Rozina Aziz Home health nurses provide critical healthcare services to patients in the comfort of their own homes. Learn more about the duties, qualifications, and benefits of becoming a home health nurse with Home Health Nurse. Find out how Home Health Nurse can help you start your career in this rewarding field.
What is a Home Health Nurse?
Home health nurses, also known as home care nurses, visit patients in their homes to provide specialized medical treatment. In-home nursing care is an alternative for seniors who choose to age in place or have mobility issues that prevent them from leaving the house. For those interested in providing care for elderly loved ones in their own home, information on hiring a home health nurse, payment options, and available assistance can be found below.
What are the types of Home Health Nurses?
Families will be consulted by in-home care agencies, who will match them with a caregiver whose experience and training fit their requirements well. The nurses who provide home care have a wide range of experience, training, and credentials. Learn about the options available from home health care nurses before committing to in-home care.
Certified Practical Nurse or Licensed Vocational Nurse:
LPNs and LVNs are registered nurses who can administer basic nursing care like CNAs and more complex services including prescription administration, wound care, catheter monitoring, and more. After obtaining your Practical Nursing Diploma, passing the National Council Licensure Examination is required to obtain your LPNs or LVNs designation. On average, LPNs and LVNs earn around $48,070 per year.
Registered Nurse:
RNs are the most highly trained nurses and can work with doctors to develop individualized treatment regimens for their patients. They can diagnose conditions, prescribe treatment, and frequently guide grieving families. R.N.s can manage and direct the efforts of their care team’s CNAs, LPNs, and LVNs. Registered nurses are expected to hold either an ADN or BSN. After completing their education, individuals pursuing a career as a registered nurse must complete the National Council Licensure Examination and any state-specific R.N. exams. The average annual salary for registered nurses is $77,600.
Certified Nurse Assistant:
A certified nurse’s assistant (CNA) is a basic health care provider who assists with activities of daily living (ADLs), mobility, and general monitoring. Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) assist registered nurses (RNs) in performing routine tasks. A state-approved CNA training program lasting several weeks and passing the state certification exam are necessary steps to becoming a certified nursing assistant. A certified nursing assistant can expect an annual compensation of about $30,310.
What are home health nurse services?
A patient has virtually unlimited options for receiving care in the comfort of their home. Nursing care and specialized medical services like laboratory workups are options, but they depend on the specifics of each patient’s condition. The patient and their doctor will determine the required home care. Some examples of home health care are:
Medical care:
A doctor can pay for a house call to determine what’s wrong and start treatment. In addition, they may perform routine reviews of the requirements for home health care.
Nursing care:
Nursing care is the most popular form of home health assistance, depending on the patient’s condition and preferences. A registered nurse will develop a treatment strategy in tandem with the physician. Nursing responsibilities involve the application of wound dressings, ostomy care, intravenous therapy, drug administration, patient monitoring, pain management, and other healthcare services.
The professionalism of home health aides:
Home health aides are trained to assist with tasks such as getting out of bed, moving around, showering, and dressing. Under the direction of a registered nurse, some aides with advanced training can provide some forms of specialized assistance.
Medical care for pharmaceuticals:
Home delivery is an option for both medications and medical devices. Instruction on medication administration or the use of equipment, such as for intravenous therapy, might be given to the patient if necessary.
Transportation:
If you need a ride to or from the hospital for an appointment, you can find transportation service providers to help you get there.
Food delivery service:
This service, often known as “Meals on Wheels,” is provided to homebound individuals in various areas. Hot meals are delivered multiple times per week based on the needs of the individual.
Help cleaning or housekeeping:
A domestic worker can assist with cooking, cleaning, and shopping while a patient receives medical care at home.
Medical assisting at residence:
We treat patients of all ages conveniently in their homes and neighborhoods, delivering high-quality, tailored care. Our services and tools aim to restore and sustain your autonomy.
Therapy of the body or the voice:
After a serious illness or injury, a patient may need assistance relearning basic skills, such as speaking or performing everyday tasks. A physical therapist can devise a treatment plan to aid in the recovery or enhancement of a patient’s muscle and joint function. Daily tasks like eating, bathing, clothing, and more may need to be relearned by patients with physical, developmental, social, or emotional problems; an occupational therapist can help. A speech therapist may help a person who has lost the capacity to speak coherently.
Health and welfare services:
Two of the many tasks medical social workers perform are counseling and identifying local resources that can aid in a patient’s recovery. In cases where a patient’s medical needs are complex and require the coordination of multiple services, a social worker may also serve as the patient’s case manager.
Companionship:
To feel safe and secure at home, some patients need the company of another person. Some friends may help out around the house.
Healthcare provided by volunteers:
Companions, assistance with personal care, transportation, emotional support, and even assistance with paperwork are ways community volunteers can help ease a patient’s burden.
Help with your diet:
Patients can receive in-home visits from registered dietitians for nutritional evaluations and treatment-related dietary counseling.
Test tube and X-ray studies:
Patients can conduct laboratory tests, such as blood and urine, within the convenience of their own homes. Additionally, lab professionals can conduct these tests using portable X-ray equipment at the patient’s home.
What Do Home Health Nurses Do?
Most people over 65 who look into home health care are dealing with a terminal illness or a serious health condition that makes it impossible for them to leave the house without assistance. Patients suffering from injuries, surgeries, and other medical interventions might benefit from an in-home care nurse. Home healthcare agencies collaborate with patients, their loved ones, and physicians to develop individualized treatment regimens.
A typical list of a home care nurse’s duties and responsibilities would include the following:
- Helping with ADLs like washing, using the restroom, getting dressed, and eating.
- Preparing and giving injections and other intravenous treatments.
- Healing post-operative or terminally sick wounds.
- Regular physical examinations and monitoring of vital signs.
- Care for people with specialized medical needs, such as Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, diabetes, cancer, and other diseases.
- Teaching loved ones how to provide for themselves.
Hiring a home nurse may be a good choice if your parent needs help with the tasks above. Hiring an expert helps lighten the load on family caregivers so that more time can be spent enjoying the company of their loved ones rather than worrying about their complex medical care.
What are the advantages of working as a home health nurse?
The advantages are as follows.
Patient Connection:
It’s common in home health nursing to have more time to get to know each patient. These bonds can persist long and bring you and your patient satisfaction.
Feasible:
A home health care nurse’s schedule is typically flexible, as she visits patients in their homes. You won’t have to work shifts like at a hospital.
Independence:
Home health nurses must be self-sufficient and able to work without constant oversight. These positions allow registered nurses to utilize their clinical expertise to provide exceptional patient care.
How to Become a Home Health Nurse?
Home health nursing has the potential to yield high rewards but also necessitates professional competence and experience. There are some prerequisites to becoming a home health nurse that you must meet.
Earn Your Degree:
Earn a degree in nursing, preferably a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or an associate degree in nursing (ADN). The typical duration of an ADN program is two years. In contrast, four-year BSN programs are the norm.
Pass the NCLEX-RN exam:
This test often lasts many hours and is comprehensive, covering nursing theory, practice, medicine, and law.
Grow Workplace Experience:
Before providing treatment to patients in their homes, home health nurses are often required to gain experience in a hospital setting. Certain employers may require applicants with experience in specialized environments, such as critical care nursing.
What makes a good home health nurse?
As a healthcare professional, nursing requires a special set of skills. Home health nurses need to be self-assured in their nursing skills and advocacy for patients because no medical team is around the corner. Caring and open communication is also crucial. Home health nurses should be ready to go outside the box to educate patients and their families about sickness and recovery. This will help them achieve their health goals.
How much do home health nurses make?
As of May 2019, the median annual salary for registered nurses in the United States was $73,300, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, experience, education level, and geographic region can significantly affect how much a home health nurse earns on average.
Home health nurses typically earn a lower salary than their hospital-based peers. Payscale reports that the median annual income for a home health nurse is $60,462. This works out to an average hourly wage of $30.39. However, this varies from case to case based on variables including geography, level of education, and professional experience.
What are the factors that affect Home Health Nursing?
Here are some of the factors that are listed below which affect your salary as a Home Health Nurse:
Workplace:
Location can play a significant role in the compensation of many jobs. There is a disparity in pay between home health nurses working in urban and rural locations. This is because of the higher expense of living and the greater demand for healthcare in urban areas.
Experience:
Salary in any field is heavily dependent on years of experience. Those working as home health nurses with greater experience can expect to earn a higher salary. Nurses with years of experience may typically take on greater autonomy and responsibility on the job.
Education:
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)-prepared home health nurses may earn more than their less-educated counterparts. Certified Home Health Nurses (CHHNs) and other subspecialty nurses may also be able to negotiate greater compensation due to the demand for their services.
What is the job outlook for Home health nursing?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that, over the next decade, healthcare employment will rise by 15%, significantly faster than the average of all other U.S. businesses. However, home health assistant jobs are expected to increase 34 percent in the coming decade. This is extremely high and bodes well for the employment prospects of anyone entering the profession.
FAQ’s
What is a home health nurse?
A home health nurse is a licensed healthcare professional who provides medical care to patients in the comfort of their own homes.
What services does a home health nurse provide?
A home health nurse provides many services, including wound care, medication management, nutritional support, physical therapy, and more.
How do I know if I need a home health nurse?
If you or a loved one has a chronic illness, is recovering from surgery, or has difficulty leaving the house, a home health nurse may be a good option.
Does insurance cover a home health nurse?
Many insurance plans cover the cost of home health care, but it’s important to check with your provider to confirm.
Can a home health nurse provide round-the-clock care?
While some home health nurses may provide 24-hour care, it’s more common for them to provide intermittent care based on the patient’s needs.
How do I find a home health nurse?
You can ask your healthcare provider for a referral or search for home health agencies.
What qualifications does a home health nurse have?
A home health nurse must be a licensed healthcare professional, typically a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse, with additional training in home health care.
Can a home health nurse assist with end-of-life care?
Many home health nurses are trained to provide end-of-life care and support to patients and their families.
How does a home health nurse communicate with my doctor?
A home health nurse will communicate regularly with your doctor to ensure that your medical care is coordinated and effective.
What should I expect during my first visit with a home health nurse?
During your first visit, the nurse will assess your medical needs and create a plan of care tailored to your unique situation. They will also answer any questions you may have and provide guidance on how to best manage your condition at home.
