Nursing Career Specialty - A Look Into Home Health Nursing By Brent McNutt At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Home health nursing can be a rewarding option for nurses who want to specialize; although it is not for everyone. As the name implies, home health nursing involves making several visits to various homebound patients every work day in your discount landau scrubs. Patients cared for are typically only temporarily homebound and require some form of therapy to recover. Home health nursing is thus not to be confused with private duty assignments, wherein a nurse usually takes care of only one patient at a time.

Primary tasks

Home health nurses typically make complete assessments, from head to toe. Depending on the patient's condition, the physician's orders, and the findings, the nurse's assessment can be simple and quick or complex and take a long time. Depending on the circumstances and the condition, the patient and the caregiver is usually given instruction on performing simple medical tasks such as wound care, IV administration, incision care, G-tube change, Foley catheter change, and so on. Every visit builds on the previous visit and the home health nurse will ask for a demonstration from the caregiver or patient to see if they have learned the instruction well. At other times, the caregiver or patient may also need a comprehensive instruction for a diagnosis such as diabetes. In this case, the patient or caregiver has to be taught how to monitor blood glucose, how to administer insulin or other medication, and how to identify and treat the symptoms and signs of hyper or hypoglycemia. Home health nurses are also responsible for educating and instructing patients and caregivers in administering medications including the dosage, purpose, possible side effects, and desired results. They also provide specific nutritional and dietary needs and restrictions and recommended exercise, as well as home safety issues.

Additional responsibilities

Home health nurses also teach caregivers how to assist patients with showering, bathing, a bed bath, and other hygiene requirements. It may be more suitable for Physical Therapists or Occupational Therapists to instruct and caregivers regarding transfers and ambulation but home health nurses should also be knowledgeable about the process and be able to give instruction as well.

When home health care is prescribed

Home health care for patients are usually prescribed by the physician after being discharged from the hospital or may be prescribed instead of hospitalization. Home health care is not typically intended to be long-term. One of its goals is to help the patient and caregivers to become independent in the care necessary for the condition.

Evaluating if a patient is eligible

Home health nurses are also responsible for evaluating if a patient is eligible for home health care services. Medical insurance companies and Medicare have specific criteria and guidelines that patients have to meet to be eligible. Nurses have to document and review the case of the patient according to these guidelines. One of the downsides of being a home health nurse is that it involves a lot of paperwork. In the patient's home, the nurse becomes the eyes and the ears of the physician. Home health referrals can be made by the doctor if he or she suspects that the patient needs further assistance or instruction to improve his or her recovery.

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