Home Care Offers Opportunity And Satisfaction

The 85-year-old man had just returned home after his latest hospitalization for congestive heart failure. In addition to his heart condition, he also suffered from diabetes and lung problems. He lived alone, and his children, though devoted, were working and caring for their own families.

He wanted to remain in his own home, but how would he manage?

In this scenario, help from a home health aide, a visiting nurse, a physical therapist, a social worker and other health professionals can make a big difference in the patient's overall health and ability to live independently.

But home healthcare isn't just for older patients. "Clients can include individuals recovering from surgery, technology-dependent children or younger people with disabilities or chronic diseases," says Kathy Lucas, president of Fairview Home Care and Hospice.

A Foot In The Door

Many healthcare professionals begin their careers by working in home care as personal care attendants (PCAs) or home health aides. PCAs help people who can direct their own care. They assist with toileting, showering, dressing and other activities of daily living. Home health aides provide health-related services, such as administering oral medications, checking pulse or helping with simple prescribed exercises.

These jobs provide valuable experience and a real sense of what it's like to work in healthcare. And many home care agencies offer tuition reimbursement to employees who return to school.

"We always have some home health aides who are in nursing school," Lucas says. "The job is flexible so it's perfect for students. And because they're working in a health care setting, they can discuss what they're learning with experienced professionals or arrange to shadow providers in various specialties."

Opportunities For Nurses

Although home care offers opportunities for a wide range of health professionals, nurses play an especially important role. Home care comprises the whole spectrum of nursing specialties, including:

• Admission nurses who conduct detailed patient assessments mandated by Medicare.

• Case managers who coordinate care and services for the patient.

• Visiting nurses who see the patient as often as needed.

• Telehealth nurses who observe the vital signs of patients monitored at home. At the first sign of change, they call the patient or case manager. They may also set up the monitor in the patient's home.

• Nurses in the office who serve as a resource for clinicians working in the field. They answer questions and translate clinical findings into insurance language.

• Private duty nurses who care for hospice patients and others with complex needs.

Also in demand are palliative care, psychiatric and wound care nurses.

A Wide-Open Area

Home care is especially satisfying because providers may work with patients for weeks or months at a time. "You really have a chance to make a difference for the patient," says Lucas. She also notes that work schedules are family-friendly because they include fewer weekend or night shifts.

"This is one of the most wide-open areas in health care," Lucas says. "Home health aides, nurses and physical and speech therapists are in exceptionally high demand, but professionals in all disciplines can find a challenging and rewarding career in home health care."