Home health care: Role of the nurse

Home healthcare 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 healthcare nurse, you'll provide in-home patient-centered care.

Now, home healthcare 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 healthcare 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 healthcare 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 healthcare 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.

Next, take your patient's vital signs and perform an assessment, which can either be a comprehensive assessment during the first visit, or a more focused assessment to address specific issues.

As you perform the prescribed care, be sure to explain your care and answer questions from your patient and their caregivers.

Also, take note of any new or worsening conditions, such as a surgical wound showing signs of infection, or a patient whose oxygen saturation is below their acceptable range, and notify the healthcare provider of your assessment findings.

You may also identify additional items or services needed by your patient to optimize their functional status. For example, some patients could benefit from home medical equipment, such as a walker to aid with mobility, a bedside commode to promote independence, or a hospital bed with a special mattress to provide additional comfort.

Other patients may need physical or occupational therapy to improve mobility and independence, or home health aides to help with hygiene or household tasks.

As needed, collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to arrange for additional care and involve your patient and their caregivers in the plan of care to keep them engaged in their treatment plan.

Lastly, maintain a safe environment by identifying potential risks and implementing solutions to reduce them. For patients at risk of falls, remove loose rugs, encourage use of grab bars in the bathroom, and ensure that there's good lighting in the home.

Other safety measures include safe medication storage, such as keeping medications out of reach from children and pets, and storing medications at their required temperature.

Also, make sure your patient and their caregivers know what signs and symptoms could indicate complications, how to contact their healthcare provider, and when to seek emergency care.

Alright, as a quick recap, home healthcare allows skilled healthcare services to be provided to patients in their home, including nursing care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and assistance with activities of daily living.

Patients may need homecare while recovering from an acute illness, to receive specialized care, to manage a chronic illness, or to receive hospice care.

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