Home Health Aide Career Plan

It takes less formal education to become a home health aide than it does to enter most other health occupations. Still, taking the right steps early on can ensure your success and give you opportunities for advancement. The following tips may help you.

1. Stay on track for high school graduation. It’s not usually a legal requirement, but a diploma can give you more options. (Some high-caliber organizations ask for a diploma or GED.) You may want to take a health care exploration class. Psychology would be another good choice. You can build your communication skills through class work or extracurricular activities.

2. Enroll in driver’s ed and get your license. Home health aides often travel from client to client, so a good driving record may be a hiring requirement. (If your job requires a lot of travel, you may be required to have a car.)

3. Seek out experiences with the elderly and disabled, and with other people who are in need. Do some job shadowing. You may want to contact Learning for Life, an organization that helps young people explore careers; the organization lists home health aide as one of the most popular choices.

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4. Get your CPR certification.

5. Scout out job opportunities in your area. You may have the option of receiving training through your employer. If you don’t find someone ready to hire you, seek out a training program. Your state public health department may list a number of approved providers. You may be able to take a training program online, but make sure it meets the requirements of your local board.

6. Fulfill certification or licensing requirements. This may entail taking an exam through the National Association for Home Care and Hospice or a state-specific exam.

7. Look for a position that interests you. You can search for positions on HomeHealth.com. It is operated by the NAHCH.

Personality Traits: Home health aides are people-oriented and responsible. They know how to make people at ease; they may draw their energy from interactions with others. Physical health and emotional stability are also important.