Nursing or Home Health Aides: A Career Profile

A Look at the Job:

Nursing aides provide patients with medical care under the supervision of nursing and medical staff. Their daily tasks include everything from tidying up rooms to helping patients eat, dress or bathe. They come to the aid of patients in need, assist in some medical procedures, and keep track of patients' physical, mental and emotional conditions, which must be reported to nursing or medical staff. Nursing aides may be employed within nursing care facilities or in hospitals.

If not interested in working in one of these locations, a career in home health will offer you the same types of responsibilities with greater freedom of employment. The daily tasks of home health aides are much the same as those of nursing aides. The main difference is that the medical care takes place largely in the patient's home. Home health aides administer medical care to elderly or disabled individuals who prefer the comforts of their own home over a health care facility. Home health aides provide more extensive care than can be given by a patient's family or friends. Performing physical therapy, giving medication and bathing are just a few of the services provided by home health aides. Another difference between the two professions is that a home health aide can be asked to provide services on a short or long-term basis. If a patient has recently been released from the hospital, he/she may only require the assistance of a home health aide for a short period of time. Regardless of the span of time, all required tasks or needs of the patient are reported to a case manager or supervisor.

Most full time nursing and home health aides work typical 40-hour weeks. As patients often need assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, nursing and home health aides must be available at any time of the day. Regardless, nursing and home health aides often find much satisfaction in their jobs due to the opportunity to make a significant difference in the well-being of those individuals in need.

The Skills Needed:

Today, home health and nursing aides are generally not required to have a high school diploma, although training at a community college or vocational school is recommended. They can be trained on the job by registered nurses and may be required to attend lectures or training workshops. Some states also require nurse/home health aides to be certified or licensed. This process can involve passing a competency test or evaluation and putting in hours of state-approved training. The specific guidelines vary by state.

Other qualifications are also helpful in becoming a successful home health or nursing aid. Qualified aides should be patient, sensitive to others' needs, dependable, emotionally stable, and have the desire to help people. The ability to be part of a team, good communication skills, and a willingness to perform routine tasks are also important. Home health aides also need access to their own mode of transportation on a daily basis.

Average Pay:

All home health and nursing aides are paid by the hour. The following is the median hourly wage for industries employing the largest number of nursing aides, as reported in May 2006 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS):

The following is the average hourly wage for industries employing the greatest number of home health aides in May 2006:

Slight pay increases for home health aides come with added experience and responsibility.

Benefits of the Job:

Home health aides generally receive no benefits and are hired as on-call, hourly workers only. However, nursing aides employed by hospitals usually receive at least one week of paid vacation after one full year of service. Nursing aides, according to the BLS, also enjoy paid holidays, sick leave, hospital and medical benefits, extra pay for late-shift work, and pension plans.

Employment Opportunities:

Job opportunities for nursing aides will continue to grow faster than average. However, reports show that due to financial pressures to discharge patients as early as possible, this increase will occur on a larger scale in nursing facilities rather than in hospitals.

Due to a growing demand and consumer preference for in-home services, the need for home health aides is expected to grow fairly rapidly over the next decade. The previously mentioned pressure on hospitals to discharge patients creates a greater need for in-home care. Longer life expectancy and technological advances has also expanded the number of years in which patients require health care services. Therefore, the employment opportunities within the health care sector are expected to continue growing in coming years.

Ways to Advance My Career:

While a formal degree is not required to pursue this particular occupation, improper training can also create problems. Not to mention, additional training and education opens up new options for career advancement. Working your way up the medical ladder is nearly impossible without formal training and higher education. However, a job as a nurse or home health aid is a great way to gain experience while going to school for that higher degree. In fact, online education programs in nursing have made this option a realistic opportunity for many aides. Former aides have obtained positions as licensed practical nurses, registered nurses and medical assistants.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. (2008). Occupational outlook handbook: Nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides (2008-09 ed.). Retrieved December 24, 2007, from http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos165.htm