Home Health Aides

What the job really is

Monitor the health status of an individual with disabilities or illness, and address their health-related needs, such as changing bandages, dressing wounds, or administering medication. Work is performed under the direction of offsite or intermittent onsite licensed nursing staff. Provide assistance with routine healthcare tasks or activities of daily living, such as feeding, bathing, toileting, or ambulation. May also help with tasks such as preparing meals, doing light housekeeping, and doing laundry depending on the patient's abilities.

At a glance

• Sector: Healthcare Support
• O*NET-SOC code: 31-1121
• O*NET job zone: 2 — some preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Bathe patients.
• Maintain records of patient care, condition, progress, or problems to report and discuss observations with supervisor or case manager.
• Provide patients with help moving in and out of beds, baths, wheelchairs, or automobiles and with dressing and grooming.
• Care for patients by changing bed linens, washing and ironing laundry, cleaning, or assisting with their personal care.
• Entertain, converse with, or read aloud to patients to keep them mentally healthy and alert.
• Plan, purchase, prepare, or serve meals to patients or other family members, according to prescribed diets.
• Check patients' pulse, temperature, and respiration.
• Provide patients and families with emotional support and instruction in areas such as caring for infants, preparing healthy meals, living independently, or adapting to disability or illness.
• Perform a variety of duties as requested by client, such as obtaining household supplies or running errands.
• Direct patients in simple prescribed exercises or in the use of braces or artificial limbs.
• Massage patients or apply preparations or treatments, such as liniment, alcohol rubs, or heat-lamp stimulation.
• Administer prescribed oral medications, under the written direction of physician or as directed by home care nurse or aide, and ensure patients take their medicine.

Tools and technology

Linux, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Word, Oracle Database, Python, SAP software

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Nursing Assistants
• Personal Care Aides
• Paramedics
• Psychiatric Technicians
• Occupational Therapy Aides
• Psychiatric Aides
• Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
• Physical Therapist Aides

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 2 (some preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Home Health Aides — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.