5 Best Home Health Aide Online Training Schools

Have you ever thought about home health aide training online?

If you’re like a lot of people, maybe you know that ​becoming a certified home health aide is the right career choice for you, but you aren’t sure how to make it happen.

Let’s face it, life is busy. Maybe you have a work schedule to adhere to, a family at home to care for, or other commitments. It can be hard to even imagine finding the time to take on extra responsibilities, let alone finding the time to fit in school to start a new career.

home health aide online training

This is where home health aide online education comes in. No more wasting time getting to and from school, sitting in class for hours, and trying to juggle the rest of your crazy life.

The online format allows you to complete your certified home health aide training from the comfort of your own home and allows you to go at your own pace.

With that said, home health aide training requirements vary state to state, you must verify with your chosen school that the online home health aide certification you receive upon completion will be acceptable to begin working in your current state.

There would be nothing worse than putting your hard-earned time and money into training that didn’t lead you anywhere, so it’s important to verify that information before you sign any home health aide registration or enrollment paperwork.

You will need to consider that most states require hands-on clinical hours in order for your training to be considered complete. Many online programs will have resources available in your area, but you need to be sure that you would be available to complete such training and other requirements.

Also, you need access to wifi and computer, or your favorite mobile device. You can often expect required materials like textbooks or workbooks to be delivered to you directly, either through PDF format online or hard-copy mailed to your home address.

Lastly, with the required clinical hours to complete your certified home health aide training, you can expect that at some point you will need essentials like scrubs and closed-toe shoes.

So what schools offer the best HHA online course? A quick Google search can be a little overwhelming.

That’s why we list our top favorite schools for getting your home health aide training online that separates themselves from the rest of the pack. Good luck with starting your new career!

Try Our Home Health Aide Practice Test

Our Top 5 Schools Offering Home Health Aide Training Online: Quick Look

  1. Ashworth College
  2. Penn Foster
  3. Southern Technical Institute
  4. NCO Online Academy
  5. Phlebotomy Training Center

Our Top Choices for the Best HHA Training Online

1. Ashworth College

WEBSITE: ashworthcollege.edu
COST: $699 – $899

Beginning as a family-owned school, they have grown from offering a single program in 1987 to include high school students, diploma, certificate, undergraduate, and graduate programs with more than 300,000 graduates and counting.

All training courses offered at Ashworth College are nationally accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), recognized by both the US Department of Education and Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

They also offer a complete list of state licensing resources so that you can verify that the online home health aide certificate you receive upon completion will be acceptable to begin working in your current state.

The HHA online course and certification cost at Ashworth College is $699 if paid in full and $899 if you choose a payment plan. Payment plan options offer payments as low as $49 per month.

Tuition includes:

  • eBook: Being a Caregiver in a Home Setting
  • Mobile app for taking your learning materials on-the-go
  • Student Portal dashboard for instant access to lessons and support
  • Learning Resource Center online libraries and labs
  • Digital access to thousands of sources for research
  • An active online community of fellow students, staff, and grads

2. Penn Foster

WEBSITE: pennfoster.edu
COST: $799 – $829

Founded as a way to further educate and provide safety training for coal miners in 1890, Penn Foster has evolved from a humble correspondence school to the huge online community known today.

As you pursue your home health aide certification online, you will be able to review your material in nine, easy to follow (and mobile-friendly!) courses, with an externship at the end to help you gain necessary hands-on experience.

With national accreditation awarded under the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), recognized by both the US Department of Education and Council for Higher Education Accreditation, you can be sure the home health care training you receive will be top-notch.

The school does remind students, however, that HHA training requirements will vary by state, and you should verify that the online home health aide certification received from Penn Foster would be acceptable for the work you wish to pursue. They provide resources for you to check the requirements in your state.

Their training course is $699 if paid in full. Payment plan options are available for $49 per month, but totals will then vary from $799 to $829 depending on the payment method you choose.

Tuition includes:

  • Mobile-friendly coursework
  • Textbooks and study materials
  • Unlimited student support
  • Dedicated success coach
  • Goal setting-progress tracking tool
  • Career services

3. Southern Technical Institute

WEBSITE: hhacertificate.com
COST: $199

Southern Technical Institute, formerly known as Florida Medical Prep, was founded in 2003 to providing students with career training courses and education in a student-centered environment.

Since the school is based out of Florida and the state does not require a home health aide certification exam to begin working as a home health aide, you are given two paths to completion:

  1. A 40-hour HHA certificate is issued once the online and in-person training has been completed
  2. A 75-hour HHA certificate is issued once the online and in-person training has been completed and you can show proof of your current Florida CNA license

Their HHA online course will include:

  • 10 interactive lessons
  • Video demonstrations
  • Mobile-friendly course compatible on desktop, smartphones, and tablets

This home health aide certificate online program is unique in that it requires you to attend a brick and mortar campus, located in Florida, in-person. Once all portions of your HHA online course are completed, you will need to schedule a 2-hour hands-on clinical practice at your nearest Southern Technical Institute campus.

You will have 365 days from the date of purchase to complete home health aide classes online and may review the lessons as many times as you want.

4. NCO Online Academy

WEBSITE: nursingcertificationsonline.com
COST: $99.99

This 75 hour home health aide certification online program can truly be completed on your time. While they recommend thoroughly reading and finishing each module before progressing to the final home health aide exam, it is possible to access the exam as soon as you complete registration. Which means you could get your certificate online in a matter of hours!

This is beneficial to those students who are already familiar with the material and may have previous experience working in the home health care field, but who require certification to advance their career.

But there’s good news if you prefer a slower pace: you will have access to the full online course for an entire year.

As an added bonus NCO is truly an online-only academy, which means their business costs are extremely low – and they’re passing those savings onto you.

The company promises to price match any advertised price of another HHA online training course that offers the same benefits and materials as NCO.

Online classes include 6 lessons:

  1. Introduction to Nursing Procedures (20 Hours)
  2. Introduction to CPR (4 Hours
  3. Introduction to Measuring Patient’s Vitals (20 Hours)
  4. Assisting with Patient Hygiene (20 Hours)
  5. Assisting a Disabled Patient (6 Hours)
  6. Terminal Care (5 Hours)

Be sure to keep in mind: Again, make sure to verify with future employers and your state that the online home health aide certificate you receive will be acceptable, and note that you may have to furnish your own clinical hours and observation if selecting this course.

5. Phlebotomy Training Center

WEBSITE: phlebotomycareertraining.com
COST: $500

Recognizing the need for quality training programs for busy adults, the online classes offered at Phlebotomy Training Center aim to graduate proficient and competent students prepared for their desired careers in the medical field (e.g., Pharmacy Technician, Medication Aide).

The school’s director, Professor Kimmel, is a former university professor and calls on her previous experience to successfully run both the online and ground school portions of Phlebotomy Training Center.

These are some examples of areas you will cover in the HHA online course:

  • Demonstrates basic technical skills that facilitate an optimal level of functioning for the client, recognizing individual, cultural, and religious diversity.
  • Provide personal care to clients.
  • Incorporates principles and skills of restorative nursing in providing care.
  • Demonstrate behaviors that maintain and respect client rights and promote clients’ independence, regardless of race, religion, lifestyle, sexual preference, disease process, or ability to pay.
  • Use effective communication skills in order to function as a member of the nursing team.
  • Demonstrates the ability to identify and use safety and emergency procedures
  • Demonstrate knowledge of and is responsive to the laws and regulations that affect his/her practice including but not limited client abuse and neglect, client

You will receive your home health aide certificate upon completion of your online classes.

They suggest all non-Michigan residents should first check with their state for licensing requirements before signing up for this course. They also state that this course will not satisfy HHA training requirements in Texas and Kansas.

Free Home Health Aide Classes Online: Beware of Scams!

You will not be able to find any schools offering free home health aide classes online.

Thinking about it in context, online learning resources go to great lengths to ensure the “classroom” experience you receive is worth it.

From producing ebooks to videos that supplement the lesson, to interactive online quizzes, home health aide online training is made at a cost to the company or school, and will therefore come at a cost to you.

free home health aide classes online

So what happens if you find a website that says they offer free home health aide classes online?

Be very cautious. We have not found any legitimate programs offering free HHA training online. If you find one being advertised, it is important that you do your research and verify its validity before signing up.

And if you do find one of these programs, let us know about it! We’d love to check them out.

What are diploma mills and why you should know about them?

With the rise of the online learning format, there has also, unfortunately, been a rise in “diploma mill” websites. Sites such as these often lure potential students with promises of little or no cost training, only to ask for more money before allowing you to complete the program.

And since the sites are not recognized by local or federal education regulators, the diploma or certification they offer is usually not valid for the type of work you wish to pursue once earned.

The U.S. Department of Education has excellent resources available to help you identify diploma mills.

Here Are 5 Quick Tips to Help Avoid Diploma Mills and Online Scams

1. Visit the website

Does it look sketchy? A good training program should have plenty of information about their course and curriculum. Read their mission statement and vision to determine if they will help you meet your goals.

2. Research the Program Offering Free Home Health Aide Training Online

Is the program accredited? Any reputable program online or online education website will discuss its credentials, including the agency that they are accredited by and when it was accredited. If you cannot find this information, that should raise a red flag.

3. Research the Accrediting Agency

Are you sure the accrediting agency is legitimate? You can check to see if the accrediting agency is real by checking USDE’s List of Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies or check CHEA’s online database of recognized regional and specialized accrediting agencies.

4. Check the Better Business Bureau

Still having doubts? If you are still having doubts check with the BBB about the program’s credibility.

5. Check for Reviews

Can you find online reviews? Do you know anyone who has completed the program? Check to see if there are any online reviews about the school you’re researching, and make sure that the reviews are from honest, real people and not just a promotional ad trying to sell you on the program.

Check With Your State’s Licensing Agency to Ensure the Certification You Receive is Valid for the Work You Wish to Pursue

As with any training you pursue, make sure the HHA certification you will be receiving will allow you to able to work in your state.

There would be nothing worse than putting your hard-earned time and money into training that didn’t lead you anywhere, so it’s important to verify that information before you sign any registration or enrollment paperwork.

Wrapping Up

As you can see, these are excellent schools if you are looking to get your home health aide training online. Now that you are armed with this information, we hope that it will help jump-start your new career as a home health aide. Good luck!

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