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Home Care Nurse

By | May 6, 2010 | 0 Comments | Rating: 0

Before becoming a home care nurse, there are certain aspects of the job which you should be aware of. This article will share with you some vital and necessary information you need to educate yourself about the job, to moderate your expectation levels. The information is as follows:

Job training and qualifications

There are generally three typical paths to becoming a registered home healthcare nurse; a bachelor's degree, an associate degree, and a diploma from an approved nursing program. Advanced practice nurses-clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, nurse-midwives, and nurse practitioners-need a master's degree. Generally, licensed graduates of any of the three types of educational programs qualify for entry-level positions as a staff nurse. Individuals considering a home care nurse career should carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages of enrolling each type of education program.

Work environment

Most registered nurses work in well-lit, comfortable healthcare facilities. Home health and public health nurses usually travel to patients' homes and community centers. Registered home care nurses may spend considerable time walking, bending, and standing. Patients in hospitals and nursing care facilities require 24-hour care, thus a home care nurse in these institutions may work on nights, weekends, and holidays. Home care nurses may be in close contact with individuals who have infectious diseases and potentially hazardous compounds and medications. A home care nurse must observe rigid, standardized guidelines to guard against the possible transmission of such diseases or harmful chemicals.

Best and worst parts of the job

Best: If you love handling kids, it can be extremely rewarding to get to know children and their families on an intimate level. In previous hospital settings, nurses did not have time due to the juggling of multiple patients and they even had separate jobs. Also, being a home care nurse means you can have extremely flexible working hours!

Worst: It can be lonely if you work nights while the child is sleeping. There are no colleagues whom you can get second opinions from.

Job employment prospects

Being a home care nurse means having lots of job openings and prospects. With an aging population, home healthcare nurses are highly sought after. Based on latest statistical figures released by the authorities, registered nurses held about 2.6 million jobs in 2008. Hospitals employed the majority of registered nurses, with 60 percent of such jobs. The other 40 percent worked mostly in government agencies and social assistance agencies.


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