questions about PCA/HHA

[Sophy123]

Hi everyone

I thought long and hard about it and decided to go to training to be a PCA/HHA but I have a lot of concerns/questions about it. If anyone could help me that would be great. I wanted to know if being a PCA or HHA is hard work. And is the pay good. I heard you could make over $1000 if your a live in is that true? Is a HHA higher then a CNA and can a PCA or HHA work in a hospital. I don't feel safe working in a patients home thats why. I am young (23) and I have a lot to learn but if would really help me to understand PCA and HHA if I know a little more about it. And my something I've been worrying alot about it, IS THERE A FUTURE IN PCA or HHA???? Thank you for your help.

[RNDreamer]

I am an HHA, and have my CNA license...no, it is not higher than a CNA, in my opinion...What you get paid as an HHA depends on experience, the agency you are work for, etc. Plan on making minimum wage if you are just starting out..I am fortuante to have been placed an an adult assisted living facility...I feel more comfortable there then I felt going into patients homes..a lot of these homes (in my experience) were filthy, and as an HHA the patient (or their spouse) thinks you are there to clean the house and not care for the patient...for example, I had a patient on oxygen and all he basically need was help bathing and dressing, walking....when I walked in the first day, his wife (who felt the need to smoke in the next room, causing me to be very uncomfortable) asked me if I was there to help her do the laundry and clean the house...I let her know that I was there to care for and assist her husband...

is there a future in HHA? Only you can answer that question...my answer, heck no(because I plan to be a nurse, then either a nurse anestesiologist or a practitioner, but I have met people who have been HHAs for 15+ years..when I ask about the union and raises, I get "what raise, we are still waiting for one"... I was also told that when the raise does happen, those who have been with the union for a certain about of years (5 or 10, I forgot) would start making about $10 an hour....EXCUSE ME, START? um, no thanks, I've made more in previous jobs..

OK, so if I've made more in previous jobs, then why the heck would I take a job, making $7.50...well ladies and gents, I'm looking at the bigger picture. I decided that before I went back to school and spent years to become a nurse, just to end up regretting it, I would try an "entry level (I say that for lack of a better word) and if I can't stand doing the "little" thiings like bathing a patient, looking at wounds, cleaning up poop, changing diapers, etc, then I probably would want to stay away from healthcare altogether...

Would I ever be a live in HHA...umm, heck no, not my cup of tea....is being an HHA hard? Only you can answer that question..My answer is no, I love taking care of my patient, it just comes natural to me, and I cannot wait for nursing school