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If you live in Mississippi and want to enter the healthcare industry by becoming a home health aide, this guide is here to help you get started.
Article Table of Contents
Ideal Candidate
It’s well known that not everyone is a good fit for certain occupations.
This couldn’t be more true in relation to home health aides.
Make sure you have these qualities before going any further on this path:
- Attentive
- Accurate
- Strong physically, and mentally
- Healthy
- Respectful
- Patient
- Strong communication skills
Duties of a Home Health Aide
Having those attributes will help you successfully complete your duties as a home health aide.
In Mississippi, these include:
- Patient hygiene,
- Dressing,
- Shaving, where this applies
- Eating,
- Ambulation
Of course, not all clients or patients, have the same needs.
This can only mean that your duties as an HHA will change in time.
Additionally, there are many duties for which an HHA will need some specialized training.
In this state, there are also a series of tasks that are forbidden to home health aides to perform, including these ones:
- Administering medicine
- Changing sterile dressings
Training and Certification in Mississippi
As mentioned, training is needed to perform many of the tasks.
In Mississippi, the training of an HHA must cover the following topics and aspects:
- The home health aide role
- Maintaining a safe and healthy environment
- Nutrition (especially that of the ill and elderly populations)
- Meal preparation
- Personal care (including hygiene and activities of daily living)
- Aging and aging-related behavior
- Illness-related emotional issues
The training must be comprised of both classroom education as well as supervised practice hours and must last at least 75 hours.
The programs need to be accredited, and they can be found at the schools in the table below.
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Antonelli College-Hattiesburg | 1500 N 31st Ave Hattiesburg MS 39401 |
| East Mississippi Community College | 1512 Kemper Street Scooba MS 39358-0158 |
| Hinds Community College | 608 Hinds Boulevard Raymond MS 39154 |
| Jones County Junior College | 900 South Court Street Ellisville MS 39437 |
| Meridian Community College | 910 Hwy 19 N Meridian MS 39307-5801 |
| Northwest Mississippi Community College | 4975 Hwy 51 N Senatobia MS 38668-1714 |
| Southwest Mississippi Community College | 1156 College Dr Summit MS 39666-0000 |
Each school has different requirements when it comes to enrolling:
- Minimum age
- High school diploma or GED
- Clear criminal record
- Good grasp of English
The training can be completed through the employer as well, not only before finding a job.
Once the program is completed, you can expect to have to pass an exam.
Once you’re qualified, you’ll also have to continue your education every year by attending 12 hours of classroom theory, to maintain your credentials.
Employment and Salary Information
In Mississippi, there are several types of employers of home health aides:
- Home health agencies
- Personal care agencies
- Non-medical home care agencies
- Assisted living facilities
If you want to work for the best agencies in the state, you need to know which ones these are.
Medicare rated the following Mississippi agencies as the best ones to work for:
- Mississippi Homecare of Eupora
- Deaconess Homecare Region 11 (in Brookhaven)
- Gentiva Health Services (in Gilbertown)
- Sunflower Home Health (in Cleveland)
- Gentle Touch Homecare Services LLC
Not only working here will ensure better working conditions, but also a higher salary.
Seeking employment in these cities will also bring a higher average income:
- Southaven
- Olive Branch
- Horn Lake
| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Jackson | $22,771 |
| Gulfport | $22,389 |
| Southaven | $23,560 |
| Hattiesburg | $22,249 |
| Biloxi | $22,567 |
| Meridian | $22,563 |
| Tupelo | $21,480 |
| Olive Branch | $23,501 |
| Greenville | $22,636 |
| Horn Lake | $23,548 |
Regional Salary in Mississippi
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS | 1,180 | $25,410 | $12.22 | $31,480 | $21,000 |
| Hattiesburg, MS | 1,060 | $25,600 | $12.31 | $33,890 | $20,530 |
| Jackson, MS | 4,680 | $25,520 | $12.27 | $30,880 | $21,590 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Further Information
The position of home health aide can be a permanent one or can be the stepping stone for a career.
If you want to pursue a career in this field, it’s advisable to enroll in a 2-year educational program and obtain an Associate’s degree.
The state’s guidelines regarding this occupation say HHAs must work part-time.
To work full-time, individuals may need to undergo further training.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Home Health Aide
HHA Schools by State