Home Health Aide HHA​/CNA

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.

Salary Range: $15-$18 / Hour

Assigned Job Responsibilities

• Home Health Aide (HHA) helps the patient to maintain good personal hygiene.
• Home Health Aide (HHA) plans and prepares meals. Feeds or assists with feeding the patient when needed.
• Home Health Aide (HHA) assists the patient with ambulation.
• Home Health Aide (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.
• Home Health Aide (HHA) reads and records temperature, pulse and respiration.

Other Responsibilities for the Home Health Aide (HHA) not included in a written assignment may include:

• Home Health Aide (HHA) assists in maintaining a safe and healthy environment.
• Home Health Aide (HHA) promotes the patient’s mental alertness through involvement in activities of interest.
• Home Health Aide (HHA) provides simple emotional and psychological support to the patient, family, and other caregivers.
• Home Health Aide (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.
• Home Health Aide (HHA) teaches basic personal care to the primary caregiver.
• Home Health Aide (HHA) practices basic infection control measures.
• Home Health Aide (HHA) observes, reports, and documents patient status and the care and activities provided.
• Home Health Aide (HHA) completes at least 12 hours of in‑service training per calendar year.
• Home Health Aide (HHA) handles other tasks as assigned.

The Home Health Aide (HHA) May Not

• 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.

Qualifications

• 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 Home Health Aide 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

Special Requirements

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

Essential Functions/Physical Demands

While performing the duties of the Home Health Aide (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 Home Health Aide (HHA) include:

• Close vision
• Distance vision
• Ability to adjust focus.

The Home Health Aide (HHA) will be required to sit and stoop, kneel, and crouch.

DIRECTION RECEIVED

• Home Health Aide (HHA) reports directly to the VITAS Nurse.
• Home Health Aide (HHA) receives clinical direction from the VITAS Nurse.

Entry level

Full‑time

Health Care Provider

Hospitals and Health Care