How long does it take to become a HHA? 4 weeks!
It can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 5 months to be a home health aide (HHA) though most caregivers take a path that gets them HHA certified and working within 4 weeks.
HHA training basics
Federal requirements mandate that home health aides need 75 hours of training though this may vary by state and by home health agency.
There are many options for HHA training and certification and in order to answer the question:
You need to consider the following.
Options for HHA training
There are many options for HHA training.
You can receive training from:
- home health care agencies
- community colleges
- vocational/technical schools
- home health aide online classes
4 weeks to become a HHA
A typical HHA training program may take 4 weeks or less to complete.
The program will include lectures by those in the field, quizzes and tests, and some hands on experience at a health care facility such as a nursing home or hospital.
Cost of HHA training
Free Training
You’ll want to take advantage of free (yes FREE) training. Not a joke or gimmick.
You may be able to get free training from your local home health aide agency. The health care industry can’t train people fast enough to be a home health aide. Many home care agencies offer free training to help you get started.
Consider this…
The important thing when deciding how long does home health aide certification take, is understanding what kind of life balance are you looking for?
If being able to go back to school fulltime to get HHA certified right away sounds great, then consider starting at a community college in your area.
For those with less free time on their hands or who would like some flexibility in scheduling their classes, there are options such as volunteering for a home health agency and taking classes online.
Summary
The right home health aide certificate program can give you the knowledge and skills to work in this field. It’s important that your HHA training and certification process fits into your schedule, so make sure it is one of the factors when choosing a school for your coursework.
