Home health aides assist nurses and other healthcare providers with short- and long-term patient care in hospice, nursing homes, hospitals, patient homes, and other locations.
In addition, home health aides offer in-home services for those who cannot care for themselves or require some assistance with basic daily activities.
Home health aide job growth is tremendous for those looking to get into the field, with government projections at around 70% growth over the next decade.
This is due to the increasing number of elderly individuals who require assistance.
Page Navigation
- 5 Home Health Aide Schools in Virginia
- Salary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the typical responsibilities of Virginia home health aides?
- Where can Virginia home health aides provide services?
- What is the process to become a home health aide in Virginia?
- What are some of the top home care agencies in Virginia?
- What is the curriculum taught by Virginia home health aide schools?
5 Home Health Aide Schools in Virginia
Virginia has several home health aide schools scattered across the state for student convenience.
These include:
America School of Nursing and Allied Health (ASNAH)
At ASNAH, students learn to meet the various patient requirements in a home care setting.
This 40-hour, two-week program introduces students to basic home care skills, personal care skills, safety, patient rights, infection control, and communication skills.
The program consists of hands-on learning to prepare them for an entry-level position.
Graduates are given a home health aide certificate of completion, which allows them to practice without a certification examination since it’s part of the curriculum.
Care Perfections Health Services
Located in Warrenton, Care Perfections Health Services offers a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program that costs $1,049 with flexible payment plans.
This program covers 5-10 weeks of practical and theoretical application at a hands-on training facility and skills lab.
The CNA program is longer than a typical home health aide training program, but it also opens more doors for students within the medical field.
Gee’s Career Training Institute
Gee’s Career Training Institute offers a 150-hour high-intensity CNA program that qualifies graduates to provide home health aide services and beyond.
The program was developed to quickly get you into a career and pass the state board exam.
The curriculum consists of 80 hours of classroom work, 30 hours in the lab, and 40 hours of real facility training.
The entire program costs $980, with flexible payment plans available.
Classes are kept to a maximum of eight students to maximize personal attention, especially with challenging topics.
Healthcare Training Solutions, LLC
Healthcare Training Solutions offers a CNA program with continuing education in EKG and Phlebotomy.
As a state-accredited career school, Healthcare Training Solutions provides day and evening classes throughout the 130-hour program, which exceeds the state minimum.
Instruction includes 16 hours of pre-clinical work, 40 hours of hands-on clinical experience, and 74 hours of classroom lectures.
Students looking to attend this school must have a high school diploma, Hepatitis B vaccination, pass two background checks and a physical, take a Tuberculosis test, pass drug screening, and be updated on immunizations.
Virginia Home Care Services
Virginia Home Care Services offers employment for graduates and training for new students looking to get into the field.
At $350, students can earn a home health aide certification in a few weeks by going full-time.
Requirements for the program include daily punctuality and attendance and scoring 75% or higher on all tests and the final written exam.
In addition, the school offers optional review classes to help students master the content and be successful throughout the program and beyond.
Home Health Aide Schools in Virginia – Summary Table
Top 5 Schools in Virginia
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| America School of Nursing and Allied Health (ASNAH) | 14000 Crown Ct Suite 102, Woodbridge, VA 22193 |
| Care Perfections Health Services | 8705 Stonewall Rd, Manassas, VA 20110 |
| Gee’s Career Training Institute | 1822 Featherstone Rd, Woodbridge, VA 22191 |
| Healthcare Training Solutions, LLC | 19 N Mallory St, Hampton, VA 23663 |
| Virginia Home Care Services | 2575 Chain Bridge Rd, Vienna, VA 22181 |
Salary
The United States median home health aide pay range is $23,800 to $33,300 per year, with a median income of $27,500.
Virginia has a slightly higher range of $26,500 to $37,000, with a median income of $30,600.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Home Health Aides in Virginia
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | $26,341 |
| Norfolk | $25,944 |
| Chesapeake | $25,911 |
| Richmond | $27,492 |
| Newport News | $25,812 |
| Hampton | $25,812 |
| Alexandria | $30,672 |
| Portsmouth | $25,944 |
| Roanoke | $25,473 |
| Lynchburg | $25,379 |
Regional Salary in Virginia
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | 930 | $25,030 | $12.03 | $27,520 | $22,880 |
| Charlottesville, VA | 1,720 | $25,810 | $12.41 | $30,140 | $22,990 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | 690 | $25,590 | $12.3 | $31,360 | $22,880 |
| Lynchburg, VA | 2,210 | $24,950 | $11.99 | $29,480 | $22,880 |
| Richmond, VA | 7,540 | $27,150 | $13.05 | $33,940 | $22,880 |
| Roanoke, VA | 2,140 | $25,430 | $12.23 | $29,370 | $22,880 |
| Staunton-Waynesboro, VA | 1,080 | $25,680 | $12.34 | $30,610 | $22,880 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | 11,670 | $26,150 | $12.57 | $30,990 | $22,880 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | 1,240 | $26,770 | $12.87 | $32,380 | $22,880 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the typical responsibilities of Virginia home health aides?
Home health aides wear many hats throughout their careers when caring for others, including motivating patients to do as much physical activity as possible, helping them move around, and transporting them to different locations.
Other duties include checking vital signs, breathing rates, and pulses and assisting with medication management and self-hygiene.
Home health aides can also perform light cooking, house cleaning, and childcare support.
Where can Virginia home health aides provide services?
Most home health aides join an agency that assists across various locations.
Home health aides can work in mental health institutions, hospitals, hospice care, nursing homes, childcare centers, or patient’s homes.
What is the process to become a home health aide in Virginia?
Like in all states, the first step is to complete a high school diploma.
Next, signup for a state-accredited home health aide training program.
Then, finish the in-class and clinical training program for the 75 mandatory hours to become eligible for the Virginia certification exam.
Finally, pass the certification test, which allows you to practice in the state.
What are some of the top home care agencies in Virginia?
Top-rated home care agencies that hire recent graduates include AMEDISYS Home Health Care – Abingdon, Home Nursing Services of Southwest VA (also in Abingdon), and Southern Virginia Regional Home Health in Emporia.
Additional excellent agencies include LivHome in Arlington, Amasia Home Care in Loudoun County, and Home Instead Senior Care in Manassas and Fredericksburg.
What is the curriculum taught by Virginia home health aide schools?
All accredited training programs in the state require 75 total hours, 16 of which must be clinical experience.
The remaining 59 hours are lecture-based and include maintaining a livable and safe environment, an understanding of patient needs, communicating, reporting, observing patient status, and using infection control.
Other topics include maintaining adequate nutrition and fluid intake, promoting a range of motion, using safe transportation techniques, reading vital signs, and understanding patient needs.
