| Home Health Care Nursing Information and | | | | medications used by patients in the clinical |
| OverviewHome health care is allowing the patient and | | | | setting.Many advanced practicing nurses are familiar |
| their family to maintain dignity and independence. | | | | with medication regiments. They have completed |
| According to the National Association for Home Care, | | | | graduate level programs. Home health care agencies |
| there are more than 7 million individuals in the United | | | | believe that a nurse should have at least one year of |
| States in need of home health care nurse services | | | | clinical experience before entering home health care. |
| because of acute illness, long term health problems, | | | | Advanced practicing nurses can expedite that training |
| permanent disability or terminal illness.Home Health | | | | by helping new nurses understand the home health |
| Care BasicsNurses practice in a number of venues: | | | | care market and teaching.Employment and |
| Hospital settings, nursing homes, assisted living | | | | SalaryAccording to the United States Department of |
| centers, and home health care. Home health care | | | | Labor, there were 2.4 million nurses in America, the |
| nursing is a growing phenomenon as more patients | | | | largest healthcare occupation, yet many academic |
| and their families desire to receive care in their | | | | and hospital organizations believe there is a gross |
| homes. The history of home health care stems from | | | | shortage in nursing staff. The shortage of nurses |
| Public Health Nursing where public health nurses made | | | | was 6% in 2000 and is expected to be 10% in 2010. |
| home visits to promote health education and provide | | | | The average salary for hospital nursing is $53,450 |
| treatment as part of community outreach programs. | | | | with 3 out of 5 nursing jobs are in the hospital. For |
| Today academic programs train nurses in home care | | | | home health care, the salary is $49,000. For nursing |
| and agencies place home health care nurses with | | | | care facilities, they were the lowest at |
| ailing individuals and their families depending on the | | | | $48,200.Training and continuing educationMost home |
| nurse's experience and qualifications. In many cases | | | | health care nurses gain their education through |
| there is a shared relationship between the agency | | | | accredited nursing schools throughout the country |
| and the academic institution.Many changes have | | | | with an associate degree in nursing (ADN), a Bachelor |
| taken place in the area of home health care. These | | | | of Science degree in nursing (BSN), or a master's |
| include Medicare and Medicaid, and Long Term Care | | | | degree in nursing (MSN). According to the United |
| insurance reimbursement and documentation. It is | | | | States Department of Labor, in 2004 there were |
| important for the nurse and nursing agency to be | | | | 674 BSN nursing programs, 846 ADN programs. Also, |
| aware of the many factors involved for these rules | | | | in 2004, there were 417 master's degree programs, |
| and regulations resulting from these organizations. | | | | 93 doctoral programs, and 46 joint BSN-doctoral |
| Population and demographic changes are taking place | | | | programs. The associate degree program takes 2 to |
| as well. Baby boomers approaching retirement and will | | | | 3 years to complete, while bachelors degrees take 4 |
| present new challenges for the home health care | | | | years to complete. Nurses can also earn specialized |
| industry. Technology and medical care in hospitals has | | | | professional certificates online in Geriatric Care or Life |
| lead to shorter inpatient stay and more at-home | | | | Care Planning.In addition, for those nurses who |
| rehabilitation. Increases in medical outpatient | | | | choose to pursue advancement into administrative |
| procedures are also taking place with follow-up home | | | | positions or research, consulting, and teaching, a |
| care. This has resulted in the decrease of mortality | | | | bachelor's degree is often essential. A bachelor's |
| rate from these technologies and medical care has | | | | degree is also important for becoming a clinical nurse |
| lead to increases in morbidity and chronic illness that | | | | specialist, nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and |
| makes the need for home health care nursing a | | | | nurse practitioners (U.S. Department of Labor, |
| greater priority.Home Health Care Nurse Job | | | | 2004).All home health care nurses have supervised |
| DescriptionThrough an array of skills and experience, | | | | clinical experience during their training, but as stated |
| home health care nurses specialize in a wide range of | | | | earlier advanced practicing nurses hold master's |
| treatments; emotional support, education of patients | | | | degrees and unlike bachelor and associate degrees, |
| who are recovering from illnesses and injury for | | | | they have a minimum of two years of post clinical |
| young children and adults, to women who have | | | | experience. Course work includes anatomy, |
| experienced recent childbirth, to the elderly who need | | | | physiology, chemistry, microbiology, nutrition, |
| palliative care for chronic illness.A practicing nurse | | | | psychology, and behavioral sciences and liberal arts. |
| must have the skills to provide care in a unique | | | | Many of these programs have training in nursing |
| setting such as someone's home. The nurse is | | | | homes, public health departments, home health |
| working with the patient and the family and must | | | | agencies, and ambulatory clinics. (U.S. Dep. of Labor, |
| understand the communication skills for such | | | | 2004).Whether a nurse is training in a hospital, nursing |
| dynamics. Rapport is evident in all nursing positions, | | | | facility, or home care, continuing education is |
| but working in a patient's own living space needs a | | | | necessary. Health care is changing rapidly and staying |
| different level of skill and understanding. There is | | | | abreast with the latest developments enhances |
| autonomous decision making as the nurse is no longer | | | | patient care and health procedures. Universities, |
| working as a team with other nurses in a structured | | | | continuing education programs, and internet sites, all |
| environment, but is now as a member of the "family" | | | | offer continuing education. One such organization that |
| team. The host family has cultural values that are | | | | provides continuing education is the American Nurses |
| important and are different for every patient and | | | | Association (ANA) or through the American Nurses |
| must be treated with extreme sensitivity. Other skills | | | | Credentialing Center (ANCC).ConclusionThere are |
| include critical thinking, coordination, assessment, | | | | many rewards to becoming a home health care |
| communication, and documentation.Home health care | | | | nurse. Some rewards include the relationship with a |
| nurses also specialize in the care of children with | | | | patient and their family, autonomy, independence, |
| disabilities that requires additional skills such as | | | | and engaging in critical thinking. The 21st Century |
| patience and understanding of the needs of the | | | | brings with it many opportunities and challenges. We |
| family. Children are living with disabilities today that | | | | must meet these challenges head on - there is an |
| would have resulted in mortality just twenty years | | | | aging baby boomer population, a growing morbidity |
| ago. Genetic disorders, congenital physical | | | | factor due to increased medical technology and |
| impairments, and injury are just a few. Many families | | | | patient care, and the growing shortage in nursing |
| are familiar with managing the needs of the child, but | | | | care.Becoming a home health care nurse today is |
| still need expert care that only a home health care | | | | exciting and an opportunity to make a difference one |
| nurse can provide. It is important that a home health | | | | life at a time. With clinical experience and proper |
| care nurse is aware of the expertise of the family | | | | education, a home health care nurse will lead the |
| about the child's condition for proper care of the child. | | | | future of medical care.By Michael V. Gruber, MPH is a |
| There are many complexities involved, but most | | | | contributing author to My Nursing Degree Online, |
| important, a positive attitude and positive | | | | providing articles and resources for nurses looking for |
| reinforcement is of utmost importance for the | | | | continuing education online. With a Masters of Public |
| development of the child.Medication coordination | | | | Health and two years of medical school, Michael |
| between the home health care nurse, doctor, and | | | | provides a unique perspective on the current nursing |
| pharmacist, ensures proper management of the | | | | shortage crisis on the Nursing Career Blog as well as |
| exact science behind giving the patient the correct | | | | comprehensive articles about nurse education and |
| dose, time of administration, and combinations. Home | | | | advancement.Find more information about becoming |
| health care nurses should be familiar with | | | | a Home Health Care Nurse including certification and |
| pharmacology and taught in training about different | | | | job openings at My Nursing Degree Online. |