In the nursing profession, nurses can pursue a wide range of specialty areas, allowing them to combine their personal interests with their professional goals. Some nurses prefer to work with specific patient populations, while others specialize in niche healthcare settings, such as the home care setting. Understanding the role of a home health care nurse and the daily responsibilities of these specialized professionals can help you decide if this is the right nursing position for you.
What Does a Home Care Nurse Do?
A homecare nurse is a registered nurse who provides direct care to patients in home settings. According to the National Association for Home Care and Hospice, home healthcare services include skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, aide services, medical social work, and more.
Home care nurses are skilled nurses who provide patients with care directly in their homes. They have a wide scope of practice. In addition to providing physical and emotional assessments, medical care, such as wound care or medication disbursement, a skilled home health nurse may also provide personal care services, such as feeding and bathing. The duties and responsibilities of a home health nurse may vary based on their position and the patient population they serve.
Daily Responsibilities of a Home Care Nurse
Home care nurses can work closely with their patients in a setting where they feel comfortable and secure, often allowing nurses to develop deeper relationships with their patients. As a result, many home care nurses can provide more personalized care and improve patient outcomes.
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) clarifies that the daily responsibilities of a homecare nurse will vary based on the type of patients that the nurse is working with and their nursing specialty areas, but may include:
- Administering medication and ensuring the patient takes the appropriate medications at the right times.
- Providing patients with wound care and taking preventative actions to minimize the risk of infection.
- Monitoring the vital signs of the patient.
- Ensuring that the patient can eat safely.
- Helping the patient enjoy light exercise in the home environment.
- Providing patients and caregivers with the information and resources they need to thrive in their home environment.
Types of Patients Who Require Home Nursing
Home care nurses can work with various patients across all age groups. Some of the types of patients who require home nursing include:
- Patients managing long-term, chronic illnesses.
- Patients recovering from surgery.
- Patients with disabilities who need assistance in the home environment on a regular basis.
- Elderly patients working to maintain their independence while managing the signs and symptoms of aging.
- Patients who have recently given birth and who need support as they continue their postpartum recovery and learn to care for their new baby.
Collaboration With Family and Caregivers
Home care nurses often serve as a bridge between the patient and their caregivers. They can usually provide caregivers with educational materials and instruction on how to best care for their loved ones when a skilled nurse is absent. Home health nurses can improve patient outcomes and develop deeper connections with their patients by supporting family members and providing empathetic guidance.
Essential Skills and Qualifications for Home Care Nurses
As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, and the population continues to age, there is expected to be an increased demand for home care nurses. About 11 percent of all registered nurses work in home health nursing, and those interested in this specialty area should focus on developing the specific skills and qualifications required to care for patients directly in their homes.
The essential skills and qualifications for home care nurses include:
Medical and Technical Skills
Home care nurses differentiate themselves from home aides and personal care aides because they can assess and provide patients with medical care. As a result, they need to develop the critical nursing skills required to care for patients and provide them with safe, high-quality healthcare treatment services. Some of the medical and technical skills that home care nurses need to focus on include wound care, IV administration, medication administration, and chronic disease management. They also need to feel comfortable and confident assessing patients to prioritize their needs and provide them with personalized care.
Communication and Interpersonal Skills
In addition to developing the advanced nursing skills required to work with patients in the home setting, home care nurses must also focus on their communication and interpersonal skills. This position, particularly when compared to other registered nursing positions that restrict the amount of time a nurse has with each patient, requires nurses to prioritize relationship development with their patients. They need to understand the needs of their patients in relation to their personal environments, and they also need to become familiar with the caregivers and family members supporting the patient in the home.
Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking
Registered nurses who work in a hospital environment or are employed by a physician’s office benefit from being surrounded by a team of healthcare providers who can offer guidance and support. Home care nurses, on the other hand, work independently and must be able to quickly assess patients to provide them with the best possible care. They need problem-solving and critical thinking skills to act quickly and make independent clinical decisions.
Required Education and Certifications
Nurses who want to enter this high-demand specialty area must complete a nursing degree program and meet all of the requirements to become a registered nurse. Home health nurses should have either an associate degree in nursing or a bachelor’s degree in nursing, and they also need to pass the NCLEX-RN exam and complete all licensure requirements for the state where they intend to practice. In addition, home health nurses can complete the Home Health Nursing Certification (RN-BC) through the American Nurses Association.
Benefits and Challenges Faced by Home Care Nurses
When comparing a home health nurse vs. hospital nurse, the biggest difference is the level of independence — homecare nurses often work alone, while hospital nurses rely on a structured team environment. Many home care nurses find their positions incredibly rewarding, though this specialty area is challenging. Understanding the benefits and challenges home care nurses face can help you decide if this specialty area is right for you.
Benefits of Being a Home Care Nurse
As healthcare costs continue to rise and healthcare providers actively work to limit the time patients spend in the hospital, there is expected to be increased demand for qualified and passionate home care nurses. Home care nurses often directly impact the quality of life of their patients, making this an advantageous position.
These are some of the benefits of being a home care nurse:
Improved Patient Comfort and Independence
Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Theory was the first nursing theory to be developed, and as reported by the American Nurses Association, this theory identifies the link between a patient’s environment and their overall outcomes. Home care nurses rely heavily on this nursing theory and allow their patients to receive expert, personalized care in a familiar home environment. As a result, they can provide patients with exceptional medical care while simultaneously supporting their emotional well-being.
Cost-Effectiveness of Home Healthcare
Home nursing is a much more cost-effective approach to healthcare than extended hospital stays or assisted living facilities. Data published by the organization states that Medicare payments for home health services for a 30-day period could be about $2,000. In contrast, Medicare payments for a 30-day stay in a skilled nursing facility could cost upwards of $16,000. Home healthcare costs less than traditional healthcare, and it also improves patient outcomes, ultimately reducing hospital readmissions as well as emergency room visits.
Personalized and Holistic Patient Care
Home care nurses can create care plans that emphasize a holistic approach to healthcare, allowing them to ensure that their patients’ physical, mental, social and emotional needs are met. When they are in the home setting, nurses can work exclusively with one patient without distraction, allowing them to provide a higher level of personalized care than is available in hospital settings.
Challenges of Being a Homecare Nurse
While being a home health care nurse is particularly rewarding, this nursing position is not without its challenges. Many home health nurses appreciate the independence that they enjoy, but these are some of the most challenging aspects of their jobs:
Working Independently Without Immediate Team Support
Home care nurses often work alone and are responsible for assessing patients in addition to making clinical decisions to best meet the needs of the patient. They cannot rely on the healthcare team as easily as registered nurses who work in hospitals, physicians’ offices, and long-term care facilities, requiring them to be confident and self-reliant professionals.
Navigating Insurance and Documentation Requirements
Home health nurses often have more administrative responsibilities than registered nurses in hospital settings, which can be overwhelming for nurses not used to it. Some administrative tasks that home health nurses may be responsible for include maintaining patient records and navigating insurance and documentation requirements to ensure that their patients receive the care and coverage that they need.
Addressing Safety Concerns in Home Settings
Because home settings are not sterilized in the same way that clinical settings are, nurses may have to navigate and address complex safety concerns. Unsafe home environments can pose a risk to the patient and the nurse, and homecare nurses may have to take extra steps to implement infection control measures and reduce fall risks in the home.
Interested in Becoming a Home Health Nurse? Build a Foundation in Nursing at Nevada State University
By learning more about the differences between a home health nurse vs. hospital nurse, you can pursue a tailored education that allows you to develop the specialized skills required to achieve your career goals. At Nevada State University, we offer an RN to BSN online program that allows you to build upon your foundation in nursing and accelerate the path toward earning a BSN degree. This comprehensive nursing program is designed to enhance your analytical, clinical, and management skills in healthcare settings, including in home care settings.
Request more information about our nursing degree programs today.