By
Lanee’ Blunt
Home
health aide jobs are on the rise and are expected to grow by 48 percent from
2012 to 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The job outlook
is good because the elderly population has grown and people will want to stay
in their homes for a sense of independence. In addition, some HHA’s will retire
soon, and some are going back to school to become licensed practical nurses or
registered nurses. This is a great job
for you if you are compassionate and are detailed orientated.
Job Duties
They
work under the supervision of the medical staff such as, registered
nurses. They are not to be confused with
personal care aides, because they work for a certified home health or hospice
agency and these organizations receive funding from the government, so most
require that you are certified to work for them. These aides usually help patients with their
personal hygiene care, grooming hair, dressing and bathing. They also do light
housekeeping such as washing dishes, light laundry, and vacuuming. They perform
medical procedures, including taking blood pressure, checking vital signs, and
administering medications.
Training programs
You
will learn how to take care of clients so that they can have the independence
of staying in their own homes and maintaining a quality lifestyle. The Red Cross gives hands on training and offers classes that have a small class size.
There are nursing assistant classes offered at community colleges that can be
taken on campus or online for your convenience. The first part of the class
will be theory and lectures and test so that you will be prepared to take the
written portion of your state examination for certification. You will take a
clinical course at a nursing home or in a similar environment. After you
complete the training program you may be required to take your state
examination.
Courses Needed
The
training teaches how to care for people that are in long term care facilities,
hospitals, and for people that are in a home environment. The classes that you
will take will cover medical terminology, basic nursing, first aid, CPR and how
to respond in an emergency. There is no formal education, but if you are going
to work for an agency most require that you have a certificate. After you
complete the training program you will be eligible to apply for the state examination
to become a certified nurse assistant. To begin working you must pass the state
certification exam.
Salary
The
average salary is about $10.11 per hour with more experienced Home Health Aide
and Certified Nurse Assistants are making more about $15.07 per hour. They
usually have benefits both medical and dental insurance according to payscale.com.
References:
Bureau
of Labor Statistics: Home Health Aides
ISDH:
Home Health Aide Registration Program
PayScale:
Home Health Aide
