Home Health Aide Certification In Louisiana

If you’re interested in pursuing a career as a home health aide in Louisiana, obtaining your certificate can be crucial for your success. As a home health aide (HHA), you’ll work closely with patients who are unable to care for themselves, providing them with critical support and care. This can be a fulfilling and rewarding job, one that comes with great job prospects and satisfactory income.

Licensing Requirements In Louisiana

According to the Louisiana Home Health State Regulations, you must meet the following criteria to become a home health aide in Louisiana:

Successfully complete a competency evaluation
Have successfully completed a training program or have a current nursing assistant certification
This includes completing 75 hours of training, with 16 hours of clinical training.

It is not necessary to have a college degree to work as a home health aide. As long as you meet the state’s training and certification requirements, anyone, including those without formal education, can work as a home health aide.

Home Health Aide Certification Process In Louisiana

While most states across the US, including Louisiana, don’t require home health aides to have a certification in order to work, most employers prefer candidates with one. Most Louisiana employers only accept Medicare or Medicaid patients, meaning they can hire only certified home health aides.

Certification not only demonstrates your commitment to the profession but that you’re also equipped with the necessary skills to provide quality care.

Here are the steps for obtaining a home health aide certificate in the state of Louisiana:

Obtain a high school diploma or GED. This is often the minimum requirement to enroll in a program. Some schools may also require additional steps such as undergoing a physical exam and passing an English and math test.
Enroll in a Louisiana-accredited HHA training program. Next, you need to enroll at a state-approved school with an accredited home health aide training program.
Complete state–required training hours. HHAs must complete a minimum of 75 classroom hours and 16 practical hours to successfully complete the program and sit the exam.
Pass the certification exam. The exam will consist of both written and clinical parts, and upon successful completion, you’ll obtain your HHA certification.
Maintain the certification. Your certification must be renewed once a year and you must complete 12 hours of continuing education each year.

Best HHA Education Programs In Louisiana

To become a home health aide in Louisiana, it’s essential that you obtain a certificate from an accredited school and program. Accredited programs are designed to ensure that students receive high-quality training that meets industry standards, which can help them stand out to potential employers.

Louisiana is home to various accredited healthcare schools that provide top-quality education and certification for aspiring HHAs. Before choosing the best program for you, it’s important that you compare each one based on program length, cost, and course offerings.

St. Agatha Career School

Based in New Orleans, St. Agatha Career School provides a nursing assistant course that ensures students are eligible to work in long-term care facilities, home health agencies, clinics, and acute care settings.

This program takes place over approximately 4-5 weeks and consists of completing 84 clock hours to achieve certification.

Bossier Parish Community College

The certified nursing assistant program at Bossier Parish Community College will prepare aspiring HHAs to work with long-term care patients, including those in nursing homes and receiving home health care.

The program offers comprehensive instruction, covering approximately 170 hours of medical terminology, patient care studies, lectures, and clinical training.

Job Outlook And Salary For A Home Health Aide In Louisiana

Employment prospects for a home health aide in Louisiana are promising. Home health aides are in high demand across the state, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) forecasting that upwards of 35,000 jobs will be available in Louisiana.

New job openings for home health and personal care aides are expected to arise mainly in cities such as New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lafayette, Kenner, Alexandria, Lake Charles, Bossier City, and Monroe.

In terms of salary, the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the median annual salary range for home health and personal care aides and nursing assistants is $29,330. This can vary depending on the region and county in Louisiana as well as the facility.

Where To Find Work

The good news for home health aides is that they can work in a variety of settings, from hospitals and nursing homes to hospices and private residences.

Some of the largest and most important employers in Lousiana include:

Louisiana State University Hospitals
Christus Health System – A not-for-profit system made up of more than 600 facilities across the state.
Ochsner Medical Center – Based in New Orleans, this is one of the largest medical facilities in Louisiana and offers many career opportunities.
Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center – One of the largest not-for-profit healthcare systems in the state.

Louisiana is also home to a number of top-rated home health agencies. A home health agency offers skilled home health care and support services to the general public. The following home health agencies are among the best in Louisiana:

Louisiana HomeCare of Alexandria
Feliciana Home Health East (Baton Rouge)
Ochsner Home Health of Raceland
St. Landry HomeCare (Opelousas)
Jeff Davis MD HomeCare (Jennings)

FAQs

How can you become an independent home health aide in Louisiana?

If you aim to become an independent home health aide and start your own business, you’ll need to have obtained your diploma or GED and have earned your HHA certification. You will also need a Home Care License which you can obtain by paying a fee of $600 to the Louisiana Department of Health.

Is being a home health aide a difficult job?

Being a home health aide can be challenging due to the physically and emotionally demanding nature of the job. However, if you’re incredibly passionate about this field, you’ll find it incredibly rewarding and well worth it.

How long does it take to obtain a home health aide certificate in Louisiana?

The Louisiana state requirements stipulate that home health aides will need to complete 75 hours of training. This can take up to 3 weeks or more depending on the program you choose and your schedule.

Sources:

https://medicalfieldcareers.com/hha-classes-louisiana/

https://www.ldh.la.gov/assets/medicaid/hss/docs/HHA_MLS_St_regs.pdf

https://ldh.la.gov/assets/hss/HH/Home-Health_LAC48.1-Chapter-91_08.22.2022.pdf

https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_la.htm

http://healthcaretraininginstitutenola.net/programs

https://sacsla.com/training/

https://ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/directory/category/172

http://catalog.bpcc.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=6&poid=1401&returnto=615