Home healthcare nurses and therapists spend a lot of their time working independently and must be capable of making treatment decisions and performing their duties without a lot of supervision.Providing care for patients in their own homes enables permanently disabled and suffering and/or ill patients to remain at home for treatment instead of dealing with lengthy, expensive hospital stays. The home health RN is an important part of this service whether they are performing medical duties or comforting and educating a family member. Supervisory skills may be necessary if the RN is overseeing others working with her to provide care in the home environment.

Needless to say nursing and travel nursing, as well as allied services, are in demand all across the country and will continue to be in high demand in the foreseeable future. Travel assignments are available in most major cities across our beautiful country for Travel RNs and Allied Healthcare Professionals.

RNs who work as Home Health Registered Nurses will perform basic medical duties. These may include monitoring health statistics, giving medications at appropriate dosages and times as well as providing treatment and palliative care. Communication skills are vital to the Home Health RN as it will be necessary to explain treatments and medications to the patient and their family members as well as working with other caregivers and physicians.

The Home Health professional may treat a large variety of patients, from newborns and young mothers recovering from childbirth to an elderly patient who is coping with chronic pain and/or illness. The patient may be the victim of a serious accident, or suffering from a debilitating long term disease such as cancer.The Home Health RN must be able to deal with each individual situation with compassion and adapt accordingly.

Some of the responsibilities and duties of the Home Health RN may include:

Initiate the care plan and update and revise the plan as necessary.

Provide services and/or treatments requiring specialized and substantial nursing skills.

Prepare accurate clinical and progress notes.

Provide counseling for the patient and family in order to meet nursing and related needs.

Function as an on call nurse.

Evaluate and document the outcomes of care provided to patient.

Refer to other professionals as necessary.

Protect the patient's privacy and confidentiality.

Supervise other medical personnel and professionals also providing services to the patient.

Mary Crawford, HealthCare Employment Network