When HHA Sharon Davis Referred Andrea Wilson to Become an HHA…
It Was a Win-Win! Sharon Got an Employee Referral Bonus, and Andrea Got HHA Training—and the Perfect Weekend Job!
One of the best ways that VNS Health hires home health aides and clinicians is through referrals from our own team members. All referrals are welcome—whether you’re referring a relative, a friend, a colleague you used to work with, or even a casual acquaintance. As you’ll see in the following story, it’s easy to refer someone. While bonus amounts vary depending on the position and location of the job, if you refer a home health aide you could receive a bonus for as much as $500! To learn more and to find out how to make a referral, click here.
The Team Members:
Sharon Davis, Home Health Aide, Queens
Andrea Wilson, Weekend Home Health Aide, Brooklyn
The Backstory:
Sharon: Andrea and I met about 20 years ago, when our children were in elementary school together. We’ve been friends ever since. She has a full-time job during the week, but she was interested in working as a home health aide part-time on weekends. She was going to pay for training, so I encouraged her to sign up with VNS Health instead. Why pay when you can get free training—and then select the hours that you want to work? The process was very easy. I just clicked on the link and made the referral online, then I gave Andrea the information and she took it from there.
Andrea: I’m always asking Sharon for advice, so of course she was the one I turned to when I wanted to take on a weekend job as an aide. I work as an administrative assistant during the week, but I have a son in college and wanted the extra income. Signing up was easy after she made the referral; I just had to fill out some forms. After VNS Health accepted me, I started the training, which was hybrid—online at the beginning, then a week of in-person training at the end. I’m an old-fashioned person: I like actual classrooms, so I didn’t love the idea of remote learning. But you know what? Those online classes were absolutely wonderful. The teachers—Susan and Shirley—were awesome, and made the classes so interesting and enjoyable. I even surprised myself at how much I learned. And I aced all of my tests, getting 100 on each one!
How’s It Going?
Sharon: I know that Andrea is very happy working here. I didn’t hesitate to refer her because she’s compassionate and caring and has experience caring for others, including an elderly aunt who was ill. I knew that she would be great at this work. She has empathy and knows how to reach out to people. What makes this such a great arrangement was that this was an opportunity to get not only excellent free training but a job that accommodated her schedule. She works six hours on Saturday and six on Sunday.
Andrea: When I first met my client, who has mobility issues, it was quite an experience! She was very firm and reminded me of a retired school teacher. She has her rules and expresses them freely and firmly, but I also think I was being tested. I later found her to be a darling—she is all bark and no bite. We really get along; it is so much fun. We are both from Jamaica, so I understand her—there’s a cultural connection. People often ask me why I wanted to work as a home health aide, since there are easier jobs to do. I always tell them that everybody is excited when a baby is born, but people get frustrated with people who are nearing the end of life. I think we should do everything we can to make them comfortable, to show gratitude, and to make them as happy as possible, even if they’re in pain. They’ve lived a long life and deserve all of that.
Final Thoughts:
Sharon: I’ve been an HHA at VNS Health since 2017, and I love working here. It’s rewarding work if you like helping and caring for people who need assistance. So it’s also rewarding to refer good candidates for positions here, because that means that we’re bringing in compassionate and skilled colleagues. Everybody really does benefit. I’d recommend the referral program to anybody.
Andrea: This experience has been wonderful, from the awesome training to getting the weekend work I wanted as well as the support we get from the organization. I’m not sure where exactly I want my career to go, but I know it’s going to be at VNS Health. While I do love my weekday job, and I’ve done that for a long time, I could see giving that up at some point and adding more HHA days to my schedule, and maybe taking classes—especially after my son graduates from college. I feel fulfilled when I can see that I’m doing some good.
