A home health aide is a healthcare professional that takes care of individuals requiring individual attention, at their home. People disabled by age, disease or chronic illness, derive comfort from the services of a home health aide. An aide may deliver services at the home of the clients independently or under supervision. Aides may be supervised by medical professionals, most usually registered nurse.

If you are interested in a career of a home health aide, then completing a state-recognized training program is essential to work in government-aided organizations. If you are applying for private organizations, then training may be in the form of on-the-job practice.

Whether you receive training or not, there are certain characteristics that make you better at your work and position you for success. Dive into this article to know the winning traits of highly successful home health aides and strategies to improve your own skills.

Managing Time

Home health aides perform a range of tasks as part of their job. They maintain patient’s personal hygiene, handle their medications, monitor their physical exercise routines, and accompany them on their doctor’s visits.

Aides record patient information daily, including their vital signs, and execute other errands needed for the patient. Their duties also include light housekeeping tasks such as doing dishes, laundry and preparing meals.

In addition to these physical tasks, they provide emotional support to the patient. They serve as companions for the patient, listening to them and offering them motivation when needed.

Accomplishing these duties on a daily basis demands excellent time management. As a health aide, you must be able to prioritize tasks to ensure their timely completion. With efficient time management, you can stick to the patient’s doctor’s appointment, medicine schedule and other key obligations.

Keeping yourself in excellent physical and mental condition is essential when you are taking care of others. Time management helps you to set aside time for yourself so that you get re-energized.

Communication

As a home health aide, you have to carry out crucial tasks that can be accomplished better with good communication skills. The ability to put forth your intent clearly, and the ability to listen, are key to set the tone of your relationship with the patient. Clear communication is also important to assess the patient’s health condition by asking questions.

Conveying health updates to medical personnel, supervisors and family members, is an essential duty as a health aide. You have to collaborate with the medical team to create and update treatment plans, which demands clear communication.

Physical strength

Duties of a home health aide involve physically helping their patients. They may have to help patients by lifting them onto their wheelchairs, or sometimes even carrying them to the required spot. Tasks can also include lifting and moving objects out of the patient’s path.

A home health aide needs to be in excellent physical condition to perform these actions without causing injury to oneself or to the patient. Good physical condition also prevents fatigue.

Staying organized

As a home health aide, you need to manage patient treatment schedules, doctor appointments and health assessment schedules. You also need to keep a record of patient health details for medical supervision. Maintaining medical schedules demands order and accuracy. Being organized is a crucial skill on the job.

When you are organized at work, it communicates your commitment and professionalism. It becomes easier for the patient and the family members to trust you.

Want to begin your career in Kentucky?

Kentucky’s lifestyle is quite different from that of large metropolitan areas. On a scale of 1-10, it’s probably near a 5, in terms of its progressive and cosmopolitan nature. The housing and cost of living are significantly lower than the national average.

Owning insurance is another way of being professionally organized. A Kentucky home health care insurance protects you from various on-the-job risks including liability claims by third parties. Know more about home care liability coverage Kentucky.

Strong interpersonal skills

Patience and a willingness to analyze different viewpoints are key to succeed in your role. From developing a good relationship with the patient to gaining the trust of the family members, you need strong interpersonal skills to reach your daily goals.

An ability to adapt

As a home health aide, you must be prepared to adapt to the patient and the family you are working with. Each patient comes with a different set of challenges in terms of medical treatment, temperament and family relations. You must be optimistic and strong to adjust and accommodate different needs.

Tips to improve your skills

Improving your skills opens up better opportunities in your career and helps you attain professional fulfilment. Here are some ways to keep honing your skills:

Gather feedback on the job

One of the best ways to improve your skills is to get feedback from people under your care. Request feedback from your patients, their families and the medical team you work with. These people can give valuable insights that help you improve your communication and interpersonal skills. You can understand the gaps in your care and work to eliminate drawbacks.

Choose a mentor

You may want to seek the advice and guidance of senior home health aides or professionals that have retired from the job. Guidance from such experienced individuals can help you understand other people’s perspectives and identify areas where you can improve. Mentors can help you with valuable tips on improving key skills such as communication and time management.

Enroll in home health aide training

Consider enrolling in training programs for home health aides to hone your skills. These programs teach you about advancements in care techniques and give you practical training. You can employ these skills on the job and improve the quality of your patient care.

A career as a home health aide is fulfilling if you are passionate about helping others. As a home health aide, you get to keep yourself sharp physically and mentally as there is continuous learning on the job.