Just like most other states, Virginia is in great demand for workers in the healthcare industry.
If you want to enter this field as a home health aide, this guide will explain the process you have to follow.
Article Table of Contents
Ideal Candidate
Of course, you can’t enter a field without knowing if you’re made for it.
Good home health aides have the following qualities:
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- Compassion
- Detail-oriented
- Dependable
- Strong physically
Occasionally, other skills will be needed and the aide may already have them or they may have to learn them.
As such, willingness to learn new skills is another quality you should have for this position.
Training and Certification
In Virginia, home health aides are considered as unskilled workers, though it’s obvious they do need certain skills.
Because of how the occupation is seen, they need minimal training.
These professionals don’t need to be licensed, but their agency does.
There are some instances in which the agency doesn’t need credentials.
The situations are related to chores involving homemaking.
To work as a home health aide or home attendant, you can receive training as one of the following:
- Nurse
- Home health aide
- Nursing assistant
The minimum training is set at the federal level, with a total of 75 hours.
Out of these, 16 hours must be spent in a clinical setting while supervised.
These schools are approved to offer such training courses.
School Name | Address |
---|---|
Cardinal Care Institute for Health Careers | 150 Riverside Pkwy Suite #211, Fredericksburg VA 22406 |
Care Perfections Career Institute | 8705 Stonewall Road, Manassas, VA 20110 |
Gee’s Career Training Institute | 1822 Featherstone Rd, Woodbridge, VA 22191 |
Healthcare Training Solutions | 6 West County Street Suite 103, Hampton, VA 23663 |
Nova Home Health Care | 10680 Main Street, Suite 230, Fairfax, VA 22030 |
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Your training will cover topics such as:
- Understanding patient needs
- Observing and reporting patient status
- Maintaining adequate fluid and nutrition intake
- Using infection control
- Providing safe, appropriate hygiene and grooming
- Recording vital signs
It’s important to know that only those who meet the following requirements will be accepted to enroll:
- 18 years, minimum age
- Having a high school diploma or GED
- Passing a TB test
- Passing a general health check
The classes will end with an exam.
The exam has a written part and a skills part.
Generally, only 5 skills will be tested and the individual must perform all the skills at a satisfactory level.
If you want to train as a certified nurse assistant, your program will be at least 12 hours long.
Your exam will be organized through Pearson Vue and once you pass you’ll have to register with the Board of Nursing.
Details about Employment and Salary in Virginia
Like in all other states, those hiring home health aides the most are agencies in Virginia.
To be employed by a home health agency, you’ll have to pass a background check.
Below you can see the best agencies in Virginia to apply to:
- AMEDISYS Home Health Care, in Abingdon
- Southern Virginia Regional Home Health, in Emporia
- Home Nursing Services of Southwest VA Inc., in Abingdon
- LivHome, in Arlington
- Amaisa Home Care, in Loudoun County
- Home Instead Senior Care, in Manassas
- Home Instead Senior Care, in Fredericksburg
- Caring.com
The higher salaries are in the higher cities, but also experience and specific workplace can increase the average salary.
Some of those cities are Arlington and Alexandria.
Annual Salary Range:Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
---|---|
Virginia Beach | $24,342 |
Norfolk | $23,975 |
Chesapeake | $23,945 |
Arlington | $28,179 |
Richmond | $25,519 |
Newport News | $23,853 |
Alexandria | $28,179 |
Hampton | $23,853 |
Roanoke | $23,516 |
Portsmouth | $23,975 |
Regional Salary in Virginia
Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | 940 | $28,100 | $13.51 | $30,640 | $24,960 |
Charlottesville, VA | 1,750 | $28,690 | $13.79 | $34,780 | $26,300 |
Harrisonburg, VA | 670 | $28,110 | $13.52 | $34,720 | $24,960 |
Lynchburg, VA | 1,980 | $28,010 | $13.46 | $32,380 | $24,960 |
Richmond, VA | 10,040 | $29,200 | $14.04 | $35,180 | $25,380 |
Roanoke, VA | 1,960 | $27,440 | $13.19 | $30,390 | $24,960 |
Staunton-Waynesboro, VA | 950 | $27,810 | $13.37 | $33,890 | $24,960 |
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | 11,080 | $28,100 | $13.51 | $34,000 | $24,960 |
Winchester, VA-WV | 1,210 | $28,750 | $13.82 | $35,360 | $24,960 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Extra Info
Home health aides are generally expected to help clients with:
- Mobility,
- Hygiene,
- Nutrition
Home health aides, no matter which certification they got, usually work under the supervision of a nurse.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Home Health Aide