Important Job Skills for Home Health Aides

Important Job Skills for Home Health AidesImportant Job Skills for Home Health AidesWhat are the most important skills a home health kchengehilfe needs to have? A home health kchengehilfe enables an ailing person to stay in his or her home rather than move into a facility. The job of the aide is to provide all sorts of stab und sttze to make that possible. This requires a variety of bothhardandsoftskills. Job Outlook and Educational Requirements If youre interested in getting hired as ahome health aide, the job outlook is strong, with 41% expected growth between 2016and2026. The median pay (2018) is$24,060 per yearor $11.57 per hour. Home health aides typically need ahigh school diploma or the equivalent, though not all employers require it. There are also training or certificate programs available at community colleges and vocational schools. Home Health Aide Job Description Ahome health aides duties can range from monitoring a patients condition to teaching the patient (or the family) how to adjust to their current reality,forexample,by teaching thepatient how to bathe or walk with a walker. Sometimes a home health aide is required to do a bit of shopping or housework. Overall, a home health aide will create a space for the patient thats safeandhealthy and that fosters comfort and recuperation. Skills You Need to be a Home Health Aide All of ansicht duties require patience, compassion, medical knowledge, and a variety of other skills. Read below for information on theskills required for most home health aide jobs. Top Skills for a Home Health Aide 1. Communication Communicationis important for a home health aide in many ways. First, aides need to be able to speak with their client to understand hisorher needs. Second, they need to communicate with family members to keep them up-to-date on the patients health. Third, they often need to interact with doctors and other medical professionals. They have tolistento what the doctor says and share any relevant information with the client and family. All of these tasks require someone who is a clear speaker and agood listener. Other communication skills andtasksneeded for the job include Theability to read, write, and speak effectivelyActive listeningto family membersCommunicating medical information to family members after doctors visitsInterviewing family members and patients to assess preferencesListening to patientsWriting notes andemailsabout clients 2. Compassion A home health aide worker must be empathetic and caring. Growing old or ill or becoming injured (or, in some cases, all of the above) can be scary and alienating. A home health aide is on the front lines with patients in vulnerable states. To take proper care of them and to make them feel safe, a home health aide should have a natural tendency toward compassionate care. Other related skills necessary for home health aide workers are EmpathyEstablishing a rapport with thepatientInterpersonal skillsListening to and respecting the concerns of the clientProviding companionship 3. AttentiontoDetail Home health aide workers provide care in many ways, from helping patients complete day-to-day tasks to providing medical assistance. All of this requires attention to detail. For example, aides need to remember and follow the directions of a patients healthcare practitioner. They need to give a patient his or her medications at specific times of the day. They alsoneedtobehighlyorganized. Related skills needed for the job include AccuracyEnsuring that patients take prescribed medications at the right timeFollowing the directions of nurses and doctorsMonitoring changes in the physical and psychological condition of patientsMaintaining recordsBeingobservant 4. Flexibility Being a home health aide worker is about more than just the patients health. Youll be asked to meet many of your clientsnon-medicalneedsaswell. Some of these tasks may include grocery shopping and household chores, suchas laundry and cleaning. You may be asked to monitor a patients vitalsor to provide companionship and conversation. The skills or tasks required of you may change as the patient either declines or recuperates, and what is needed of you will certainly change from patient to patient. You should be able to meet the patients changing needs by remainingflexibleand open-minded. Below are some of the varied skills you willneed and thetasks you may need to complete as a home health aide Assisting patients with hair care, dental care, and shavingAssisting patients with toiletingAssisting with daily living tasksBathing clientsChanging adult diapers and cleaning patientsCaring for clients with impaired memoryDressing patientsFeeding patientsHousecleaningLaundering clothingLight housekeepingMeal planning and preparationRepresenting patient during visits to healthcare providersRunning errands 5. Honesty When you become a part of someones life in the way that home health aides do, honesty is a c ritical trait. Youll be in peoples homes in extremely intimate ways. You may be asked to clean patients or change their adult diapers. You may assist with all manner of lifes details in ways that will give you access to parts of their lives that only their most intimate companions arefamiliarwith. Honesty is essential so that you can communicate effectively and clearly withyourpatientsfamilies and healthcare providers. Moreover, if apatientorthepatients family cannot trust you, its unlikely that youll maintain employment for long. Honesty will be the foundation upon which youll build long-term employment. Below are other important skills related to honesty IntegrityDependabilityMaintaining confidentialityPunctualityReliability 6. Medical Knowledge Many home health aides need only a high school diploma or equivalent. Some jobs require job seekers tobe certified or toundergo training. No matter the education requirements, all home health aides need to familiarize themselves with b asic medical knowledge. Many health aides will need to check a patients vital signs, change wound dressings, and perform other basic medical tasks. They may also attend doctors appointments with the patient, which will require them to understand some of the medical information the doctor shares. Below are some examples of the kinds of medical skills and knowledge a home health aide might need Alzheimer and dementia careBasic care servicesChanging simple, unsterile wound dressingsCNA (certified nursing assistant) certificationCoping with bodily fluids and excretionsCPR certificationFirst aid certificationHHA (home health aide) certificationLearning and remembering medical and pharmaceutical termsTaking temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure 7. Patience A home health aide may have to deal with situations that are uncomfortable and challenging. Patients with dementia may be critical or irrational. Incontinent patients may require cleanups. All sorts of unforeseen incon veniences may pop up, and the patients overall well-being- including their emotional well-being- is of the utmost concern. A home health aide should be calm, even-tempered, and largely unflappable. Other skills related to patience include Helping patients to utilize adaptive devicesHelping patients with exercisesInteracting with clients in painInteracting with distressed patientsListening to the concerns of family membersTreating patients with respect 8. Physical Stamina Home health aides need to complete a number of physical tasks, from turning or lifting patients to carrying groceries. They need to be comfortable being on their feet forlong stretches of time and lifting and carrying heavy things. Physical tasks they may need to perform include Driving a car (andhavingreliabletransportation)Safely transferring patients from bed to achair, wheelchair, or toiletLifting clientsTransporting clients to appointmentsTurning patient in bed How to Make Your Skills Stand Out List Skills in Your Resume and Cover Letter Apply the terms in yourresume, especially in the description of your work history. You can alsoincorporate them into your cover letter.Discuss Skills During Job Interviews You can also use these words in yourinterviews. Keep the top skills listed here in mind during your interview, and be prepared to give examples of how youve exemplified each.