Make It Official: Caregiver Certification Course To Upgrade Your Skills
As a caregiver, you know how important it is to provide skilled, quality care to your care recipient or patients. However, that can be easier said than done. Over the course of your caregiving journey, your caregiving responsibilities have likely increased, changed, or become more complicated–and you may feel out of your depth.
Research states that many caregivers learn by trial and error and are afraid they’ll make mistakes. Without the right training, caregivers run the risk of making errors and harming their care recipients by accident. Lack of training can also increase other risks, including:
- Elder abuse
- Neglect
- Caregiver mental health problems
Over time, experts say this may have an impact on your health and well-being. But since you’re already a caregiver, you may be wondering how to avoid these risks and where to start.
In this article, we’ll review:
- What you’ll learn in a caregiver certification course
- How a caregiver certification course will benefit you and your care recipient
- How to take the next steps and get started
What Is A Caregiver Certification Course?
Caregiver certification courses are designed to train caregivers on a variety of health and care topics. The information can meet the caregiver training needs of:
- New caregivers
- Experienced caregivers
- A family caregiver or unpaid caregiver
- A professional caregiver in caregiver jobs like:
- Personal Care Aide (PCA)
- Home Health Aide (HHA)
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
Certain states, home care organizations, and professions may have different caregiver training requirements, but courses generally cover topics like:
- Basic first aid and responding to emergencies.
- Personal care and helping with activities of daily living (ADLs). For example, helping someone with bathing or using the toilet.
- Helping with medications and avoiding mistakes. For example, keeping pills organized and taking them on time.
- Supporting exercise and nutrition needs based on the treatment plan.
- Mobility and transfers that are safe and effective.
- Health and safety standards. For example, health waste disposal and using personal protective equipment (PPE)
- How to care for certain populations. For example, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental illnesses, and dementia care.
- Preventing and responding to abuse and neglect.
In order to receive a caregiver certification, many courses also include a certification exam and other types of evaluation. While this can depend on the course, the state, and profession-specific training requirements, this may include:
- A multiple choice test with a minimum pass score
- In-person or virtual demonstrations of certain skills (evaluated by a healthcare professional)
Once you pass, you’ll be issued a certificate of completion.
6 Benefits Of Taking A Caregiver Certification Course
The benefits of taking a caregiver certification go far beyond the classroom. Here are just a few:
1. Improves Skills & Competence
Injuries are directly related to the caregiver’s knowledge and competency. Getting support and engaging in caregiver education can help prevent these injuries. Research shows that interventions that support a caregiver’s competence and confidence can help their care recipient or patient receive safe and effective care.
A caregiver certification course can help you get the education you need to improve your caregiving skills and competence.
2. Meets Your Needs
Studies show that the top 4 areas that caregivers want more training in include:
- Keeping their care recipient safe at home
- Managing emotional and physical stress
- Managing their care recipient’s paperwork and eligibility for services
- Activities to do with their care recipient
Many caregiver certification courses address these areas.
3. Provides Easier Access To Quality Information
Many caregivers rely on healthcare professionals for information and resources, but this isn’t always the most accessible option. After all, you can’t take a trip to the doctor’s office every time you have a question. Other caregivers rely on friends and family for information and help. Although these people may mean well, they may not always be the most reliable source of truth–and you don’t want to end up risking more mistakes.
Taking a caregiver certification course gives you access to quality, reliable information and can help answer important caregiving questions.
4. Boosts Confidence & Reduces Stress
A caregiver certification course supports not only your care recipient’s well-being but yours as well!
Research has shown that when caregivers feel like they have the skills and knowledge to provide safe and effective care for their care recipients or patients, they feel less burden. In fact, improving your confidence and competence with important skills through caregiver training can help improve your sense of mastery, which has been shown to:
- Increase positive responses to providing care
- Increase health-related behaviors
- Reduce distress via healthy coping strategies
- Lower stress responses
When getting training from a caregiver certification course, you know you’re getting access to best practices and specialized training that you can use confidently in your day-to-day home care activities.
5. Supports Professional Development
Getting specialized training demonstrates commitment, professionalism, and drive to be a lifelong learner. Becoming a certified caregiver can also help you stay up-to-date with proper techniques and best practices. This can help set you apart from other caregivers. Healthcare facilities, assisted living facilities, and home care agencies may see caregiver certification as something that sets you apart from other competitors for caregiver jobs.
Plus, most caregiver certification courses provide a certificate to add to your resume, online portfolio, or LinkedIn profile once you’ve passed the course.
6. Makes Your Role Official & Validates Caregiving Experience
For many people, caregiving can feel like a thankless job. Becoming a certified caregiver can help you feel like you’re being recognized for all the hard work you do each day. A formal credential can also help you feel more confident in your role.
A caregiver certification course will help you build on existing skills, solidify your role as a caregiver, and give you the recognition you deserve.
Taking A Caregiver Certification Course
Many courses are offered online and can be done at a time that’s convenient for you.
It can feel intimidating to take the next steps–but remember, the caregiving commitment is the hardest part, and you’ve already done that. A caregiver certification course will only help you add more valuable skills to your repertoire.
Whether you want to explore becoming a paid professional or simply want to improve your skills, taking a caregiver certification course is the next step in your caregiving journey.
Ready to take the next step? Check if you have free access to Trualta’s online caregiver certification course.
References
- Committee on Family Caregiving for Older Adults; Board on Health Care Services; Health and Medicine Division; National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Schulz R, Eden J, editors. Families Caring for an Aging America. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2016 Nov 8. 3, Family Caregiving Roles and Impacts. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK396398/
- Reinhard SC, Given B, Petlick NH, et al. Supporting Family Caregivers in Providing Care. In: Hughes RG, editor. Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2008 Apr. Chapter 14. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2665/
- AARP Family Caregiving, & National Alliance for Caregiving. (2020). (rep.). Caregiving in the US. Retrieved October 2, 2024, from https://www.caregiving.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/full-report-caregiving-in-the-united-states-01-21.pdf.
- https://www.renaissancehomehc.com/post/training-and-certification-for-senior-caregivers
