The home nursing service is a service that is available for the care of a family member who is ill or needs special care. Sometimes, lack of time prevents us from taking care of our family member as we would like to. That is why it is convenient to know the work that home nurses do, how to request their services and the qualities they should have.
The functions of home nurses
If you have a family member at home who suffers from a chronic or temporary illness or who has a limitation that prevents him/her from having autonomy, your best option is to hire the services of home nurses. These professionals are dedicated to the health care of patients at home that complements the visits and treatments performed by a doctor. The functions of home nurses are several and are not limited only to treating the patient, but also help the whole family. In fact, when home nursing services are hired, the first thing that is done is a personalized analysis of the patient to assess their health and know the work to be done. Let’s take a look at some of the most common functions:
Showing family members the care that the patient should receive.
Carrying out treatment after a recent operation: after an operation there may be wounds with stitches that need to be disinfected. Regular care by a home nursing service will prevent the wounds from becoming infected and may cause major problems. The professional will have everything necessary such as gauze, dressings or saline solution to carry out such work.
Ulcer care: ulcers must be cared for in order for the patient to recover quickly. This work is very delicate and it is convenient to request home nurses to do it.
Assisting the patient in his daily hygiene.
Administer the necessary medications and vaccinations.
Check diabetes and blood glucose levels and provide the necessary treatment.
Help the patient to perform the therapeutic exercises recommended by their doctor.
Prepare food or serve food that has already been prepared.
Monitor the patient’s evolution and be alert to any deterioration of health to notify the family and the physician.
Assist the patient in all daily tasks in order to achieve greater autonomy.
Taking vital signs to monitor the patient’s health.
Why choose a home care nurse
Hiring home nursing services has many advantages, especially for the patient. Some people have trouble getting around and others prefer to be cared for at home. Having nurses at home will improve their quality of life. Above all, because they will not have to go to a hospital or medical center for treatment, injections, therapeutic exercises or diabetes or blood glucose checks.
Although today the service of home caregivers is not very widespread, more and more people are choosing these professionals to provide assistance at home. Some of the advantages and facilities offered by this service are:
Peace of mind by having a nurse at home: many families do not have time to care for a sick relative and think that the only option is a nursing home. However, when they know the services of a home nurse, they are much calmer because they know who and how is the person who will take care of their family member.
Confidence: nurses are health professionals qualified to perform many functions.
Personalized treatment: before starting the work of nurses at home, the first thing that will be done is a personalized analysis in order to know the home nursing care that the patient needs.
Comfort at home: neither you nor your family member will have to go to a hospital or health center, but your home will be your own center. You will not have to wait in crowded rooms because the professional will come to your home.
Avoid risks due to inadequate travel: as we have indicated, by converting your living room into a health center, you will not have to worry about traveling and, therefore, the patient will not have to worry about the effort involved in going to a health center.
Aspects to take into account when hiring caregivers for the sick
Making the decision to select a home nurse is not easy. It is common to show mistrust towards this service since it is a job that is not very widespread nowadays. However, there are many ways to know better how to get it right when hiring home care work:
Let the family member decide: do not hire home nurses without the opinion of your sick family member. Inform them well in advance to know what they think about it and before making the final decision let the nurse adapt with a few days of trial.
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