With experience and training, they may take on personal care duties. The most experienced aides assist with medical equipment such as ventilators, which help patients breathe. Home health aides may go on to become medical assistants , licensed practical nurses and registered nurses . Wages were somewhat higher in the Northeast and West and somewhat lower in the Midwest and South. Some aides are paid on a salary or per-visit basis.
Most employers give slight pay increases with experience and added responsibility.
Aides are usually paid only for the time worked in the home. They normally are not paid for travel time between jobs. Most aides are employed by home health agencies, visiting nurse associations, residential care facilities with home health departments, hospitals, public health and welfare departments, community volunteer agencies and temporary help firms. Self-employed aides have no agency affiliation or supervision, and accept clients, set fees and arrange work schedules on their own. A large number of job openings is expected for home health aides, due to very rapid growth and very high turnover.