Home Health Aide Certification In Hawaii
You need to become a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) if you want to become a home health aide in Hawaii. Unlike other states, a simple home health aide course will not suffice. So, in addition to learning how to provide care for home-based patients, you’ll also have to learn basic nursing assistant duties.
Still, your main purpose as a home health aide in Hawaii is to make sure patients are comfortable and safe at home. This job includes helping them around the house, which includes meal preparation, cleaning, bathing, and other duties. In terms of nursing duties, you’ll need to take vital signs, dress patients, help them take medicine, and so on.
In this guide, we’ll go over what it takes to gain HHA certification in Hawaii.
Licensing Requirements In State
To enroll in a home health aide CNA training program, you’ll need either a high school diploma or a G.E.D. Besides this, you’ll also need a driver’s license – the nature of the job demands it.
Once you’ve gained the required CNA training certification, you’ll need to complete the Prometic Hawaii Nurse Aide Exam. This competency exam is overseen by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA).
Once you pass this, you’ll be able to register on the Hawaii State Nurse Aide Registry. This will give you the license to work as a professional home health aide.
Certification
Home health aide training in Hawaii consists of enrolling in a CNA course.
In Hawaii, these courses consist of 100 hours of training in total. Unlike other states, the majority of CNA courses consist of physical practice. You need to complete 70 hours worth of clinical training and 30 hours worth of classroom-based learning.
The classroom hours are normally offered in person, but virtual classes are also available.
Given that these courses are designed for nursing assistants, classes cover a range of topics, including:
- Infection control
- Personal care services
- Assistive technology
- Body mechanics
- Nutrition
A CNA course will also cover duties normally performed by home health aides. This includes helping patients cook, clean, bathe, shop, and perform other duties around the home. Getting the balance between nursing assistant duties and home health aide tasks right is key. This allows you to help patients around the house, and also step in with nursing aid whenever necessary.
Before receiving a certificate for the course, you’ll have to sit and pass a skill test.
Healthcare school requirements
Some of Hawaii’s healthcare institutions have more specific entry requirements than others.
Firstly, a background check will normally be performed on you.
Secondly, you may be required to complete a fitness examination. This will be done to determine whether or not you’re healthy enough to perform the routine duties of a home health aide. The job demands a lot of lifting and physical activity, so you need to be in good shape.
Thirdly, you may need to undergo basic competency examinations. Even if you have the required education, you may have to take an English, reading, or maths test.
Additionally, before being approved for a course, you may be asked to take a drug test. You may also be tested for tuberculosis.
Best Education Programs
The best educational institutions in Hawaii that will help you meet the training requirements of a home health aide include the following:
Caregiver Training School
1320 Kalai Street Suite 288 Honolulu, HI 96817
Healthcare School of Hawaii
98-025 Hekaha St Suite 3 & 4, Bldg. 4, Aiea, HI 96701
Hawaii Institute of Healthcare and Training Services
1059 Kilauea Ave. Unit B, Hilo, HI 96721
Kapiolani Community College
4303 Diamond Head Road Honolulu, HI 96816
Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labour Statistics has projected that the job outlook for home health aides will grow by 25% between 2021 and 2031. This means that there’ll be 711,700 job openings per year between now and 2031. So, there’s clearly a big demand for certified nurse aides, particularly those who want to work as home health aides.
Salaries
The average annual salary range for home health aides falls between $25,936 and $30,942 (this is based on salary statistics provided by Salary.com). This range lines up with the median annual salary suggested by the Bureau of Labour Statistics. Based on their data for home health aides in 2021, the median salary was $29,430.
This would suggest that home health aides earn $14.15 per hour for their work (on average).
Where To Find Work
The best place to get home health aide jobs is through home health agencies. The best agencies based in Hawaii include the following:
Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center
3288 Moanalua Rd, Honolulu, HI 96819
Ohana Care Maui
1464 Lower Main Street, Unit 211, Wailuku, Hawaii 96793
Ho’okele Caregivers Maui
820 Mililani Street, Suite 711, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Arcadia Home Health Services
1660 S. Beretania Street, 3rd Floor, Honolulu, Hawaii 96826
ALTRES Home Care
967 Kapiolani Boulevard, Honolulu, Hawaii 96814
FAQs
Which state will you make the most money as an HHA?
Massachusettes is generally considered to be the state with the biggest HHA salaries. Washington, Minnesota, Maine, and New York also pay top salaries for HHA workers. In these states, hourly wages tend to be well above average – close to $17 an hour.
Which state pays the lowest for HHA workers?
States that pay below the average salary for HHA workers include Texas, Florida, Alabama, Ohio, Kansas, South Dakota, and Nebraska.
Sources
https://health.hawaii.gov/ohca/state-licensing-section/hcal/agencies/
https://www.hah.org/healthcare-resources-for-students
https://www.vocationaltraininghq.com/hha-schools-hawaii/
https://www.exploremedicalcareers.com/home-health-aide/hha-hawaii/
https://www.healthcarepathway.com/home-health/hawaii-home-health-aide/