Knowing how to provide general home aides is not as easy as it sounds. It takes the proper training and the suitable materials to make a good aide. You should be able to help clients with personal care such as grooming, bathing, dressing, and other activities of daily living (ADL). With aging baby boomers needing more health care, there is sure to be a need for healthy individuals who can provide this kind of support and do so in a judgment-free manner.
Aide work offers you the opportunity to earn a great income working from your own home – an appealing option for those who want flexibility in their schedule or cannot drive themselves to work every day. Professional home aids can quickly bring in about $30,000 a year. This is undoubtedly a popular profession as those who want to work from home can easily do so as long as they have a computer and high-speed internet connection.
You also need the appropriate training to care for patients or clients properly. Clients need someone who can provide them with enough reassurance and quick thinking should anything go wrong. Whether you choose to train at a school or attend online aged care courses and child care courses assures you have the chance to learn more about home health aides and possibly specialize in your service area later on down the road. You should know that not all states require that you be certified though many employers will ask for proof of graduation from an approved program before hiring you.
Some states do require certification, which can be taken after you have completed a training program. This type of certification is suitable for two years, and then it must be renewed to keep working in this profession.
Make sure that you work on your communication skills, too. Many aides report having problems with patients or clients who cannot communicate effectively; frustration will only improve either party. Aides also need to listen closely and ask questions when required to get more information on how they can improve their services and make their patients feel safe and comfortable at all times.
You should understand that nurses and other medical professionals may tell you what you cannot do; however, if an aide believes they are capable of performing a function or activity, they should ask for clarification and then proceed as long as they feel safe and that there is no harm done to the patient or client.
After you have finished an online course, you may take a certification exam if necessary in your area. You will need to check with your state board of nursing for details about this step.
One way that aides can expand their skills is by simply observing other nurses completing tasks. Watching how professionals work can give you ideas of new things you might not have tried before. Remember, though, that each nurse has their style, so it isn’t always a good idea to copy them entirely – learn the basics and develop your routines from there. After all, you certainly don’t want patients thinking they are being cared for by a clone of their nurse.