Five Great Health Care Certification Options?

1. Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant

To earn a certificate as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant a person will be required to take classes for about one year to learn valuable job skills and knowledge. Occupational Therapy involves teaching disabled and injured patients to strengthen and utilize muscles, large motor and fine motor skills. Assistants will provide help during routines and supervise patients to ensure their development plans are being followed. Salaries for this type of certification range between $38,000 and $40,000 per year.

2. Certified Medical Assistant

Usually a Medical Assistant certificate will require about one year of studying. Medical Assistants may work in hospitals or a doctor’s office. Often drawing blood, taking vital signs and assisting the doctor with various test procedures will be necessary tasks. Medical assistants may expect to earn about $25,000 to $28,000 per year for a beginning salary.

3. Certified Nursing Assistant

Nursing assistants are used in nursing homes, hospitals and home care agencies. Bathing, feeding, changing and transporting wheelchair patients are all tasks commonly performed by nursing assistants. In hospitals nursing assistants are used to monitor patient vital signs around the clock. Earning a nursing assistant certificate usually takes between two weeks and a month, depending on the course intensity. Nursing assistants usually earn between $18,000 and $23,000 per year.

4. Certified Home Health Aide

Also called a CHHA, a home health aide is responsible for care of patients in their home. Home health aides either live in the patient’s house and work for a small wage with room and board included in exchange for services, or they will make several visits during the week. Home health aides help patients with ambulation, feeding, bathing, cleaning house, laundry, driving and any other tasks in their daily routine. CHHA courses usually last between two weeks to one month. A CHHA will usually earn between $12,000 and $28,000 per year.

5. Certified Medication Aide

Many facilities utilize a Certified Medication Aide to administer medications and insulin injections to patients. Usually employment is found in assisted living facilities and nursing homes. The course usually lasts only a few days and yields salaries between $18,000 and $24,000 per year.