How to Become a Home Health Care Nurses
Home health care is to enable patients and their families to maintain dignity and independence. According to the National Association for Home Care, there are more than 7 million people in the United States who need health care services in nursing homes because of acute illness, long-term health problems, permanent disability or terminal illness.
Primary Health Care Home
Nurses practice in a number of places: Hospital settings, nursing homes, assisted living centers, and home health care. Home health nursing care is a growing phenomenon as more patients and their families desire to receive care in their homes. The history of home health care comes from the Public Health Nursing where public health nurses make home visits to promote health education and provide treatment as part of community outreach programs. Today academic programs train nurses in home care and agencies place home health care nurses with ailing individuals and their families depend on experience and qualifications of nurses. In many cases there is a relationship shared between agencies and academic institutions.
Many changes have occurred in the field of home health care. This includes Medicare and Medicaid, and Long Term Care insurance reimbursement and documentation. It is important for nurses and nursing organizations to realize the many factors involved to the rules and regulations resulting from these organizations. Population and demographic changes are taking place as well. Baby boomers approaching retirement and will present new challenges for home health care industry. Technology and medical care in hospitals has led to shorter inpatient stay and more in home rehabilitation. Increasing medical outpatient procedure is also the case with follow-up care at home. This has resulted in decreased mortality rates from this technology and medical care have resulted in increased morbidity and chronic disease that makes the need for home health care nursing a greater priority.
Home Health Care Nurse Job Description
Through an array of skills and experience, home health care nurse specialists in a wide range of care, emotional support, education of patients who recover from illness and injury for young children and adults, for women who have experienced recent childbirth, for parents who need Palliative care for chronic diseases.
A practicing nurse must have the skills to deliver care in a unique setting such as someone’s home. Nurses working with patients and families and must understand the dynamics of communication skills for them. This relationship is evident in all nursing positions, but it works in your own living room patients requiring different levels of skill and understanding. There is autonomous decision-making as a nurse no longer works as a team with other nurses in a structured environment, but now as a member of the team “family”. Host family has cultural values that are important and different for each patient and should be treated with extreme sensitivity. Other skills include critical thinking, coordination, assessment, communication, and documentation.
Home health care nurses also specialize in the care of children with disabilities who require additional skills such as patience and understanding of the needs of families. Children living with disabilities today that would result in the death of only twenty years ago. Genetic abnormalities, congenital physical disorders, and injuries are just a few. Many families are familiar with managing the needs of children, but still need expert care that only a home health nurse can provide. It is important that home health nurses recognize the expertise of the family about the child’s condition for the proper care of children. There are many complexities involved, but the most important reinforcement, positive and positive attitude is very important for child development.
Medication coordination between home health care nurse, physician, and pharmacist, ensures proper management of an exact science behind giving the patient the correct dosage, time of administration, and combinations. Home health care nurses should be familiar with pharmacology and taught in training about different medications used by patients in clinical settings.
Many advanced practice nurses who are familiar with the drug regimen. They have completed a graduate degree program. Home health care institution believed that nurses should have at least one year of clinical experience before entering the home health care. Advanced practice nurses can expedite that training by helping new nurses understand the home health care market and teaching.
Employment and Salary
According to the United States Department of Labor, there are 2.4 million nurses in America, the largest healthcare occupation, but academic organizations and hospitals many believe there is gross shortage in nursing staff. Shortage of nurses was 6% in 2000 and is expected to be 10% by 2010. The average salary for hospital care is $ 53,450 with 3 of 5 nursing jobs in hospitals. For home health care, salary is $ 49,000. For treatment facilities, they are the lowest in the $ 48,200.
Training and continuing education
Home health nurses who care the most get their education through accredited nursing schools across the country with associate degree in nursing (AND), Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), or master’s degree in nursing (MSN). According to the United States Department of Labor, in 2004 there are 674 BSN nursing programs, 846 AND programs. Also, in 2004, there were 417 master’s degree programs, 93 doctoral programs, and 46 joint BSN-doctoral programs. Associate degree program takes 2 to 3 years to complete, while bachelors degrees take 4 years to complete. Nurses can also earn specialized professional certificates online in Geriatric Care or Life Care Planning.
In addition, for those nurses who choose to pursue advancement into administrative positions or research, consulting, and teaching, a bachelor’s degree is often essential. A bachelor’s degree is also important to become a clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners (U.S. Department of Labor, 2004).
All home health care nurses have supervised clinical experience during their training, but as stated earlier advanced practicing nurses hold master’s degrees and unlike bachelor and associate degrees, they have at least two years of clinical experience post. The work program includes anatomy, physiology, chemistry, microbiology, nutrition, psychology, and behavioral sciences and liberal arts. Many of these programs have training in nursing homes, public health departments, home health agencies, and outpatient clinics. (U. S. Dep. Labor, 2004).
Whether nurses are trained in hospice care, nursing facility, or home, continuing education is required. Health is changing rapidly and stay abreast of the latest developments in improving patient care and health procedures. Universities, continuing education programs, and Internet sites, all offering continuing education. One such organization that provides continuing education is the American Nurses Association (ANA) or through the American Nurses credentialing Center (ANCC).
Conclusion
There are many rewards to be a home health nurse. Several awards including the relationship with patients and their families, autonomy, independence, and engaging in critical thinking. The 21st century brings with it many opportunities and challenges. We must meet these challenges head on – there is the aging baby boomer population, growing morbidity factor due to improved medical technology and patient care, and a growing shortage in nursing care.
Becoming a home health care nurse today is exciting and an opportunity to make a difference one life at a time. With clinical experience and appropriate education, home health nurses will lead the future of medical care.
