Home health aides (HHA) transform lives. As an HHA, you’ll develop close bonds with your patients as you spend every day with them in their homes. Whether you’re assisting them medically or sharing family recipes, you will be valuable. Here is everything you need to know about obtaining your home health aide certificate.
What is a Home Health Aide?
An HHA is a trained professional who provides essential care and assistance to individuals who cannot fully care for themselves in their homes. HHAs are critical in supporting the elderly, disabled, or chronically ill individuals’ daily activities. This is a great way to help individuals live independently.
Seniors require extra care. Many choose to live in senior care facilities or hospitals to get the care they need. Others, however, choose to spend their retirements in the homes that they know and love. That’s where you come in.
The elderly don’t have to go to the hospital to receive quality care. Instead, they can rely on home health agencies to connect them to an HHA they can trust. Choosing to be an HHA means choosing to become a presence your patients rely on.
What is a Certified Home Health Aide?
Certified home health aides rely on their clinical knowledge to take care of their patients. They perform basic medical tasks, including administering medication and giving massages.
Life as an HHA isn’t focused on medical skills. HHAs rely on intrapersonal skills to bond with their clients. Their patients rely on them to perform the daily tasks that they’re no longer able to. These tasks include bathing, housekeeping and arranging their daily schedule.
A home health aide can be their patient’s connection to the world. HHAs can inspire their clients to soak in the sunshine at the park or bond with other retirees in clubs. Home health aides aren’t just nurses: they’re friends to the patients that rely on them.
What Does a Home Health Aide Do?
A Home Health Aide performs various tasks that ensure the well-being and comfort of their clients. These responsibilities typically include assisting with personal hygiene, bathing and dressing, administering medication reminders, monitoring vital signs, preparing meals according to dietary requirements, light housekeeping duties, running errands for clients, and providing emotional support and companionship.
The work shift for an HHA isn’t fixed; you could work for two hours, eight hours, or more. It depends on the client’s needs. Most clients are aging seniors, although HHAs can work with people of various ages.
About Home Health Aide Training
Ready for a career filled with purpose? Most home health aide job opportunities require certification. FVI’s Home Health Aide program will train you to become a nurse patients can rely on. HHA training will teach you how to take care of your clients’ basic personal care and medical needs.
This is a career for a specific kind of personality. A career as an HHA could be right for you if:
- You’re Caring and Empathetic: HHAs are an emotional rock for their patients to lean on. Whether they’re struggling with the effects of aging or personal issues, you’ll be there for them. Your services go a long way when it comes to their happiness. By performing their basic tasks, you’re enabling them to continue to have enriching lives.
- You’re Adaptable: Working in senior care requires emotional toughness. You’ll need to accept the fact that the patients you work with might decline medically. A home health aide will also need to have the skills to accept their patients’ emotional distress with grace.
- You’ve Got Excellent Observational Skills: Observational skills can save your patient’s life. Pay attention to patient symptoms so that you can spot irregularities. Attention to detail will also help you with your day-to-day schedule.
How to Become a Home Health Aide
Becoming a Home Health Aide requires specific training and certification. While the exact requirements may vary by state or institution, here are general steps you can follow:
1. Research State Requirements
Start by researching your state’s regulations regarding Home Health Aide certification. There are states that may have specific training programs or exams before becoming certified.
2. Choose an Accredited Home Health Aide Training Program
Select an accredited training program that meets your needs and aligns with your career goals. Look for reputable institutions like FVI School of Nursing & Technology, which offers a Home Health Aide Program that provides you with the knowledge and skills required for this rewarding profession. FVI’s home health aide school in Miami can be completed in just 9 weeks.
3. Enroll in an HHA Program
Choose FVI’s Home Health Aide Program to learn the theoretical knowledge and lab experience you need to feel confident in this profession. Our program includes career planning sessions to help you write the roadmap to your success.
4. Complete Required Home Health Aide Coursework
While enrolling at FVI School of Nursing & Technology, you will undergo coursework covering various topics related to home health care. These include understanding client needs, infection control, medication administration, basic nutrition, and communication skills.
5. Gain Practical Experience as a Home Health Aide
Practical experience is vital to becoming an effective Home Health Aide. FVI School of Nursing & Technology’s program provides real-world experience through supervised clinical rotations in real-life healthcare settings.
6. Obtain Home Health Aide Certification
You can apply for your Home Health Aide certification exam after completing the required coursework and gaining practical experience. Certification involves a written examination assessing your knowledge and skills as a competent HHA.
Once you pass the exam, you will have the opportunity to become a Certified Home Health Aide and be able to seek entry level employment.
Home Health Aide Job Outlook
With job opportunities expected to grow by 33% percent between 2020-30, home health aide opportunities are growing lightning fast.
As the baby boomer population ages, the need for home health aides will continue to grow. Many elderly people prefer the comfort of home care to nursing facilities. For many, HHAs are a more affordable way for their loved ones to get the care they need.
Most home health aides work in their patients’ homes. However, some opt to work in hospices, retirement centers and hospitals.
Home health care work is rewarding, and many choose to stay in this profession for years. However, others choose to go back to school to become registered nurses or medical assistants. No matter which route you take, you’ll have a fulfilling career.
Earn A Home Health Aide Certificate in Miami With FVI
Caregivers are heroes. They give their patients essential care and their families peace of mind. Working in your patient’s home means an increase in responsibilities and a decrease in emotional barriers. You’re not just working with a patient – you’re working with a friend.
Ready to start a fulfilling career as a home health aide? Choose from FVI’s Home Health Aide certification program in Miami, Florida or FVI’s dual nursing assistant/home health aide program in Miramar. Both programs will teach you the skills you need to get your career started. Our nurse-instructors will train you how to:
- Assist in personal tasks such as bathing, dressing and cooking
- Organize your patient’s schedule
- Grocery shopping and preparing meals
Our instructors will teach you how to care for clients with disabilities and chronic illnesses. No matter what your patients’ needs are, you’ll have the training to properly care for them.
Contact us to learn more about earning a home health aide certificate. Enroll in our Home Health Aide School in Miami or our Home Health Aide School in Miramar and complete the coursework in just 9 weeks. With our curriculum, we ensure that students receive the top-notch training necessary for success in this field.
