Home health (HH) nurse is a nurse who assists the patient in their private residence
. Usually the patient taken care by the HH nurse is the patient who has the acute or chronic illness. The patient is attached to their home and need the treatment by the professional.
The nurses may perform many tasks starting from the collection of a laboratory specimen to the dressing's changes. Their main focus might be the patient but the interaction with the family's members is also important.
Here are some tips for the home health nurse to keep a good interaction with the family's member also do a great job:
1. Open your mind. You might not be in the controlled environment like hospital anymore, but you must follow the agency's policies, safety rules, and perform procedures correctly. However, if your patient asks you to open your shoes before entering their house, you should respect them and do what they request. It also happens when you meet a surprising situation, for example you meet a gay patient. You should respect your patients no matter how their conditions are.
2. Have a good sense of humor. The patients surely want to have comfortable situation when you treat them. By having the good sense of humor, the treatment process can be enjoyable.
3. Be prepared and be flexible. You can meet many kind situations in your patient's house so you better be ready for any kind situation.
4. Be alert and be safe. You have to be ready for any condition. You may face the danger condition which makes you need to send your patients to the hospital.
5. Keep your skills. Never stop learning. You need to improve your education because the illness also grows as the time goes by. You need to gain more knowledge related to the modern health and medication.