Home Health Aide; HHA​/CNA

Overview

The VITAS Home Health Aide (HHA) is a non-exempt employee, trained to provide personal care and services to hospice patients to augment care given by family members or other caregivers.

Performs only those personal care activities contained in a written assignment. Home Health Aide (HHA) assignments may include:

• HHA helps the patient to maintain good personal hygiene.
• HHA plans and prepare meals. Feeds or assists with feeding the patient when needed.
• HHA assists the patient ambulation.
• HHA assists with certain treatments as ordered by the physician, and taught and supervised by the nurse for a specific patient including: assist with the change of the colostomy bag; assist with the use of a walker or wheelchair; reinforcement of a dressing; assist with prescribed range of motion exercises; assist with prescribed ice cap or collar; measure intake and output of fluids;
  
  and assist with medications that are ordinarily self-administered.
• HHA reads and records temperature, pulse and respiration.

Other responsibilities for the HHA not included in a written assignment may include:

• HHA assists in maintaining a safe and healthy environment.
• HHA promotes the patient’s mental alertness through involvement in activities of interest.
• HHA provides simple emotional and psychological support to the patient, family, and other caregivers.
• HHA reports any changes in the patient’s mental or physical condition or home situation to the VITAS Nurse and members of the interdisciplinary team.
• HHA teaches basic personal care to the primary caregiver.
• HHA practices basic infection control measures.
• HHA observes, reports, and documents patient status and the care and activities provided.
• HHA completes at least 12 hours of in-service training per calendar year.
• HHA handles other tasks as assigned.

• Be assigned by VITAS to any institutional setting.
• Change sterile dressings.
• Irrigate body cavities (such as an enema).
• Irrigate a colostomy or wound.
• Perform a gastric lavage or gavage.
• Catheterize a patient.
• Administer medications.
• Apply heat by any method.
• Care for a tracheotomy tube.
• Suction a patient.
• Provide any personal care that has not been assigned by the VITAS nurse or included in the plan of care.

• High School graduate or equivalent preferred.
• Meets personnel qualifications of a Home Health Aide as specified in 42 C.F.R. Section 484.4 and Section 484.36.
• Documented evidence of 75 hours of training as specified in 42 C.F.R. Sections 484.36 (a)(1).
• Documented evidence that HHA has successfully completed a Competency Evaluation program as described in 42 C.F.R. Section 484.36(b).

State Allowable Training/Certification

• AL, CO, DC, DE, FL, GA, IN, MI, PA, TX, VA, WI
• CNA, HHA, HA
• CA
• CHHA
• CT
• Homemaker-Home Health Aide
• IL
• HHA, NA
• KS
• Home Health Aide certificate
• MO
• Home Health Aide
• NJ
• Homemaker-Home Health Aide
• OH
• Home Health Aide

• HHA has the ability to read, write, and carry out directions.
• HHA has the ability to travel per job requirements.
• HHA has a telephone available in home.

The physical demands described for the HHA are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of the HHA, the employee is regularly required to:

• Assist in lifting and transferring patients, as required.
• Lift objects in excess of 20 pounds.
• Stand or walk in excess of one hour per day.
• Talk and hear.

Specific vision abilities required by the HHA include:

• Close vision
• Distance vision
• Ability to adjust focus

The HHA will be required to sit and stoop, kneel, and crouch.

• HHA reports directly to the VITAS Nurse.
• HHA receives clinical direction from the VITAS Nurse.