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People who become home health aides work in a growing field and do not have to complete a college degree or go to medical school.
Many people choose to complete one of the best online home health aide training programs.
Home health aides provide personalized care for each client.
They are trained professionals who learn to care for clients in their own homes or community settings.
Home health aides complete a training program that prepares them to perform a variety of important duties, including assisting clients with activities of daily living (ADLs).
They also help clients with medication management and may provide some basic medical support.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects much faster than average job growth for home health aides, compared to all other professions.
People who want to become home health aides first need to complete a home health aide training program.
Best Online Home Health Care Training Programs
The best online home health aide programs provide students with the comprehensive knowledge that they need and the skills that they need to care for clients in their own homes or community settings.
The best programs prepare students to become certified in the state where they want to work as home health aides.
1. Ashworth College
The online Home Health Aide Career Diploma program at Ashworth College consists of four courses.
Students progress through each course at their own pace.
The courses include Home Health Aide Orientation, Safety Issues, Fundamentals of Home Health Care, and Specialized Care.
Students learn the role of home health aides, the responsibilities of home health aides, and how to create a safe environment for patients or clients.
They learn to identify credible sources of dietary information, and how to plan, prepare, and store food.
Students also learn how to take vital signs and identify exercises that help patients to gain strength and to maintain flexibility.
The school provides students with instant access to their lessons and support.
They receive access to the Learning Resource Center and an online community of students, program graduates, and staff.
The tuition is $789 for students who pay for the course in one payment.
Students have the option of choosing a monthly payment plan.
The full tuition for this option is $939.
2. University of Houston
The University of Houston offers its Home Health Aide program through its Online and Special Programs department.
The 100 percent online program curriculum gives students the essential knowledge, core competencies, and skills that they need to work as an entry-level home health aide.
Students learn medical terminology, the difference between nursing assistants and home health aides, and the role and responsibilities of home health aides.
They also learn about preventing the spread of infection, and how to measure and record weight and vital signs.
Students learn about healthy meal management and the role of home health aides in supporting the wellness and disorders of newborns and pediatric patients.
The school provides students with a clinical experience guide and support to help them locate a clinical experience that meets the federal standards for home health aides to have a minimum of 16 hours of clinical experience.
3. Blackstone Career Institute
The Blackstone Career Institute online home health aide program has 17 lessons.
Students gain the knowledge and skills for an entry-level home health aide position.
Program objectives include preparing students to demonstrate the universal precautions to prevent the spread of infection in clients’ homes and community settings.
Students learn about medication management, how to collect specimens, and how to apply dry dressings.
Some other special procedures that students learn to demonstrate include oxygen use and intravenous infusions.
The curriculum includes Anatomy and Medical Terminology, Interpersonal Communications, Critical Thinking Skills, Introduction to Computers, the Internet and Electronic Communication, and Nutrition.
Students also complete four home health aide lessons, time and stress management, and a lesson about finding a job in healthcare.
The full-pay tuition is $1,214. Students who choose the $ 79-a-month payment plan pay a total of $1,298, while those who choose the $ 59-a-month payment plan pay $1,442 for tuition.
4. Western Kentucky University
The Western Kentucky University Continuing Education and Development Department offers a 12-month home health aide program.
It is a self-paced program with open enrollment.
The program curriculum prepares students to care for patients in their own homes or skilled nursing facilities.
Students learn how to provide personal and comfort care, how to support the physical needs and the safety needs of clients, and the role of home health aides in preventing the spread of infection.
The curriculum for the home health aide program includes Medical Terminology, The Musculoskeletal System, the Cardiovascular System, and the Lymphatic and Immune Systems.
It also includes The Endocrine System, the Nervous System, Concepts of Health Care, and Restorative Care and Rehabilitation.
These lessons, along with the additional lessons, total 280 course hours.
Students receive all instructional materials with their enrollment.
The tuition is $2,495.
5. Penn Foster
Penn Foster offers a nine-month Online Home Health Aide Career Diploma course.
The program consists of nine courses, one project, 25 exams, and one 40-hour externship.
Some courses in the program include Introduction to the Home Health Aide Role, Home Care Procedures, Nutrition, and Therapeutic Communication Skills.
Students also complete two courses in body systems and medication, and Law, Ethics, and Confidentiality.
The tuition for students who pay in one full payment is $789.
Students who choose the auto-payment plan pay $939 in tuition.
The tuition for students who choose the mail-pay plan is a total of $1,039.
6. Southern Technical Institute
The Home Health Aide Online program at Southern Technical Institute gives students the knowledge and skills that they need to help people who are elderly, who are in poor health, or who are disabled people.
Students learn to help patients with their activities of daily living (ADLs) and to help parents of children who have disabilities.
They also learn how to communicate with clients and their families, how to recognize issues regarding the care of adults who have mental health issues, and how to observe, document, and report conditions or changes in conditions that are related to the client’s well-being.
Students who have already completed a certified nursing assistant (CNA) program through Southern Technical Institute or who are currently licensed as certified nursing assistants will receive a 75-hour certificate when they complete the Home Health Aide Online program.
Students who do not already have training as certified nursing assistants receive a 40-hour certificate when they complete the program.
The school does not list tuition on its program page.
Southern Technical Institute indicates that people who are interested in the Home Health Aide Online program should call the school to learn about promotional pricing.
7. Tallahassee State College
Tallahassee State College offers a 100 percent Online Home Health Aide program.
The program is self-paced, with students having up to 12 months to complete it.
Students learn the steps to provide personal and comfortable home health care, the role and responsibilities of home health aides, how to record the weight and vital signs of patients, and how the duties of home health aides differ from those of a nursing assistant.
The curriculum includes Introduction to Medical Terminology and the Human Body in Health and Disease, The Respiratory System, the Lymphatic and Immune Systems, the Digestive System, and the Cardiovascular System.
The program curriculum also includes The Musculoskeletal System, The Integumentary System, The Endocrine System, The Nervous System, and Mental Health.
The program consists of 280 course hours. Students take a midterm exam and a final exam.
Students should check the program to make sure that it meets the requirements in the state where they plan to work as a home health aide.
The program is currently offered in 27 states.
The tuition for the program is $2,495.
8. Adelphi University
Adelphi University offers a four-to-six-month Online Home Health Aide program.
The comprehensive program prepares students to work as entry-level home health aides.
The program offers students an optional volunteer externship opportunity to gain hands-on experience.
An externship coordinator reaches out to students to coordinate the placement of students at an agency, organization, or company.
The curriculum for this program gives students the knowledge that they need to provide personal care for clients in their own homes, to communicate effectively with clients and their families, and to perform the daily tasks that are usually performed by home health aides.
They learn how to help clients with their activities of daily living, and how to provide essential services such as health care monitoring and management, medication reminders, and recreational activities.
The $1,299 cost of the program includes all textbooks and materials, 24-hour learner support, and a certificate of completion.
Students who complete the program are eligible to take the national certification exam.
What Courses Are in an Online Home Health Aide Training Program?
Home health aide training programs provide a curriculum that prepares students to start their careers as an entry-level home health aide who works in homes or some healthcare settings.
The curriculum prepares students to sit for a certification exam.
Some courses may have different names at different schools.
One example is that the introductory course at Ashworth College is Home Health Aide Orientation, while it is Home Health Aide 1 at Blackstone Career Institute.
Some other courses in the curriculum of most home health aide training programs include medical terminology courses, courses on how to take vital signs, nutrition management, and safety-related courses.
The curriculum also includes courses related to human body systems and communication skills.
Can You Earn a Home Health Aide Certification Completely Online?
Anyone who wants a career as a home health aide does not have to worry about whether they can take a certification exam if they complete a 100 percent online program.
Many online home health aide programs, including the programs at the University of Houston, Tallahassee State College, and Adelphi University prepare students to sit for a certification exam.
Taking the certification exam gives students who complete an online program the same opportunities as students who pass the certification exam after they complete an in-person home health aide training program.
How Long Does It Take to Earn a Home Health Aide Certification Online?
The time that it takes to complete an online home health aide program and earn a home health aide certification varies from one school to another school.
Some schools offer programs that students can complete in a few months, while other schools offer home health aide programs that last up to a year.
One example is that the program at Adelphi University is a four-to-six-month program, while the home health aide program at Western Kentucky University is a 12-month program.
Students need to check the requirements for the state where they want to work after completing their training program.
Some states have additional training requirements beyond the federal requirements.
The site Home Health Aide Guide lists the requirements for every state.
How Much Does an Online Home Health Aide Program Cost?
The cost of home health aide programs varies, based on several things.
Anyone who is interested in completing an online home health aide program needs to carefully read the details about the cost of the program.
Some programs include all learning materials and access to a variety of online resources.
The home health aide program at Ashworth College is $789 when students pay in one payment.
The cost of the home health aide program at Tallahassee State College and some other schools is $2,495.
Summary
Home health aides are in high demand, with much higher-than-average job growth projections, compared to other professions.
Students can enter this growing field without completing a college degree.
Online training programs prepare students to sit for a certification exam and to start working as entry-level home health aides.
Students need to check with their state to see if the state has additional training requirements.
The cost of online training programs varies between different schools.
Some programs include learning materials and online resources at the cost of their home health aide training program.
