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Home Health Aides

Also called: Home Health Aide (HHA), Certified Nurses Aide (CNA), Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Residential Counselor

What they do:
Provide routine individualized healthcare such as changing bandages and dressing wounds, and applying topical medications to the elderly, convalescents, or persons with disabilities at the patient's home or in a care facility. Monitor or report changes in health status. May also provide personal care such as bathing, dressing, and grooming of patient.
On the job, you would:
  • Maintain records of patient care, condition, progress, or problems to report and discuss observations with supervisor or case manager.
  • Check patients' pulse, temperature, and respiration.
  • Provide patients with help moving in and out of beds, baths, wheelchairs, or automobiles and with dressing and grooming.

Knowledge

Math and Science
  • psychology
Health
  • medicine and dentistry
Safety and Government
  • public safety and security
Arts and Humanities
  • English language

Skills

Basic Skills
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Social
  • looking for ways to help people
  • understanding people's reactions

Abilities

Verbal
  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say
Ideas and Logic
  • notice when problems happen
  • make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include
helping people, teaching, and talking.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Concern for Others
  • Self Control
  • Dependability
  • Integrity
  • Cooperation
  • Attention to Detail

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Medical software
  • AIG OASIS
Data base reporting software
  • Mi-Co software
Internet browser software
  • Web browser software

Education

Education: (rated 2 of 5)
high school diploma or
some college
usually needed

Get started on your career:

Find Training Find Certifications Registered Apprenticeship

Job Outlook

Bright Outlook
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
Salary
$20,610
per year, on average
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about home health aides.