One of the most rewarding choices for nursing is in home health care. You have a chance to make a difference in someone's life by being there for their needs in turn allowing them to remain in the home they love. Too many times people are thrust into institutionalized care facilities simply because there is no one to take care of them.

This can be traumatic for an ill person. Already, they're thrust into a state of stress from their sickness, then they're plopped in among alien people and surroundings. It's been documented that one's state of mind plays a role in their ability to heal. It's been known for years that one's will to live affects the state of their health.

Comforting surroundings are of utmost importance, particularly in the case of older persons who may have lost a spouse. Consider how long they may have lived in their home; suddenly moving them to an unfamiliar place can be devastating.

You may need to take a test administered by your home state, depending on where you live. Many states do not require home health care employees to have any kind of license or certification. Most home health care workers are employed by agencies that assign them to clients who need labor. You will probably have to provide documentation to your agency if you move to another state, including evidence of licensing, certification, and training that is relevant to your position. If you seek employment through a nursing registry, similar information will need to be provided by you.

Medicare and Medicaid are government agencies that provide insurance to a number of Americans. To get a job with Medicare or Medicaid as a home health aide, 75 or more hours of training are necessary, and a competency evaluation may be required, as well. If you'd like to work for a licensed-only agency, though, many states only require 40 hours of training, as well as a competency exam. In addition, many other agencies are hiring workers with more than 40 hours of training--so each agency is different in their requirements.

Nurses' registries require proof of work experience and if you plan to seek work through them, be prepared to provide proof that you have completed at least 40 hours of training for health aides at an educational institute licensed by either the state or a home health agency. This process of certification assures clients of the educational and professional qualifications of the health worker.

Sometimes, you can obtain training through a home health agency by working as an aide. These agencies will offer free or reduced training if you meet certain requirements in order to recruit more works for a daily-growing industry. This training will also help you enter a better paying field. However, you must be licensed by the state in which they operate for them to train you.

You must have two hours of HIV/AIDS training if you're employed by a home health agency or nurse's registry. You have to pass a one-hour in-service HIV/AIDS training every two years and keep a current CPR certificate.

You need 12 hours of service training during a 12 month period to qualify for hiring for Medicare and Medicaid agencies. You can include any CPR training when you figure your training time.

This job requires a lot of training. You should be ready to work all the hours nobody else wants; as the most recent hire, you're the last on the totem pole, and everyone above you will get the best hours. Still, the rewards should outweigh any qualms you may have about the job.

Presenting someone the choice of not going into an office building every day and working in an uncomfortable and foreign environment is a great way to set their mind at ease and increase their satisfaction in their daily work routine.

Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities; prevention of illness and injury; alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human responses; and advocacy in health care for individuals, families, communities, and populations.