The need for certified home health aides is exploding in the United States as the population ages. Home health aides work as nurse aides for patients in patient homes, helping to preserve independence, help with health and life needs after an accident, or to aide with temporary situations such as a post-partum mother and baby. Certification for HHAs is required if the worker is employed by an agency that accepts Medicare or Medicaid. The education received during this training uniquely qualifies the student to take the certification exam to be placed on the state’s home health aide registry. Learn how to find free home health aide training and start a new career.
Free Home Health Aide Training
Home health aide training, like the education required for many entry-level medical jobs, can last anywhere from three to six weeks and cost a few hundred to a few thousand dollars in tuition. Home health aides don’t have to pay for training, though, if they know where to look.
Many HHA agencies offer free home health aide training programs, so prospective students can look online or in the telephone book for home health agencies and call, asking about free home health aide training. Most agencies require that students who get a free education from the agency then work for the agency for a specific period of time, such as six months to a year, or a specific amount of hours, such as 1,000 or 2,000.
Getting free classes through this method also means a job is secure and ready for the student once he or she passes certification. This is the ideal way to get free home health aide training for those seeking nurse aide jobs.
Homecare Work For Certified HHAs
A second method for finding free home health aide training is to contact your state’s Department of Labor and ask about job training programs for HHAs. Because the demand is so high for these jobs, training opportunities are common. Many states develop partnerships with community colleges and the Red Cross, so contacting an area college or Red Cross office can help you to locate these free sources of HHA training.
The education received in free home health aide training can include: patient hygiene, personal safety, infectious disease management, charting and recordkeeping, feeding, and other basic care issues related to performing the job as an HHA. In many cases, this education can be applied to further training, such as CNA coursework or LPN programs should the HHA decide to go further in his or her career.
Nurse Aide Jobs
Home health aide jobs that require certification range from working day shift, evening, overnight (with extra pay) or even live-in jobs that offer benefits, pay, and a place to live. Finding the right nurse aide job after receiving free home health aide training can be a life-changing experience and a perfect way to enter the medical field, earn a reasonable starting salary, and develop a rewarding career.
