Requirements for a Home Health Aide in Arizona

Being a home health aide to a person who is home-bound or even a new mother can be a rewarding career. Home health aides have such diverse duties as bathing the patient, keeping track of diet and measuring vital signs. In Arizona, there are a few requirements for becoming a home health aide.

Nursing Assistant Certification

• Although certification is not mandatory at every location employing home health aides in Arizona, many employers, such as hospitals and large nursing homes, expect their home health aides to be certified nursing assistants. Nursing assistant certification in Arizona is provided through the Arizona Board of Nursing. Typical certification programs take about five to 10 weeks, or 75 to 120 hours to complete, depending on the program. At the end of the program the certification test is given, and if you pass, you are a certified nursing assistant.

  Because home health aides are in short supply and the training program to become a certified nursing assistant is short, you may be able to obtain a home health aide position at a facility and complete the official training for your certification while working there. Check with each employer to see if they offer a certification program or tuition reimbursement.

Current Adult CPR Certification

• Home health aides in Arizona are expected and often required by their employers to keep their adult CPR certification current. People who train to become certified nursing assistants usually obtain their CPR certification through the certification program. However, CPR certification must be renewed every year. Check with your local college or hospital to see if it offers a CPR certification class.

Criminal Background Check

• Home health aides must pass a criminal background check to receive a fingerprint clearance card as required by the state of Arizona. Fingerprinting is done by the Arizona Department of Public Safety, and new home health aides must apply for a fingerprint clearance card within 20 working days of employment.

  Applicants for certification by the state of Arizona are given a background check before they are certified. Upon certification, they receive a state fingerprint card that verifies that they are who they say they are and have no criminal history.

Driver's License and Clean Driving Record

• Because many home health aide jobs require driving, many home health care agencies expect their home health aides to have a driver's license and a clean driving record. Employers who expect you to drive will also expect you to have a reliable car and up-to-date auto insurance.

Personality

• Although it's not a state requirement, many Arizona employers list good communication skills, flexibility, compassion, honesty, trustworthiness, diligence and maturity as just a few of the qualities they expect in a home health care aide.