Home Health Aide Certification In Arizona
Working as a home health aide can be challenging but it’s also incredibly rewarding. The role involves caring for clients in their own homes and helping to improve the quality of their lives. In this guide, we take a look at what’s required to become a home health aide in Arizona. We also examine your job and salary prospects, the best HHA education programs in the state, and where you can find work.
Licensing & Certification Requirements For Home Health Aides In Arizona
There is no formal home health aide (HHA) certification in Arizona. The state also has no licensing requirements for home health aides. However, home health agencies are required to hire employees that meet state and federal home health aide training standards.
To satisfy these home health aide requirements, you must undergo at least 75 hours of training. This must include 16 hours of supervised practical training.
Home health aide training in Arizona is supervised by a registered nurse and at the end of your course, you will be evaluated to see if you meet the necessary standards.
As part of your home health aide training course, you will also need to pass a criminal background check. Plus, you will be tested for infectious tuberculosis.
During your HHA training, you’ll learn all of the skills required to carry out the job to a high level. These skills include:
- Personal care: This involves providing oral care, cleaning patients, and other hygiene-related tasks.
- Mobility: This involves promoting a range of motion and helping clients with general mobility issues.
- Environment: This part of your home health aide training teaches you how to keep a client’s environment healthy and safe. You’ll also learn about providing adequate hydration and nutrition.
- Body functions: You’ll learn about different body functions and the needs of your clients. You’ll be taught how to understand body functions and how to report your observations to healthcare professionals.
If you want to work for a home health agency in Arizona, then you must complete the required HHA training to be considered for a role.
Best Home Health Aide Education Programs In Arizona
There are a number of educational programs in Arizona that provide the type of HHA training that home health care agencies are looking for. Some home health agencies also offer internships and on-the-job training to new employees.
Most home health aide training programs in Arizona have the following prerequisites:
- You must be able to read and write in English.
- You must be at least 18 years old.
- You must be legally allowed to work in the United States.
- You need to have some form of government-issued photo ID.
- You must prove that you are mentally and physically capable of working for a home health agency.
Some of the best educational institutions for home health aide training in Arizona include:
- Eastern Arizona College: 615 N Stadium Avenue, Thatcher, AZ 85552
- Arizona Medical Training Institute: 1530 N Country Drive, Mesa, AZ 85201
- Arizona Western College: Yuma, AZ 85366
- GateWay Community College Phoenix: 108 N. 40th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85034
- Mesa Community College: 1833 West Southern, Mesa, AZ 85202
Job Outlook & Salary For Home Health Aides In Arizona
Once you’ve completed your training in Arizona, your job prospects are good and you should be able to earn a decent salary. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median home health aide salary in 2021 was $29,430 per year. That works out to $14.15 per hour.
The Bureau also states that across the U.S. the employment of home health aides is predicted to increase by 25% between 2021 and 2031.
On average, it predicts that there will be around 711,700 new home health aide jobs each year in the U.S.
As of May 2022, the annual mean wage for home health aides in Arizona was $31,260 or $15.03 per hour. This isn’t too far below the annual mean wage for HHAs in Washington which is the highest-paying state in the country. The annual mean wage in Washington is $37,900.
Where To Find Work
Some of the best home health care agencies where you can find work in Arizona are:
- ABRiO Care – Yuma
- Right at Home – Northwest Phoenix, East Valley Phoenix, Tucson, Prescott, and Tucson locations.
- PrimeCare Home Solutions – Maricopa County
- Home Assist Health – Phoenix
- Catalina In-Home Services – Tucson
- BrightStar Care – Tucson/Sierra Vista
You can also apply for HHA jobs on popular job websites such as ZipRecruiter and Monster.
FAQs
Are there any free HHA training courses in Arizona?
Due to the high demand for HHAs in Arizona, some HHA agencies do offer free courses and internships. This is a great way to train as an HHA without having to pay for a course yourself.
What kind of tasks do home health aides perform?
Some of the tasks that you’ll perform at clients’ homes include:
- Dressing and washing your clients
- Helping your clients to use the bathroom
- Helping clients get out of bed
- Preparing drinks and meals for your clients
- Brushing your clients’ hair
- Buying groceries for your clients
- Reminding your clients to take their medicine
- Collecting prescriptions for your clients
- Getting your clients ready for bed in the evening
- Taking your clients out to attend appointments
Do confidentiality rules apply to home health aides?
Yes, as with any other healthcare worker, you must strictly adhere to confidentiality guidelines. This means you cannot share details about your clients with anyone outside of your work-related duties.
Sources:
https://medicalfieldcareers.com/hha-classes-arizona/
https://www.healthcarepathway.com/home-health/arizona-home-health-aide/#best