A Rewarding Career for People of All Backgrounds

In New Mexico Home Health Aide (HHA) work in patients’ homes to administer care and treatment and monitor patients’ overall health and wellness. These professionals rely on their home health aide skills—a strong mix of medical and technical knowledge and soft skills—to be successful in the role. Home health aide skills include hard skills specific to the profession, such as medical knowledge, treatment methodologies and patient care techniques, along with soft skills that help them build relationships with patients and colleagues so they can provide exceptional care.

A home health aide’s duties can range from monitoring a patient’s condition to teaching the patient (or the family) how to adjust to their current reality, for example, by teaching the patient how to bathe or walk with a walker. Sometimes a home health aide is required to do a bit of shopping or housework. Overall, a home health aide will create a space that is enjoyable and safe in the comfort of their own home.

Western New Mexico University trains people to become HHAs and serve as liaisons between families and health professionals or social service organizations. This training prepares people of all backgrounds, at any stage of life to work in jobs that are opening with increasing frequency across the state and especially in rural communities.

About WNMU’s Home Health Aide Program

Training as a community health worker is a low-cost and flexible path toward gainful employment and toward helping others conquer addition, escape abuse, and improve their overall health.

• Two-semesters
• Open to people of all backgrounds in any stage of life
• No experience necessary
• No pre-requisites
• Offered bilingually
• Online coursework can be completed from anywhere.
• Graduates are prepared to become certified by the State of New Mexico.

You’ll learn….

• Responsibility for maintaining appointment schedules and keeping this information organized.
• Must be exceptionally organized in their jobs. From maintaining patient files and medical records to organizing and administering medications and other treatments, you’ll need a strong set of organizational skills and attention to detail to be efficient and successful in your career.
• Compassion, empathy and patience are several skills you’ll need as a home health aide.
• Communication is essential in a home health aide career. These professionals communicate on a daily basis with their patients, patients’ families and others.

Students will be required to complete a clinical agency component. The locations and times for the clinical agency experience will be assigned to students during the course on an individual basis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where and when are classes for Home Health Aides?
Classes will be held via Zoom weekly.

Do I get college credit?
Students who successfully complete the Home Health Aide training program at WNMU earn up to six college credit hours. Learn how to obtain your voluntary certification here.

What assistance is available to help pay for the program?
Scholarships and sponsorships may be available for eligible applicants to the program. Contact us to see if you are eligible. Here is a list of foundations that offer financial support for Home Health Aide’s in training.

What type of person makes a good Home Health Aide?
Today, a Home Health Aide is ideally someone who’s been there, so to speak. Often community members relate best to those who’ve overcome the same health issues they’re struggling with, whether diabetes, addiction or obesity.

What’s next after graduation from WNMU’s Home Health Aide program?
Home Health Aide’s have a title that matches the jobs that are opening with increasing frequency all across New Mexico.
Home Health Aides can often find work where they already live so they don’t have to uproot their own families or move to a big city to earn a living.
With two semesters of college experience under their belts, community health workers may desire to continue advancing their educations.