Common home care training gaps
By Scott McKenzie, founder of Home Care Agency Blueprint · Updated
Most training problems come from gaps in the routine rather than one big error. Here are gaps worth checking for, each with its source, a pointer to your state, or marked as our own planning.
Gaps to check for
No record of training
Training that happened but was never recorded is hard to show later. Record every session the day it happens.
Your own planning
Copying another state’s hours or topics
A list written for another state can miss what yours requires. Start from your own state’s rules.
Check your state
Expired CPR or first aid cards
If you require CPR or first aid, a card that has expired may no longer meet your requirement. Track expiry dates.
Your own planning
Orientation skipped before a first shift
A caregiver who starts before orientation may miss required topics. Check your state for what must come before the first shift.
Check your state
An online course your state does not accept
Some states limit which topics can be taught online, or which providers count. Check before you pay for a course.
Check your state
Training not matched to the role
A companion and a caregiver giving hands-on personal care may need different training. Match training to each role’s tasks.
Your own planning; Check your state
No skills check where your state requires one
Where your state requires a competency check before solo work, a missing one is a gap. Check your state.
Check your state
HIPAA training assumed or skipped
If your agency is a covered entity, HHS says it must train all workforce members on its privacy policies and procedures. Decide with counsel whether that applies to you.
Source: HHS OCR, HIPAA Privacy Rule summary; HHS OCR, HIPAA covered entities
Bloodborne pathogens training missed
Where caregivers have occupational exposure, OSHA’s standard requires the employer to train them. Check whether your caregivers’ tasks create exposure.
Renewal dates not tracked
Training that needs renewing can lapse quietly. Put every renewal date in one place and check it on a schedule.
Your own planning
A planning aid, not proof of compliance. Nothing on this site can tell you that your caregivers’ training meets your state’s rules. It lists topic slots and habits and points you to the rules that apply, so you can check them for your own agency.
Your state sets the training rules. Your state licensing agency decides caregiver training and orientation rules for licensed home care: the topics, any required hours, who may train, how training may be delivered and when it renews. This site does not list state rules. homecarelicenseguide.com, also published by Home Care Agency Blueprint, helps you find your state’s licensing agency. Not legal advice. State training rules vary; check your state.
What to do next
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common training gap?
We do not have data on that, so we will not guess. The gaps listed here are worth checking first because each can be closed with a clear routine.
Want to talk through your options?
A free 15-minute clarity call with Home Care Agency Blueprint. It helps people start home care agencies, so expect that perspective. You do not need your training plan finished first.
Book a free 15-minute clarity call