Pro’s and Con’s of Home Health Nursing

There are so many things I wish I knew (both good and bad!) when I started working in home health nursing.  Some aspects of home care nursing are obvious but others did not occur to me until living the reality.  To me, the pro’s definitely outweigh the con’s…but I hope these tips can provide some insight for anyone considering this specialty!

Pros of Home Health Nursing

Autonomy

As a visiting nurse, you have to rely heavily on your assessment, clinical, and problem solving skills in what are often less than ideal situations. It really forces you to be prepared, knowledgeable, and sometimes to think quite a bit out of the box!  That being said, it can be extremely rewarding to help a patient work through problems and to really act as their advocate.

Spending time with patients

This is especially important when a patient is dealing with a change like a new wound or recent hospitalization. One of the biggest challenges in the hospital or even office environment is not feeling there’s enough time to really provide the necessary amount of education or support to manage chronic issues or prevent problems.

I actually really enjoy going over aspects like medications, disease processes, and rationales for certain instructions.  I know my patients definitely notice and appreciate this time!  Sometimes it’s as simple as giving them the opportunity and patience for a few minutes to answer their questions.

It’s amazing to watch someone become so much more motivated and willing to participate actively in their treatment because they finally actually understand it!

Flexible schedule

You can start as early as patients will have you, or later in the day if you have other commitments. Depending on the agency and your patient acuity, there usually is no set rule that you have to work certain hours or even days.

For example, if you have a patient twice a week, you can pick Mon/Thurs or even Wed/Sun if you prefer splitting up and having a weekend day instead of two week days.

Although it doesn’t apply to me just yet, but I can definitely see this as a big perk for those nurses juggling hectic kid’s schedules!

Most weekends/holidays off

The agency I currently work for uses a system of rotating weekends on call for emergencies, I have about one weekend per month and two holidays per year I am required to be reasonably available. Compared to any other area I’ve worked in as a nurse, this is a huge benefit!

Con’s of Home Health Nursing

Autonomy

This one gets a place in both lists! Although it is typically great to only rely on yourself, there are times when it is beneficial to have other smart people around for a second opinion!

Luckily, the other nurses at the agency I work for are all pretty great about lending advice and willing to share ideas so none of us feel totally alone.  I will always be a big advocate of keeping a solid network of nurse friends around you to bounce questions off, as well as vent/brag a bit too!

Schedule depends on facility/patient/caregiver availability

Depending on the patient, the home health nursing schedule ends up not always being quite as flexible as it sounds. Most patients are very understanding, but some are not willing to have visits before a certain hour in the mornings.

If a patient is being seen in a facility, you also have meal times and activities to work around.  This typically isn’t a huge issue, but if your patient load becomes heavy, it can be a bit tricky at times to actually fit everyone in (and keep everyone happy).

Paperwork

For me, the paperwork is ultimately is the biggest downside. If you have ever completed an OASIS or other Medicare documentation, you know the absolute time-suck that they can be! The regular daily visits are less arduous, but completing an admission, recertification, or discharge note could easily take hours for just one patient.

What questions do you still have about home health nursing?  Comment below and let me know what else you’d like to see!