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Career Development Denise Alexander
By 2030, senior citizens will outnumber children for the first time in U.S. history and, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 1 in 5 U.S. citizens will be age 65 and older. This is mainly because of the aging baby boomer population and advancements in medicine that have increased life expectancy.
As a result of the growing number of seniors and an overall nursing shortage, there is a booming demand for home health nurses. According to Nurse Journal (via the Bureau of Labor Statistics), there is an anticipated 7% growth for home health nurses who are registered nurses.
If you’re on a nursing path but aren’t quite sure where you’d like to work, home health care nursing could be for you! Here is a look at the responsibilities of a home health nurse, how to become one and skills you’ll need to be successful:
A home health nurse is a certified nurse who provides one-on-one care to patients. However, you would work out of a patient’s home instead of a medical facility. A typical day could begin by receiving your assignments in a facility and driving to patients’ homes to administer care.
Although the work environment may vary, the day-to-day tasks of a home health nurse are not dramatically different from a nurse working in a medical facility. You can expect to perform many of the same responsibilities, such as administering medication, measuring vital signs and monitoring changes to patients.
Becoming a home health nurse requires both education and licensure. Here are four steps to guide you on your path to becoming a home health care nurse:
Depending on the needs of the patient, home health nurses might need to collaborate with their clinicians. This ensures everyone is working as a team to best care for the patient. Collaboration can also prevent errors that could negatively affect the patient’s health.
Aside from clinical nursing skills you learn from both work experience and education, there are a few other skills that outstanding home health nurses have:
As a home health nurse, you have the important task of providing exceptional care to patients. However, there are a few challenges you should be prepared for, such as:
Despite challenges, working as a home healthcare nurse is a rewarding position in which you can make a huge difference in someone’s life, helping them live independently while receiving excellent health care.
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics 2023 / Occupational Outlook Handbook 2022. BLS estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geography market in which you want to work and degree field, will affect career outcomes and earnings. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the average salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, salary increase or other career growth.
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