Home health aide job description template: agency type, the 42 CFR 484.80 training lines, nurse supervision and visit logistics
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Home health aide postings often borrow from nursing home CNA ads: "assist patients with ADLs, HHA or CNA required." But the job is different in ways that drive who stays. A home health aide drives between homes, works alone in a patient's kitchen and bathroom, documents each visit on a phone, and is supervised by a nurse who may not be there. If the agency bills Medicare, federal rules set who counts as a qualified aide, how often they are supervised and how much in-service training they need each year. A useful home health aide job description names the agency type, the visit load, the territory and driving, the federal qualification lines and the supervision model. Below are the agency types, the 42 CFR 484.80 lines with sources, a copy-ready template, screening and scorecard rows, and common mistakes. For the phone screen, use home health aide screening questions.
Not legal advice. The home health and hospice aide rules below were checked against 42 CFR 484.80 and 418.76 on Cornell's Legal Information Institute, Medicaid.gov and BLS as of October 2026. States add their own licensure, training and background check rules; confirm them for each state you hire in.
Name the agency type
| Agency type | What the work looks like | Line the posting needs |
|---|---|---|
| Medicare-certified home health agency | Short episodes after a hospital stay, personal care under a nurse's care plan, several visits a day | The 42 CFR 484.80 qualification line and the RN supervision model |
| Hospice | End-of-life personal care, family support, frequent visits as needs change | Hospice aide qualification under 42 CFR 418.76 and comfort with end-of-life care |
| Medicaid home care or waiver program | Longer recurring visits under a state plan, EVV clock-in and clock-out | The state's training rule and EVV app use |
| Private duty agency | Shifts of several hours or overnight with one client, private pay or long-term care insurance | Shift length, overnight expectations and any state license for the agency type |
Then settle with the branch manager: visits per day (as an estimate), the territory, how drive time and mileage are paid, the documentation system, and who the aide calls during a visit. If the role is non-medical companionship and personal care, the caregiver job description template fits better.
The federal aide lines, with sources
For home health agencies participating in Medicare, the conditions of participation set the baseline (42 CFR 484.80):
- Who qualifies. A qualified home health aide has completed a training and competency evaluation program, a competency evaluation program, a state-approved nurse aide training and competency evaluation program with current good standing on the state nurse aide registry, or a state licensure program that meets the same standards.
- Training hours. Classroom and supervised practical training must total at least 75 hours, with at least 16 hours of classroom training before at least 16 hours of supervised practical training.
- Competency evaluation. A registered nurse evaluates the aide; certain skills, including communication, vital signs, personal hygiene, transfers and range of motion, must be observed with a patient or pseudo-patient. An aide is not competent in a task rated unsatisfactory.
- 24-month lapse. After 24 consecutive months without paid aide services, the aide must complete a new training and competency evaluation program or a competency evaluation program.
- In-service. At least 12 hours of in-service training in each 12-month period, supervised by a registered nurse.
- Supervision. For patients receiving skilled services, a supervisory assessment at least every 14 days, onsite or in limited cases virtual; for patients receiving only aide services, an onsite RN visit every 60 days, with semi-annual onsite observation of each aide.
Hospice aides have a parallel set of rules, including the same qualification routes, the 24-month lapse, 12 hours of in-service training a year and an RN supervisory visit at least every 14 days (42 CFR 418.76). If the aide's training is from a nursing home program, the CNA job description template covers the registry side.
Visit verification. The 21st Century Cures Act requires states to use electronic visit verification for Medicaid home health care services that involve an in-home visit, with a January 1, 2023 deadline (Medicaid.gov). If you serve Medicaid patients, mention the app.
Bloodborne pathogens. Aides with reasonably anticipated contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials are covered by OSHA's standard, which requires training at initial assignment and annually and the hepatitis B vaccine offered at no cost within 10 working days of initial assignment (29 CFR 1910.1030).
The home health aide job description template
Home Health Aide — [Home Health / Hospice / Private Duty],
[Full-Time / Part-Time / Per Diem]
[Agency], serving [counties or cities]
Pay: $[min]–$[max] per [visit / hour], plus [mileage $[N]/mile,
drive time paid at $[N]/hour, weekend premium]. [Benefits
summary, if required.]
SUMMARY
You will visit patients in their homes to provide personal care
under a care plan written by our nurses. A typical day is about
[N] visits (an estimate) in [territory]. Hours are [days and
times], with [weekend rotation]. Your supervising nurse is [role],
and you can reach a nurse by phone during every visit.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
- Help patients bathe, dress, groom, toilet and move safely,
following the aide care plan.
- Take and record [vital signs] as assigned.
- Do light housekeeping and meal prep related to the patient's
care.
- Document each visit [and clock in and out in our EVV app] before
leaving the home.
- Report changes in the patient's condition to the nurse right
away.
- Complete at least 12 hours of in-service training each year,
which we provide and pay for.
YOU MUST HAVE
- One of: completion of a home health aide training and competency
evaluation program; a competency evaluation program; or active,
good-standing listing on the [state] nurse aide registry.
[Add any state license or certification.]
- Paid aide work within the last 24 months, or willingness to
complete our competency evaluation.
- Valid driver's license, insurance and a reliable car.
- Availability for [days, weekend rotation].
- Ability to help with transfers and lift up to [N] pounds, with
or without reasonable accommodation.
NICE TO HAVE
- Home health or hospice experience.
- [Language] for patients who speak it.
If you meet the must-haves and none of these, please apply.
FIXED CONDITIONS
- Offers are subject to [state-required background check, driving
record check] as permitted by law.
- Hepatitis B vaccination offered at no cost.
[EEO STATEMENT]
To request an adjustment to apply or interview, contact [contact].Pay and EEO
State whether pay is per visit or per hour and how drive time and mileage are paid. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile for home health and personal care aides (last modified August 27, 2026) publishes pay data and notes that aides in certified home health or hospice agencies must complete formal training and pass a standardized test; this page does not quote figures. Close with an EEO statement covering the characteristics the EEOC lists.
From must-haves to screening questions and scorecard rows
| Must-have | Screening question | Scorecard competency | Evidence of a strong answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualification route | "Which program qualified you as an aide, in which state, and are you on a nurse aide registry?" | Not scored | Names the program or registry so you can verify it |
| Recent paid aide work | "When was your last paid shift or visit as an aide?" | Not scored | Within 24 months, or agrees to a competency evaluation |
| Working alone safely | "You arrive and the patient is on the floor and says they're fine. What do you do?" | Safety judgment | Does not lift alone, checks for injury, calls the nurse or 911 per protocol, documents |
| Care plan discipline | "The family asks you to give the patient's medication because they're running late. What do you say?" | Scope of practice | Explains what aides can and cannot do under the plan, calls the nurse |
| Documentation | "How did you document visits at your last agency, and what did you do if the app failed?" | Documentation | Same-day documentation, knows the backup process, tells the office |
| Driving and territory | "Our territory covers [area], about [N] miles a day (an estimate). Does that work with your car and schedule?" | Not scored | Knockout confirmed |
If you also hire nursing home aides, the CNA screening questions share the registry checks. For panel and ride-along stages, use the interview guide for healthcare roles.
Common mistakes in home health aide job descriptions
"HHA certification required" with no route
Federal rules recognize several qualification routes, including registry listing. Name the ones you accept.
Hiding drive time and mileage
For home visits, driving is part of the job. State how it is paid.
No supervision model
New aides want to know who they call mid-visit and when a nurse will see their work. Say it.
Ignoring the 24-month gap
An aide with an old certificate and no recent paid work needs a new competency evaluation under federal rules. Ask.
Before you publish
- Agency type, visit load estimate and territory are in the summary.
- The qualification routes, 24-month rule and in-service hours match 42 CFR 484.80 or 418.76.
- Pay basis, mileage and drive time are stated.
- EVV, bloodborne pathogen and driving lines match the job.
- The EEO statement and accommodation contact close the posting.
Questions people ask
How much training does a home health aide need under federal rules?
For Medicare-certified home health agencies, 42 CFR 484.80 requires classroom and supervised practical training totaling at least 75 hours, with at least 16 hours of classroom training before at least 16 hours of supervised practical training, plus a competency evaluation. An aide can also qualify through a competency evaluation program, a state-approved nurse aide program with good standing on the state registry, or a qualifying state licensure program. States can require more.
Can a CNA work as a home health aide?
Under 42 CFR 484.80, a person who completed a state-approved nurse aide training and competency evaluation program and is currently listed in good standing on the state nurse aide registry meets the home health aide qualification. Agencies still orient the aide to home visits and must evaluate and supervise them under the rule.
What happens if a home health aide has not worked in two years?
If there has been a continuous period of 24 consecutive months without paid aide services, the aide must complete another training and competency evaluation program, or a competency evaluation program, before providing services again. Ask about the last paid aide work in the screen.
How often is a home health aide supervised?
For patients receiving skilled services, a registered nurse or other appropriate skilled professional must complete a supervisory assessment of the aide's services no less frequently than every 14 days; the aide does not have to be present. For patients receiving only aide services, a registered nurse must make an onsite visit every 60 days and observe each aide onsite semi-annually. Put the supervision model in the posting so aides know who they work with.