CNAs or HHAs Out There Question Please?

[nightbird]

I live in a Florida retirement community and I am in a dead end job, lots of ads in the paper for Home Health Aids and CNAs at nursing homes or assisted living facilities and also those companies that send them to residences.
Whats is the difference between HHA or CNA and what kind of education did you need.
All the jobs says Proper Certification Required. I worked with one girl who
just came for Christmas( I work retail and was assistant manager at the time) she worked in a nursing home and made 4 more dollars an hour then me and suggested this). I am very patient and good with the older customers and she commented on this. I work well with the retirees that are also employees too and am pretty calm and sympathetic to their needs.

[cryinblueeyes]

Hi nightbird, I'm in Massachusetts but thought I'd give ya a little info on your questions. A HHA (home health aide) is someone goes into the home and duties can include anything from shopping to laundry to personal care. A CNA (cerified Nurses aide) mostly works in nursing homes, hospitals or other kinds of institutions. Although some CNA's work out of the home also. I was a CNA at a nursing home for 9 years and ended up getting burnt out working with Alzheimers patients, then I went into home care!
Most states now have a cerification class and some form of a test, in Massachusetts the test was giving by the red cross, it consisted of a written test and clinical test! Easy as pie if you remember everything they tell you in class!
I know here in Massachusetts most of the times there are ads in the classifieds looking for someone to go into the home a couple times a week and help out, that might just be a good start for you, you don't need to be certified and you can see if you would like it then move foward and get certified!
Good luck to you! I hope someone from FL can assist you better on the certification laws!

[IthinkNOT!]

We have to have the certification course here in NC too. I have been a NA for 10 years now, I have worked in Nursing Homes, rest homes and home health. Currently doing home health and loving it. Not sure about there, but here you are more likely to be hired at a rest home if you aren't certified, also that may be the best place to start. Mostly nursing homes pay more, but you are also giving more care and have a greater patient load.

[mrsdragoness]

Both ladies have explained quite well and as stated every state has different criteria. I inquired into a CNA position as I have worked in Mental health in capacities close to a CNA. They told me that I could test out rather than have to take the courses.

Whichever you choose its not a glamourous job for sure and can often be hard work on top of losing your heart to some wonderful folks and losing them as they become frailer and die. But if you love working with people and don't mind the type of work, its very rewarding!

I liken folks who work in this field to those of us who are here on PTO... we give unconditional love and support to those we care about and love. It takes a special kind of person to do either!

[IthinkNOT!]

very well said!

[babygirl143dre]

yeah everything above is true to the t. you may even find a nursing home that will hire you without training and provide you with the traning although you may not get paid as much as if u had the training but once you past they should raise your rate. i started out like that at frist i thought oh god no changing older pepoles diapers, but my husband encourage me to go. now 7 yrs later i love it , i have done hhc i worked in hospitals, private care you name it but my heart is in nursing home i am a cna, let me tell you you will always find a job in this line of work. pending where you live is good money too. i make 13.50an hr and i bring home almost 1000,00 every two weeks give and take a little.go for it its the best thing if you love helping and taking care of others then this may be for you. good luck

[IthinkNOT!]

here the pay rate goes from 5.25 an hour for uncertified in a resthome to like 6.50 an hour for a rest home. Nursing homes pay more. Homehealth here pays best, I am at 9$ hour/10$ hour weekend pay.

[nightbird]

Thank you for your input, cause I have had people discourage me from this. My friend at the Nursing home here makes 12.00, but the in home are 8 an hour. I would like a job that you feel like you are making a difference and feel like you are helping people.

[nightbird]

I am going to orientation at the local Job Training Center here this week to find out about the classes and how much they cost and how long it takes to get certified. I think I'd be good at this. I have done retail for 10 years I started in Sept 1996, and basically I made a living but never got ahead, the pay hasn't changed much in the 10 years either.

[sweets79]

I am not sure where in FL you live but when I got my certification it was $75 dollars for the test and I challanged it which meant I went to work for a nursing home as a NA which was a CNA's assistant and in 3 weeks took the test. It is very easy and can be a great job! I have been doing it for 8 years but it just got too sad for me b/c I got too attached to the residents, so now I do private duty for one person and she is 99 years old who I love very much and know she won't be here forever but I okay with it. Good Luck and I hope you enjoy it! ( Oh I live in North FL but you should be able to challange the test anywhere)

[PTO-29412]

Another option available is nursing homes will hire you and train you in classes. They offer these in exchange for a promise to work for them for a set amount of time.

[nightbird]

Thanks!