assistant program, the median pay is $28,300. Certified nurse assistants are qualified to work as home health aides – without any additional training. Home health aides are normally employed by a home health agency. Certified nurse assistants can work for home health agencies, in nursing homes and in the hospital setting.
In order to become a home health aide, a student has to complete a program in home health aide training. These programs are offered by a variety of institutions such as high school vocational programs, community colleges, through employers and even online. Home health aides are not required to be certified although taking, and passing, the certification test can allow the aide to negotiate a higher rate of pay. Certified nurse assistants are required to take a state certification examination and can also work as a home health aide. Prior to working as a home health aide, the student must complete coursework as well as clinical hours or hands-on training. Home health aides can expect to make somewhere around $26,000 per year, although this amount may vary by state.
How to Get Home Health Aide Certification
In order to get home health aide certification, a person is not required to complete mandatory training. This training includes both classroom time and clinical time. Schooling requirements may vary from state to state as well as from employer to employer, but the federal government determines the minimum instruction necessary for all home health aide programs.
Home health aide programs vary in eligibility requirements. Some programs require potential students to have a high school diploma while others do not. Every program requires home health aide students to be at least 18 years of age. Additionally, a physical examination and a test for tuberculosis will be required prior to entering any type of formal educational program.
Home health aide training is necessary prior to home health aide certification. The student will learn things such as cooking meals that fit meet the prescribed diet requirements of the client, basic housekeeping duties such as cleaning and removing objects from walkways that may cause the client to trip and fall. Home health aides are also trained in acceptable behaviors and maintaining professionalism while working in the patient’s home. Additionally, the home health aide may be required to do things differently from the way he or she was taught, as the client may prefer something is done differently.
Some agencies receive funding from outside sources, such as from Medicare and Medicaid. These entities require home care companies to make sure their aides have at least 75 hours of training. This initial 75 hours of training will be in classroom instruction. After the classroom instruction, home health aide students are required to have clinical instruction. Clinical instruction comes from hands-on training and activities. This is more than just shadowing another aide, it is actually learning and performing the hands-on skills that are required in home care. In addition, these aides will need to take, and pass, a competency examination prior to working with clients in their homes. In addition, these companies must ensure each worker has a certification. The minimum amount of instruction a student can have is 16 hours. This means that a student must have at least 16 hours of hands-on training that is supervised by a more experienced aide, nurse or supervisor, prior to working in a patient’s home alone. Again, this reflects only the minimum amount of training that is required by the Federal Government. Some states, as well as some agencies, may require an aide to have additional training prior to receiving certification.
Home health aide certification is awarded to the aide by the National Association for Home Care and Hospice. As of now, certification is only voluntary. A HHA certification means that the aide has proven to be proficient in the area of home care and meets the minimum standards as set forth by the home care industry. In order to become certified, the student must have at least 75 hours of formal training as well as pass physical skills tests for 17 basic care skills. These basic skills encompass things like emergency response, making a bed “hospital style,” different diets, patient transfers from the bed to a chair, basic bathrooming techniques including bedpans, how to complete vital signs, hand washing and basic hygiene and grooming needs of the patient. With the super bugs on the rise, infection control is one of the biggest aspects of training for the home health aide. The hands-on skills are assessed by a nurse and the written part of the certification test is from the NAHC. This test is a standardized examination. After all of the requirements have been met, the home health aide will receive certification and can immediately begin working in positions that are more demanding, often for more money.
As mentioned previously, not every person is required to take training prior to becoming a home health aide. Nursing students who have completed the first quarter of a nursing program are considered fully trained and are able to get certified in home health care, if they so desire. Working in a home health aide position prior to becoming a nurse is a way of preparing the student for the type care that will be required of them upon entering the nursing profession.
Home health aide certification allows the home health aide to work for a higher rate of pay. This certification is not required from all workplaces, although aides that want to work in higher paying, more demanding positions, such as hospice, may be required by the state or by the employing agency to obtain a certificate in home health care. Home health aide instruction is offered at a variety of locations around the country, including online. For the student that is interested in obtaining certification, a program needs to have at least 75 hours of classroom instruction as well as clinical or hands-on instruction.
Becoming A Home Health Aide Can Be A Rewarding Career
When a patient is sick and confined to their home, a home health aide can be an invaluable addition to the medical team of the agency that has been hired to provide care for the patient. However, it takes a special person to work as a home health aide. An aide that works in a home setting must possess a caring and compassionate disposition.
An aide can make a big difference in a patient’s outlook about their eventual recovery from a disease or can be supportive when the patient has been diagnosed with a terminal disease. While the professional nursing staff provides a necessary function to the overall health of the patient, an aide can reduce the stress involved in the disease process by providing for the activities of daily living that are necessary to survive. Family members who are unable to provide these functions for the patient are usually very appreciative of the services provided by an aide.
To obtain a job as a home health aide, a person must first take formal courses in health care and pass a competency test required by their state of residence before they can go to work for a certified home health agency. To be eligible to take one of these courses or to obtain a job as an aide, a person is not generally required to have a high school diploma or even a GED. However, they must be a responsible person and possess reasonable intelligence.
The requirement for certification varies widely among states and from agency to agency. For agencies that receive Medicare or Medicare reimbursement, an aide may be required to have a minimum of 75 hours of training while the requirements for working for another agency might only require a minimum of 16 hours of training to qualify for a job.
Home health aides are trained by licensed medical professionals such as registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, or others that the state deems qualified to teach a home health aide program. According to the policy and procedures set forth by the school, and mandated by the state of residence, some schools will teach a student to take a patient’s blood pressure, take body temperatures, and document these findings while other schools may only teach a student how to provide basic skills of daily living when caring for a patient in a home.
Some of the fundamental tasks learned in a training program are: How to safely transfer and ambulate a patient; how to give a proper bath and dress a patient; to make sure the patient is taking their medication according to the dosage and in a timely fashion; alerting a supervisor of any untoward negative symptoms noted; doing general housework such as cooking, grocery shopping, laundry and cleaning the house; providing companionship such as reading, writing letters, or simply engaging the patient in conversation; driving a patient to the doctor’s office or to other important appointments; and other tasks that are deemed necessary to assure the comfort and welfare of a patient.
Becoming a home health aide can be a rewarding career for someone who is interested in working in the medical field, has a nurturing disposition, and wants to make a significant difference in patient’s lives.
Working As a Certified Home Health Aide
Home health aide certification is not required in order to obtain a position in the home health care field. For the home health aide that works with patients who receive some type of government health care benefits, certification is required by the home health aide. There are many different areas a certified home health aide can work in, and he or she can even be an independent contractor. Working as a home health aide who is certified will open up even more areas to work in.
Home health aide training courses can vary in length. For the person who is training to become a home health aide, it’s best to take classes from an accredited program that will meet the minimum requirements set forth by the Federal Government for sitting for certification. The national licensing program for home health aides is called the National Association for Home Care and Hospice.
A home health aide certification training program will consist of at least 75 hours of instruction. During the instruction, students will learn 17 basic care skills that pertain to home care. Some of the skills that are taught in the classroom include nutrition, communication, charting, basic first aid, introduction to chronic illnesses and infection control. During the hands-on portion of training, students will learn how to change bed linens with and without the patient in the bed, gait training and transfers, diapering and changing bedpans for patients, feeding and other personal hygiene techniques. Proper hand washing technique is one of the most important skills a home health aide will learn and is normally taught to students very early in the program.
For the home health aide who wishes to work for an agency, home health aide certification is a must. In order to work for patients that receive Medicare or Medicaid, Federal law dictates that the aides be certified. Some agencies will provide training to their employees free of charge, but the employee will not be permitted to deliver patient care until the certification exam is taken and passed.
After becoming a certified home health aide, the aide will be working directly under the registered nurse that is in charge of caring for the patient or patients. Certified home health aides can be delegated many different responsibilities by the registered nurse, after the nurse determines the aide is competent in the area to be delegated. The tasks that a registered nurse is allowed to delegate to a person without a license vary from state to state. In order to avoid a potential lawsuit, make sure the rules regarding delegation are strictly adhered to. Although the registered nurse is ultimately responsible for any and all actions that a certified home health aide makes, the aide is not exempt from being sued if something happens with the patient, especially if the aide is performing a task or duty that is outside his or her scope of practice.
Home health aides generally are found working in a patient’s home. This is not the only area they can work, especially with a certification. Hospice care is one area a certified home health aide can work. Hospice level care can be in a patient’s home or in a hospice facility. Certified home health aides can also work in nursing homes and group homes, the same as a certified nurse assistant. For the person who is interested in working with the mentally ill, psychiatric hospitals employ certified aides, although the title may be different.
The area of home health care is expected to see a huge influx in the coming years. In order to become a certified home health aide a person needs to take courses that meet the minimum requirements set forth by the Federal Government. A certified home health aide will work directly under the supervision of a registered nurse. The registered nurse is able to delegate tasks to the aide, but only after the aide has proven to be competent with the particular skill or task. Some states have regulations as to what can and cannot be delegated by a registered nurse and it is important for the aide to know what these items are so as to avoid a potential lawsuit. By obtaining a certification in the area of home health care an aide is able to work in a variety of facilities with a variety of patients.
