Training of home health aides and nurse aides: findings from national data

Training and satisfaction with training were examined using data from nationally representative samples of 2,897 certified nursing assistants (CNAs) from the National Nursing Assistant Survey and 3,377 home health aides (HHAs) from the National Home Health Aide Survey conducted in 2004 and 2007, respectively. This article focuses on the commonalities and differences in the perceptions of CNAs and HHAs regarding the initial and continuing education they received to prepare them for their job. More than 80% of HHAs and all CNAs received some initial training. Of these, significantly more HHAs compared to CNAs felt that training had prepared them "very well" for their jobs. The two groups also differed in their assessments of the content of the initial training; for example, more CNAs believed that their training was "excellent" in helping them address patients' limitations in activities of daily living compared to HHAs. The vast majority of HHAs and CNAs received continuing education, and about three fourths in each group assessed this training as being "very useful." In light of the increasing demands for HHAs and CNAs with the aging of America, findings from these national studies could be used to inform educational and training initiatives for this critical workforce.