NEW Home Health & Hospice Aide Competency Exam & Study Guide - Coming September 1

OAHC is pleased to announce that our new Home Health & Hospice Aide Competency Exam and Study Guide will be available September 1, 2026.

A Simpler Exam Process

With the release of the new exam, OAHC is moving away from the online testing system that required agencies to create user profiles and purchase and assign tokens.

The new process is designed to be much simpler:

• Purchase the exam and/or study guide online
• Receive a digital copy by email
• Print and administer the exam to your aides as needed
• Order the number of certificates you need
• Certificates will be mailed directly to you

There will be no online profiles to create and no tokens to purchase or assign.

Online Pre-Ordering Coming Soon

Online pre-ordering for the new exam, study guide, and certificates will open soon.

If you pre-order, your digital exam and/or study guide will be emailed to you on September 1, and your certificates will arrive by mail shortly after your purchase.

Please check back soon for online ordering!

Home Health & Hospice Aide Exam

The Oregon Association for Home Care developed the Home Health & Hospice Aide Competency exam as a standard for our industry. This examination tests the basic competencies of individuals who have received training in accordance with the Oregon Nurse Practice Act, to work as nursing assistants. The examination format is based on the Oregon Administrative Rules and the federal Medicare Conditions of Participation with nine points of emphasis relating to home care. The areas of emphasis include:

• Communication Skills;
• Observation of, reporting of and documentation about the patient and care provided, including basic elements of body functioning and changes in body function that must be reported to the aide's supervisor;
• Physical, emotional and developmental needs of, and ways to work with the population served by the home health agency, including the need for respect for the patient, his/her privacy and his/her property;    
• Maintenance of a clean, safe and healthy environment;  
• Basic infection control procedures;  
• Basic nutrition and food preparation techniques as appropriate;  
• Recognizing emergencies and knowledge of emergency procedures;
• Reading and recording temperature, pulse and respiration;
• Basic elements of body functioning and changes in body function that must be reported to an aide's supervisor. 

Biennially the OAHC Education Committee revises the examination and the Board of Directors approves the examination. Each test version has a two-year validity for competency of Aides. The committee provides a bibliography of resources which agencies can use to address specific training needs of the Certified Nurses Assistant or Home Health & Hospice Aides.

Educational programs or agencies other than licensed agencies may purchase the testing packet for use in competency testing of aides, providing the purchasing entity has an RN available who is qualified to competency test Home Health & Hospice Aides and certifies that he/she will follow the OAHC guidelines. These entities will also have use of the materials for the two-year time frame and must purchase a new packet for use beyond the stated expiration date. Licensed and certified agencies should only accept competency testing done by these agencies or programs only if agency policy allows. The entire procedure for test packet request shall be the same for non-licensed agencies as for licensed agencies, with the exception that non-licensed and certified entities will not receive the OAHC Home Health & Hospice Aide certificates with their purchase of the test packet.

Cost:

OAHC Members:
Exam (includes 5 certificates) .................................$195.00
5 additional certificates ................................................+$55.00
20 additional certificates ..............................................+$130.00

NonMembers:
Exam (includes 5 certificates) .................................$440.00
5 additional certificates ................................................+$55.00
20 additional certificates ...............................................+$130.00

How to Order: 

1. Fill out and sign the Online Pre-Order Form or download the 2026-2028 Pre-Order Form and return to the OAHC office with payment.
   Payment must be received before the exam can be sent. Please note that mailing your order and payment to the OAHC office can take up to two weeks to receive and process.
   For faster processing, use the Online Pre-Order Form or email your order form to [email protected]. We can take credit card payments over the phone.
2. Once your order has been processed, you will receive an email with the following information:
• Welcome Letter
• Exam & Proctor Guide which includes the Aide Competency Process, Instructions for Aide Competency Testing, Progress Flow Chart, Code of Ethics for the Home Health/Hospice Aide, Use of the Home Health/Hospice Aide Skills Checklist & Proctor information. 
• PDF copy of the exam questions to be printed for each test taker
• Exam answer key
• Competency Skills Checklist
3. Once your order has been processed, you will receive Certificates in the mail to the address on your order form. 

Home Health & Hospice Aide Study Guide

The study guide is for the OAHC Home Health & Hospice  Aide Exam. This study guide was developed to assist the Certified Nurse Assistant hired for the position of Home Health Aide to better familiarize themselves with the areas of care in which they may be responsible. The study guide was developed based on various contributions from individuals serving on the OAHC Education and Conference Committee. The CNA who completes the review and understands the topics presented in the study guide, will be better prepared in their understanding of these topics to complete the OAHC Home Health & Hospice Aide Certification Exam (2026-2028).

Cost: 

Member: 
With purchase of Competency Exam.............$83
Study Guide Only..........................................$330

Non-Member:
With purchase of Competency Exam...........$138
Study Guide Only..........................................$605

How to Order:

1. Fill out and sign the Online Pre-Order Form or download the Pre-Order Form and return to the OAHC office with payment.
   Payment must be received before the study guide can be sent out. Please note that mailing your order and payment to the OAHC office can take up to two weeks to receive and process.
   For faster processing, use the Online Pre-Order form or email your order form to [email protected] or fax to (877) 458-8348. We can take credit card payments over the phone.
2. Once your order has been processed, OAHC will email you a PDF copy of the study guide to print and distribute as needed.