Working as a Home Health Aide at Northwell Health, Where Compassion Meets a Rewarding Career

There is a trademark characteristic that ties our Northwell home health aides (HHA) together: a deeply ingrained passion in caring for others. Often inspired by personal experiences, home health aides step up to provide at-home care for patients who cannot care for themselves. In such an intimate setting, relationships are built with the patients and their families who rely on the compassion our HHAs always bring.

Jeanette Mazzilli, home health aide with Northwell Health, says that one of the factors behind her decision to become an HHA was her own desire for a compassionate aide to help out at home with her father a few years ago. “While caring for my dad when he was ill, I realized that being a home health aide was a great career path for me. I took the free training course with Northwell Health and now enjoy helping my patients get better.”

Fellow home health aide of 13 years Sandra Chin also touts her own family as her source for inspiration: “My aunt Daisy was an HHA and I watched her care for her patients like they were her own family. When she became ill herself, I stepped up to care for her and loved doing it so much that I turned it into a career.” Sandra joined Northwell in 2019 and has found it to be a company like no other, providing support and training every step of the way.

A career as a home health aide is multi-faceted. Never a dull moment as you coordinate patient care with a team of nurses. Each unique patient comes with their own care plan and needs, and Northwell provides the training to meet those needs and assist the patient on a path to better health. “The RN who taught the course was a great instructor who answered all of our questions. I learned about patient care, safety, HIPPA compliance, and received many other home care instructions that prepared me for my role,” Jeanette says. When asked about the training course, Sandra Chin added, “The course is three weeks long, but very informative, and one of the best things is that I met some wonderful people.”

A day in the life of a home health aide can involve going over the patient’s care plan with the patient and their family, taking note of the patient’s progress. Sometimes the patient’s care plan requires monitoring their intake of medication, preparing meals, taking patients for walks, and assisting them with daily tasks. It’s a gratifying career according to Sandra: “The fulfillment I feel at the end of every shift when someone says, ‘thank you for being here’, makes it all worthwhile.”

That rewarding feeling continues outside of the patients’ homes because our home health aides know that Northwell Health is full of opportunities to raise their career expectations. Jeanette views her HHA position as the start to a long-term career in healthcare. “I have plans to expand my career at Northwell Health. This position has enabled me to use my natural compassion and incorporate new skills learned on the job so that I can grow.” Sandra agrees, saying that benefits at Northwell Health like tuition reimbursement, free training, and leaders who mentor you along the way create, “an environment and atmosphere that fosters the growth and development of its employees’ both career-wise and personally.”

HHAs are hands on as they play point person between patients and nurses which makes this role one of the best in healthcare to have a direct impact in the community. Jeanette recalls one particular instant early on in her career that stays with her to this day: “My most memorable moment was when a family member told the nurse assigned to my patient that they were relieved to have me in their lives. One day, I had noticed that the patient’s blood pressure was low and he seemed disoriented so I contacted the RN for immediate medical assistance. The family was grateful for my ability to keep calm and keep the patient stable while medical services arrived.” Sandra likens the role to being “an anchor” for patients and families going through a challenging time. Whether she’s serving breakfast, arranging transportation, or joining her patient on medical appointments Sandra says, “It gives me a sense of satisfaction I wouldn’t give up for any other job.”

If you’re ready to raise your career expectations as a home health aide with Northwell Health, apply now. A career well cared for is waiting for you.