Home Health Aide Certification in South Dakota

Growth in the healthcare sector is huge. This means anyone who wants to work as a home health aide and gain their HHA certification in South Dakota has many opportunities. This article contains information on qualifying as a community health worker as a stepping stone to becoming certified as a health aide as well as a section on who you can work for. You may be wondering what you’ll get paid and what your prospects look like, which is why we’ve covered that too.

Licensing Requirements to Become a Home Health Aide in South Dakota

South Dakota has minimal licensing requirements. Home healthcare services and individual home health aide providers can choose whether to obtain certification or not.

However, federal law requires that home health aides be certified in certain circumstances. HHAs must meet minimum federal requirements if they are Medicaid beneficiaries.

Federal law stipulates that certified home health aides or personal care aides in South Dakota must:

• Be 18 years old.
• Have obtained a high school diploma.
• Complete a 75-hour training program.
• At least 16 hours of clinical training must be included in their curriculum.
• Pass a test or competency evaluation program.
• Pass a tuberculosis test.
• Pass a state background check.

There is no requirement in South Dakota for any additional training over and above the national training standards.

To be admitted to a training program, you’ll usually need at least a high school diploma, GED, or other equivalent qualification

Training and Education in South Dakota

There are both offline and online training solutions to qualify as a home health aide in South Dakota. Typically, you must attend a nursing facility for your practical training.

To become a licensed health aide the HHA courses will cover the following:

• How to take care of patients’ personal care and hygiene.
• How to position a patient and help with their range of motion.
• All areas related to nutrition, preparing meals, and feeding patients.
• How to take patients’ vital signs.
• Reporting on bodily functions and any changes observed.
• How to properly document all aspects of care.
• How to recognize and handle an emergency.

Once you have completed your training and passed the nursing assistant exam, you can apply for registration with the South Dakota State Board of Nursing.

There is also the option to be certified through the National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC).

Training for Employment as an HHA in a Medicare-Certified Home Health Agency

There are a variety of options to obtain the necessary qualifications to become a home health aide in South Dakota.

Here’s a list of some of the most reputable options available:

• Gleska University
• Sisseton Wahpeton College
• Western Dakota Tech
• South Dakota State University

Unqualified home health aides in South Dakota can still apply to work in South Dakota Medicaid or Medicare-certified home health agencies. They will then work under the supervision of a registered HHA.

While you are working you can complete the necessary classroom courses. This will help to prepare you for your competency evaluation, which is mandatory.

The federal code also indicates that home health aides may be required to perform a variety of tasks that are not on their minimum requirement list.

How much does HHA training cost in SD?

Compared to other health courses, the cost of HHA training is very affordable.

There are opportunities for promising students to receive funding from local businesses. However, these are usually only for short courses.

You can budget approximately $500 for a certificate course. Accredited universities offering associate degree programs cost around $5,000 to $10,000 per year.

The Job Outlook for Home Health Aides

As the current population ages, the career outlook for home health aides improves.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), growth in the healthcare sector is projected to provide more than 900,000 jobs in the next 10 years.

As medical technology improves, more procedures will be performed outside of hospitals. This will necessitate more home health care.

Compared to other occupations, the health sector is very promising, with expected growth of 25% between 2021 and 2031.

Average Salary of Home Health Aides in South Dakota

As with most occupations, your level of training, years of experience, and location will impact how much you get paid.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports show that health aide workers earn on average $29,430 per year or $14.15 per hour across the country.

However, South Dakota labor statistics figures are reported at a slightly lower level, with the annual salary range between $21,134 and $22,315.

Where to Find Work as a Home Health Aide

With the increased number of elderly people requiring home health assistance, there are many opportunities for home HHAs to find jobs.

You can approach home health agencies, hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities.

To get your first home health aide job, try to ensure that you have a basic qualification and then improve your education to put yourself in line for advancement.

Best South Dakota home health organizations to work for

If you’re looking for the best home health organizations to work for, then the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services publish a comprehensive list.

The ratings for the Sioux Center Home Health and Hospice and the Regional Health Home Plus Home Health in Spearfish are good. The Heartland Home Health in Belle Fourche is also reportedly one of the best.

Right at Home – Southeast South Dakota and Comfort Keepers – Black Hills also come highly rated for their training and care of patients.

FAQ

What is a community health worker?

South Dakota makes a distinction between a personal care aide and a community health worker (CHW). CHWs perform some of the same functions that HHAs do. But their main function is to be a link between the health services and the community.

Who regulates nursing homes in South Dakota?

South Dakota nursing homes are licensed and certified by the South Dakota Department of Health’s Office of Health Care Facilities Licensure and Certification.

Sources

https://www.healthcarepathway.com/home-health/south-dakota-home-health-aide/

https://www.vocationaltraininghq.com/hha-schools-south-dakota/

https://www.exploremedicalcareers.com/home-health-aide/hha-south-dakota/

https://chwsd.org/chw-comparisons-home-health-aide/

https://www.healthcarepathway.com/home-health/south-dakota-home-health-aide/