Looking to pursue a career as a home health aide? A home health aide is a trained professional who takes care of people with certain level of illnesses, disabilities amd age-related problems in their homes.

The home health aide offers basic services such as checking vital signs, administering medications, wound dressing while handling emergencies such as stroke or heart attack.

With the increase in life expectancy, earlier discharges from hospitals and the rise in aging population have all fueled the demand for home health aides. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of personal care and home health aides will reach 4.4 million by 2028 representing a 36 percent increase from the current numbers.

How long does it take to become a home health aide?

The first step to becoming a home health aide is to determine the requirements in your state as each state has a different set of requirements with respect to education and training. While no formal education is needed to become a home health aide, obtaining a high school diploma can help you advance in your career. Many colleges and institutions offer training courses and certificates.

You can find out about the requirements by calling the state Department of Health and asking if you are required to have a high school diploma or formal healthcare experience. Enquire also about license, certification and the exams you need to take. Find out also whether you are required to have job training before you can obtain the license or final certification.

The NAHC or National Association for Home Care and Hospice offers voluntary certification. To get the certification, candidates need to undertake training for a duration of 75 hours and pass a home health exam. This helps home health aides get better hourly wages and offers them increased career prospects. This certificate program requires one semester worth of study where students learn about basic medical care, patient care, emergency response, administering medications and personal hygiene assistance.

You can also obtain a certified nurse assistant (CNA) certification to become a home health aide. A CNA certification can be obtained by completing 75 hours of regulated training and passing a home health exam.

Some states mandate that the home health aide must be a certified nursing assistant (CNA) while in other states such as Washington D.C. trainees have to take up a pre-admission examination where their writing and reading skills  are assessed.

Many health care companies require you to complete a pre-employment training where you work in the supervision of a licensed aide for a period of several months apart from attending workshops and seminars. You will also have to pass an exam after the pre-employment training. For most companies, a minimum one-year professional experience in supporting people with illnesses or disabilities is required.

Successful completion of the intensive course and pre-employment training and passing the exams demonstrates your knowledge and competency as a professional home health aide. This helps widen your career prospects and increases market value.

Read More: 6 incredible qualities of a professional home health care provider

The importance of Home Health Liability insurance

As a home health aide, you work with and attend to high-risk scenarios on a regular basis. There are multiple challenges of caring for the vulnerable population whether disabled, elderly or the critically ill.

Simple mistakes such as forgetting to give a pill, delay in reaching the patient’s home, missing an item in the healthcare checklist can lead to serious consequences. This increases the risk of lawsuits being filed against the home health aides, putting yourself and your business at risk.

Additionally, there are risks related to bodily injury or property damage caused by the home health aide. The General liability insurance is designed to protect you against claims of property damage or bodily injury from vendors, clients or other third parties.

Home Health Liability insurance can provide the protection home health aides need against the above-mentioned risks. A Home Health Liability Insurance covers the damages, as well as the legal costs that might incur. Find out more home health aide insurance and get a free quote by visiting the Bizinsure website.

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