0 Nursing Assistant Certification for Home Health

Many individuals who are certified as a Nursing Assistant become
frustrated with the medical facility environment. The often have to work
as scheduled including holidays, deal with internal issues among staff,
want more pay for the work they are doing, and don't feel appreciated. 
Home health care offers a great alternative to Nursing Assistants who
want more freedom as well as the opportunity to get to know those they
are caring for on a more personal level. Home health care is exactly
that, offering basic assistance to those who need it in the privacy and
comfort of their own home. Nursing Assistants will be performing many of
the same tasks including feeding, bathing, and dressing the patients. 
Most Nursing Assistants interested in working for home health seek
employment with a home health agency. These agencies contract with the
patient or their family to offer them services to be able to remain in
their home rather than an assisted living facility. However, Nursing
Assistants need to be aware home health care agencies generally offer
additional services that they will be required to perform including
paying bills, running errands, picking up medications, and taking the
patient to scheduled appointments. In addition, there may be cooking and
light housekeeping involved.

   Many Nursing Assistants love
home health care because it allows them to develop a schedule that works
for them and they get to know their patients. Home health care
generally allows you to make your own schedule. It will be reviewed by
your supervisor as well as checked with the patients. Every effort is
made to accommodate all involved. It is very likely you can customize
the schedule around holidays and other events, giving you those days
off.  Getting to know your patients while doing home health care is a
perk you don't often get in a medical facility. You sometimes can if you
work in a long term care facility, but even then time is often limited
and Nursing Assistants have to run to complete the workload they are
given. Getting to know the patients in home health care can make the job
more enjoyable.  Since home health care takes place in a person's home
with very little supervision, the background check is more intense than
what is done to work in a medical facility. This is for the complete
protection of the patients. You will have complete access to their home
as well as be interacting with them one on one. Therefore any time of
issue on your background check can keep you from being employed in home
health care.

   Be prepared for a references and past employers
to be contacted. Home health care agencies will be looking for more than
the length of employment and your skills. They will want to find out if
you are organized, motivated, and able to work on your own without
constant supervision. They will be investigating your promptness as well
as how often you call off work, as well as the reasons why.  This is
because home health care agencies don't have the volume of staff to
cover your patients if you show up late or don't show up at all. This
can result in patients needs going unmet and them becoming upset. That
could result in patients choosing to end their contract with that home
health care agency.   Nursing Assistants are more likely to earn more at
a home health agency than in a medical facility. On average $2.25 more
per hour. They are also more likely to be treated respectfully by their
employer and co-workers. They want employees to be happy as this will
help keep them as quality employees. Patients do not like for their
assistant to continually change. They don't like having that many new
people in and out of their home. The home health care agency has to
properly balance keeping the employees and the patients happy.   Before
accepting any employment with a home health care agency, take the time
to research them with the Better Business Bureau and state Medical
Board. You do not want to involve yourself with any agency that does not
participate in proper procedures for care of their patients. It is
important to report any such issues immediately.   For tips on lip
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