Top 7 Home Health Aide Interview Questions to Ask

Home health aides play a vital role in enhancing a patient’s quality of life and helping them achieve the highest possible level of functioning. This role is best carried out by a compassionate and responsible individual, so asking the right home health aide interview questions is key to narrowing down qualified candidates for your healthcare team.

What exactly should you look for when hiring a home health aide? To help you get started, we’ve provided a list of top interview questions and tips on how to evaluate your candidates’ answers. The following candidate evaluation form will help you keep track of your candidates during the interview process.

Responsibilities of a Home Health Aide

Home health aides (HHA) assist older adults or patients with chronic illnesses and disabilities complete everyday tasks. In addition to providing companionship, HHAs work closely with home health nurses to help patients complete activities of daily living (ADLs) and other care tasks, such as:

• Bathing, dressing, toileting.
• Moving and ambulating.
• Meal preparation and eating.
• Providing medication reminders.
• Getting patients to and from appointments.

Where Home Health Aides Typically Work

As implied from the job title, home health aides most commonly help patients who need assistance within their own homes. However, HHAs can also work directly in various healthcare settings, including the following:

• Nursing homes
• Hospice care centers
• Adult day centers
• Mental health facilities
• Assisted living facilities
• Rehabilitation centers

Each state has its own set of rules governing the types of settings that HHAs can work in, so it’s important to consider your organization’s needs as you tailor the interview questions outlined below. For instance, home care interview questions and answers may look slightly different in New York than Ohio, since HHAs in New York are certified to work in hospital settings.

7 Interview Questions for Home Health Aide Staff

Whether you’re hiring for a healthcare facility or for an agency specializing in home health care, questions and answers from prospective candidates can serve as a valuable evaluation metric. The following home health aide interview questions will help you find candidates who understand the importance of delivering quality, patient-centered care.

1. What inspired you to become a home health aide?

This is one of the best home health aide interview questions to start with because you can get an introduction to the candidate’s personal history and their motivations for applying. Being an HHA can be emotionally and physically intensive, so this role should be filled by an individual who genuinely feels rewarded from caring for others.

Keep in mind that this may also be a career stepping stone for individuals looking to become a nurse in the future, and that’s fine. Just be sure to assess for any red-flag answers, such as responses that reflect financial motivation or future career goals without any regard for what the role entails.

2. Describe any prior experience you have assisting people with medical or home care tasks.

This question allows you to gauge a candidate’s familiarity with tasks that are commonly carried out on the job. Many states require HHAs to undergo clinical training and receive certification. In addition to assessing what candidates have taken away from their training, this question invites them to share other relevant experiences that aren’t reflected on their resume.

Some candidates may hold prior HHA experience while others may not. However, candidates who have taken on other personal care roles, such as caring for sick family members or babysitting, also hold transferable skills that set them up to be strong HHAs.

3. What would you do if you noticed that your patient was exhibiting new or unusual health symptoms?

HHAs aren’t expected to be medical experts, but they should understand how to work with their supervising nurse and take swift action if needed. This question allows you to evaluate how a candidate would respond to potential medical emergencies. Consider whether their answer showcases a willingness to reach out for help and stay within the scope of their practice.

4. What are some strategies you would use to empower and advocate for patients?

Beyond being a caretaker, HHAs play an important role in empowering patients to achieve their highest level of functioning. While HHAs are trained to help out with everyday tasks, it’s crucial for them to maintain a patient’s dignity in the process.

This question will allow you to assess whether a candidate understands the balance of assisting patients while respecting their independence. Watch out for red flags indicating excessive focus on getting a set list of tasks done each day, rather than meeting the patient’s individualized needs.

5. What would you do if a patient was upset and refusing care?

When compiling home health aide interview questions, it’s important to include one that evaluates how a candidate would react when things don’t go as planned. This question clues you in to how a candidate would approach scenarios requiring more in-depth problem solving or conversations with the patient and nursing team. Listen for answers that showcase a candidate’s ability to remain calm, professional, and empathetic.

6. How would you keep a patient’s family informed about their care?

Beyond working directly with the patient and nursing team, HHAs also communicate closely with the patient’s family. This question allows you to assess a candidate’s ability to prioritize information and keep all relevant parties involved in the patient’s care. Additionally, a candidate’s answer can indicate how they might handle more sensitive patient information.

7. Describe your process of maintaining patient privacy and respect.

Whether patients are residing at home or within a healthcare facility, receiving assistance in everyday tasks can be a vulnerable experience. HHAs should know how to maintain patient privacy from both a legal and personal standpoint. Listen for answers that demonstrate a candidate’s understanding of the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and how to respect a patients’ privacy within their living spaces.

Connect With Compassionate and Qualified Professionals

Once you’ve prepared a set of home health aide interview questions, you’re ready to begin recruiting candidates. Want to ensure the right candidates apply? Post your vacant positions to IntelyCare’s healthcare hiring board and match with high-quality employees actively searching for work.