How to Become a Home Health Aide in West Virginia (Requirements & Schools)

If you want to enter the healthcare industry in West Virginia, you could consider becoming a home health aide.

This position requires minimal training compared to most other occupations in this field.

Ideal Candidate

Not everyone is made for a position like that of a home health aide.

Qualities like good communication skills, accuracy, being dependable, and compassionate are the main ones employers are looking for.

Additionally, depending on the person you’ll be working with you could be required to have additional skills or learn them.

These could be anything from having to work with pets, children, or having to cook and do light housekeeping.

Training and Certification

In West Virginia certification or licensing are not mandatory, but for better chances of finding employment and getting paid more.

It’s best to get trained at federal standards for the best employment options, however, some individuals may want to get further training as certified nurse assistants.

This means you’ll have to train for at least 120 hours and 55 of them must be supervised in a clinical setting.

Below you can see where can you find accredited classes for this occupation.

To be accepted in training, you’ll have to:

• Show a clean criminal record
• Show a high school diploma or GED
• Show a photo ID, proving you’re at least 18 years old

Training will include topics such as:

• Nutrition
• Communication
• Recording vital signs
• Ambulation and transfer
• Personal care
• Emergency recognition and procedures

You will generally have to get a CPR certification as well, and training could be included in the program.

The training can be spread over 3 or 4 weeks or up to several months.

Once training is completed, you’re expected to pass an exam.

One important component of the exam is the skills test.

You should know that in some cases, you’ll need to learn more skills in order to work for clients.

They may have special dietary needs, may recover from stroke, cancer, or may suffer from mobility loss.

Training for these situations will be offered by the agency employing you.

Salary and Employment Information in West Virginia

Most home health aides work for agencies, who in turn are hired by various clients.

The agencies need a license from the Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification, belonging to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Services Bureau for Public Health.

Below you can see the best agencies in West Virginia:

• Home Care Plus in Lewisburg
• Wetzel County Homecare in New Martinsville
• Care Partners Home Health in Morgantown
• Jackson Home Health in Ripley
• Boone Memorial Homecare in Danville
• Roane Homecare in Spencer
• Right at Home, in the Huntington area
• Visiting Angels, in the Charleston area

In Martinsburg, one can currently get the highest average salary, of around $28,000 per year, though in most other larger cities the average income is about $24,000 per year.

Regional Salary in West Virginia

Other Information

The position of a home health aide is generally a part-time position, and you may have to go to the homes of more clients in a single day.

A nurse or therapist must supervise home health aides, and this will include regular visits to the client’s home.

The aides will receive duties such as:

• Assisting in treatment, according to the treatment plan
• Identifying emergency situations and offering assistance
• Assisting with daily living activities

HHA Schools by State