Home health care: Role of the nurse

Home health care is a type of healthcare service in which patients receive skilled care in their home for a designated period of time. Services may include nursing care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and counseling. As the home health care nurse, you’ll provide in-home, patient-centered care.

Now, home health care is typically provided in a patient’s home, as well as in facilities like assisted living and long-term care centers when the needed care is beyond what the center routinely provides. Home health care allows patients to remain in a familiar environment while recovering from inpatient care for a serious illness, surgery, or trauma.

These patients may require an infusion of prescribed intravenous fluids or medications, or require wound care, like pressure injuries or burns. Other patients who may benefit from home health care include those with disabilities, cognitive impairments, and patients with chronic conditions, like heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD; as well as elderly patients who need assistance with medication management or activities of daily living. Lastly, patients who are receiving hospice care can be cared for at home to optimize comfort and quality of life during the end-of-life process.

Home health care can shorten hospital stays, prevent hospital admissions and readmissions, and provide cost-effective services that are associated with improved patient outcomes. Providing care at home also allows inpatient hospital beds to remain available for higher acuity patients.

When caring for your patient at home, your goals are to provide the needed care, optimize functional status, and maintain a safe environment.

Prepare for your visit by verifying the healthcare provider’s orders to determine the type of care you’ll provide, and gathering the supplies you’ll need, such as IV tubing or a sterile dressing kit. When you arrive at their home, introduce yourself, describe your role, and let your patient know how often they can expect you to visit.