Home Health Aide Career Description

Home Health Aide Job Profile and Description

A home health aide is an individual who is also known as a home care nurse and is responsible for taking care of the patient in the patient’s house. They have to administer the medication written and prescribed by the physician. It is the duty of a home health aide to check the pulse, body temperature and respiration of a patient from time to time. They may also prescribe exercises to patients and apply treatments like alcohol rubs, antiseptic, bandage and heat lamp simulation. They ensure that the patient is able to move in and out of the bed, take bath and use the washroom.

Home Health Aide Duties and Responsibilities

A home health aide has number of responsibilities and duties that she needs to carry out. They are as follows:

• Taking care of the patient
• Ensuring that the patients take medicine on time as prescribed by the doctor
• Helping the patient to use washroom, take bath, change clothes and comb hair
• Ensuring that the patients are following the prescribed food diet and they eat on time
• Applying antiseptic and changing dressing and bandages
• Providing emotional support to the patient and his families
• Changing the bedcover of the patient’s bed and washing the clothes of the patient

Home Health Aide Skills and Specifications

There are various skills required for a home health aide and they are as follows:

• Must be caring in nature
• Ability to work for long hours
• Should be very attentive
• Must maintain personal hygiene
• Needs to possess knowledge in first aid techniques

Home Health Aide Education and Qualification

The qualifications required for a home health aide are:

• Needs to undergo 75 hours nurse training
• Certifications from National Associate for Home Care

Home Health Aide Salary

The average annual salary of a home health aide is around $20000.