How to Become a Home Health Aide in Maryland (Requirements & Schools)

If you consider becoming a home health aide in Maryland, you will first need to train.

This will help you develop your skills so that you can get hired.

Have a look at the article below for more info on licensing and career outlook.

Ideal Candidate

You should have a certain skill set to be able to work as a home health aide.

This includes:

• The ability to drive
• Good communication skills
• Be able to be compassionate

Furthermore, if you know how to cook and take care of pets, this will increase your chances at a better job.

The same applies if you know another language except your own.

Training and Education in Maryland

You don’t need a lot of education to be a home health aide.

You need to be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or an equivalent.

You will also need to attend a training program.

There are several training programs in Maryland, which include:

The training programs last for some weeks, and you can start working right after.

However, you will need to take a certification exam before.

This exam will cover the subjects you learned during the program.

These include:

• Processes of development and aging
• Personal care services
• Infection control
• Nutrition
• Maintaining the least restrictive environment
• Body mechanics
• Assistive technology

In order to sit for the exam, you will need 75 hours of training.

Out of these 75 hours, you must spend 15 hours in practice.

After you finish the program and get your certification, you have to renew it every year.

Before renewing the license, you have to attend 15 additional education hours.

If you are only 15 years old, you might still be able to train, as school schools accept younger students.

Although the training program lasts for a few weeks, you can choose to pursue higher education.

For example, an associate’s degree will last for 2 years but bring more career opportunities.

In some cases, the entity which hires you will also pay for your training.

To attend a training program in Maryland, you also need to meet a few criteria:

• Passing a drug test
• Passing a tuberculosis test
• Passing a background check
• Passing a few exams in:
  • Math
  • Reading
  • English

Employment and Salary in Maryland

This state has a good prognosis when it comes to home health aide jobs.

You will get increased career opportunities if you work in one of the larger cities, such as Silver Spring, Waldorf, or Rockville.

Regional Salary in Maryland

The biggest entities you can get hired by in Maryland are:

• National Institutes of Health
• MedStar Health
• Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System
• University of Maryland Medical System
• Adventist HealthCare

All these facilities provide good employment packages.

These include paid time off, paid vacation, several disability options, health insurance, flex spending accounts, and more.

Other Info on Home Health Aides in Maryland

This job may require you to stand on your feet for hours and work at night.

Some of the daily job duties include:

• Bathing the client
• Changing their clothes
• Feeding them
• Assist them in moving around
• Any other basic task that requires help

A home health aide is under the supervision of a nurse of a licensed therapist, who also pays visits.

The most common way of getting employed is by an agency.

Although working in a private home is more common, you can also work in a hospital.

Overall, the jobs in the industry in Maryland have increased over the past years.

This means that you only need to get trained, after which you can start a rewarding career.

HHA Schools by State