People's desires for healthcare options are shifting. The trend has
been away from hospitals and towards outpatient clinics and home
healthcare. Aging baby boomers and their families are now frequently
opting for home healthcare so ailing loved ones can be treated in the
comforting, familiar environment of their home. This field of nursing is
expected to provide increasing job opportunities in the future, but it
takes special training to become an effective home healthcare nurse. A
unique sort of nursing, this field will allow nurses to utilize
communication skills and to make more autonomous decisions, being
independent from a medical team.
Some of the skills needed by home healthcare nurses are critical
thinking, coordination, assessment, communication, and documentation.
Home healthcare nurses provide not only medical care, but also emotional
support and education about the patient's medical needs.
Today, home healthcare nurses must be able to understand the rules and
regulations of organizations they may encounter such as Medicare and
Medicaid, and Long Term Care insurance reimbursement and documentation
in addition to medical care knowledge. The job can be diverse. In
addition to elderly patients, home healthcare nurses can be used to help
treat children with disabilities. Furthermore, in addition to medical
treatment, home nurses should have an interest in pharmacology and be
able to coordinate medications for patients. Advanced practicing nurses
are often familiar with medication regiments and have completed graduate
level training programs.
Many find this kind of work is more appealing than work in a traditional
hospital setting, but approximately 3 of every 5 nursing jobs are in a
hospital. This traditional route has an average annual salary of $53,450
while home healthcare nursing has an average annual salary of $49,000.
Nursing care facilities pay the lowest, with an average annual salary of
$48,200.
To become a home healthcare nurse, you must first be educated through an
accredited nursing school, earning an associate degree in nursing (ADN),
a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing (BSN), or a master's degree in
nursing (MSN). ADN is the most popular nursing program in the United
states. This degree takes 2 to 3 years to complete, while a BSN takes 4
years. Nurses can build their skills with specialized professional
certificates in Geriatric Care or Life Care Planning. Home healthcare
agencies recommend that nurses have at least one year of clinical
experience before entering the field of home healthcare.