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Is Being An In-Home Nurse Right for You?Copyright © 2007-2008 Craig ElliottThese days, the options for nursing are numerous. Due to the fact that people are living longer lives, there is more need for nurses in a variety of situations. Many people do not want to live out their days in a nursing home, or, they have a spouse that is still able to live on their own, so a separate living arrangement is not desirable. These patients may want to stay in their home, which would increase the demand for home nurses. However, the question remains, is being an in-home nurse right for you? Here are some tips you may find useful. Be Friendly It's true all nurses need to be personable and helpful. However, when you work one on one with someone for some time, the nurses' patience and friendliness are tested. If you find that you are not someone that can maintain a pleasant demeanor day after day, you may want to reconsider in-home nursing. To the contrary, if you are someone who enjoys creating long term relationships with others in your care, this might be a good fit. As an in-home nurse, you will get to know the patient and their needs. Many nurses find these positions more rewarding than having multiple patients to take care of in a hospital setting. Self Sufficiency is Necessary When you're working with a patient, living in their home or visiting on a regular basis, the ability to make decisions that are relevant to their care is extremely important. Constantly relying on a nursing supervisor or other nurses will not suffice. In-home nursing is an environment in which the nurse needs to handle various situations on his or her own. That being said, there will be instances when you need help by manner of a phone call, but your nursing skills should be high enough that you can handle most matters on your own – without getting flustered. If you have troubles working on your own, in home nursing may not be a good fit. For some, however, the ability to make decisions based on their personal assessments is the challenging and exciting career they have been pursuing. Reliable Transportation To and From Your Patient If you have trouble getting from one place to another, in-home nursing may not be a good fit. Whether you have transportation that is not reliable or you simply live a great distance from your patients, this could hinder patient care. When first considering an in-home nursing position, drive out to the home a few times to see how difficult the drive is and whether you could do it everyday. In addition, you will need to be able to break from your personal schedule when a patient needs you immediately. For example, if a woman with a PIC line is having trouble getting her medication, you need to get there quickly to correct the situation if a phone call does not work. In-home nursing can be extremely rewarding for the nurse that likes to create a strong relationship with a patient and who likes the freedom of making decisions on their own. However, in-home nursing is not the best job for everyone. Consider your skills and your demeanor before taking on a position such as this. About The Author:
*** Digital Reprint Rights *** *** Author Notification *** We ask that you notify the author of publication of his or her work. Craig Elliott can be reached at: craig.elliott@thephantomwriters.com *** Print Publication Reprint Rights *** If you desire to publish this article in a PRINT publication, you must contact the author directly for Print Permission at: craig.elliott@thephantomwriters.com
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