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Home Health Aides

Monitor the health status of an individual with disabilities or illness, and address their health-related needs, such as changing bandages, dressing wounds, or administering medication. Work is performed under the direction of offsite or intermittent onsite licensed nursing staff. Provide assistance with routine healthcare tasks or activities of daily living, such as feeding, bathing, toileting, or ambulation. May also help with tasks such as preparing meals, doing light housekeeping, and doing laundry depending on the patient's abilities.

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Related Work Experience: N.A.

On-Site or In-Plant Training: Up to and including 1 month

On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month

Detailed Work Activities

Assist patients with daily activities.
Give medications or immunizations.
Maintain medical records.
Teach basic living or other adaptive skills to patients or caregivers.
Engage patients in exercises or activities.
Feed patients.
Assess physical conditions of patients to aid in diagnosis or treatment.
Apply bandages, dressings, or splints.
Accompany patients or clients on outings to provide assistance.
Administer therapy treatments to patients using hands or physical treatment aids.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

Maintain records of patient care, condition, progress, or problems to report and discuss observations with supervisor or case manager.
Provide patients with help moving in and out of beds, baths, wheelchairs, or automobiles and with dressing and grooming.
Bathe patients.
Care for patients by changing bed linens, washing and ironing laundry, cleaning, or assisting with their personal care.
Entertain, converse with, or read aloud to patients to keep them mentally healthy and alert.
Plan, purchase, prepare, or serve meals to patients or other family members, according to prescribed diets.
Check patients' pulse, temperature, and respiration.
Provide patients and families with emotional support and instruction in areas such as caring for infants, preparing healthy meals, living independently, or adapting to disability or illness.
Perform a variety of duties as requested by client, such as obtaining household supplies or running errands.
Direct patients in simple prescribed exercises or in the use of braces or artificial limbs.
Massage patients or apply preparations or treatments, such as liniment, alcohol rubs, or heat-lamp stimulation.
Administer prescribed oral medications, under the written direction of physician or as directed by home care nurse or aide, and ensure patients take their medicine.
Care for children with disabilities or who have sick parents or parents with disabilities.
Accompany clients to doctors' offices or on other trips outside the home, providing transportation, assistance, and companionship.
Change dressings.

Work Styles

Innovation

A tendency to be inventive, to be imaginative, and to adopt new perspectives on ways to accomplish work.

Innovation

Achievement Orientation

Intellectual Curiosity

Tolerance for Ambiguity

Initiative

Adaptability

Self-Confidence

Perseverance

Leadership Orientation

Humility

Sincerity

Empathy

Cooperation

Optimism

Social Orientation

Cautiousness

Attention to Detail

Dependability

Integrity

Stress Tolerance

Self-Control

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 30.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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