Home health care nursing is becoming more and more utilized all of the time. Having a nurse visit a patient in their home makes it possible for them to remain in a setting that is comfortable and familiar to them. This is very important when a person is sick. Health care in the home also makes it possible for the patient and the patient’s family to maintain both their dignity during their illness as well as their independence. According to the National Association for Home Care there are an estimated seven million people across the country that is in need of the services that home health care nurses are able to provide.
What is a Home Health Care Nurse?
A home health care nurse (or home health nurse) is a nurse who provides periodic care to her patients in their homes as deemed required by a doctor. Working in this capacity means that the nurse must work independently of a hospital team and must carry out her necessary duties on her own. There are times however when two nurses will work together to do what needs to be done for a patient in their home environment.
The combination of skills and experience makes it possible for home health care nurses to specialize in a wide spectrum of treatments for the patients. These nurses can also provide education to their patients as well as emotional support. Their patients can ranger from newborn babies to children to adults to the elderly.
A practicing nurse must have the essential skills to work in a patient’s home to provide care. She must have excellent communication skills and must develop rapport with both the patient and the family members. She must be able to make autonomous decisions and to respect her patient’s living space. She must realize that she has left the structured environment of a medical care setting. She also must realize that that she is not working with a team of nurses but instead has joined the family team. Home health care nurses must display other pertinent skills as well. They must exhibit critical thinking, assessment, coordination, communication (as previously mentioned) and documentation abilities.
Some home health nurses may choose to specialize in working with children or adults who are recovering from illnesses and/or injuries. Others may choose to work with children who have disabilities. This requires a high level of patience and being in touch with the needs of the family. Still other home health nurses choose to work with new mothers who have recently given birth. This involves not only care but also education about how to care for an infant. It is also possible to find home health care nurses working with elderly patients who require palliative care for chronic illnesses they may suffer from.
Medication coordination between the nurse, the physician and the pharmacist is essential when it comes to the appropriate management of a patient’s condition. The nurse must know the correct dose to give a patient, as well as the time to give it and the combination’s. Nurses who choose to go into the home health care field must be very familiar with pharmacology and they must have learned all about a variety of different medications that are used by patients in clinical settings.
Education and Training
Home health care nurses must first obtain the proper training and education through an accredited nursing school before they can pursue their desired career path. There is more than one avenue towards training a nurse who wishes to work in home health care can take. She can study for a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing (BSN) and then look for work or she can continue on to obtain her Master’s degree in nursing (MSN) and then obtain employment.
Another route a nurse can take is to attend a junior college or community college and graduate with an associate degree in nursing (AND). A nurse must then go on to obtain the proper licensing. For those who wish to work in home health care they can take specialized courses both online and off and earn certificates in such topics as life care planning and geriatric care.
Employment and Income
Nurses comprise the largest health care occupation in the United States. According to the United States Department of Labor, there are approximately 2.4 million nurses across the country. Despite this number many hospitals and academic organizations report a huge shortage of qualified nursing professionals. In 2000 the shortage was reported to be six percent but that percentage has risen to 10 percent in 2010. A home health care nurse can expect to make around $33.00 an hour as a starting salary. On an annual basis she will earn in the area of $49,000.
