If your loved one has decided to grow old in their own home, regardless of illness or physical limitations that come with aging, you can make it easier for them by hiring someone to provide home care.
When searching for a nurse for home care, it is important to consider the type of care you need and the specific conditions that require treatment. There are various types of in-home care providers available, including those who offer nursing care, housekeeping services, and assistance with daily activities such as shopping and doctor visits.
It’s important to research different care services in your area to find a well-trained and skilled care team that you feel comfortable with. One important aspect to consider when hiring a nurse for home care is the privacy policy of the care provider. You want to ensure that your personal information, as well as that of your patients, is well protected.
Before making a decision, it’s a good idea to review the privacy policy of the care provider and contact them with any questions. Additionally, it’s a good idea to visit the facility and meet with the care team to assess their level of training and expertise, and to ask for references from previous patients.
With these tips, you can make an informed decision and feel confident in your choice of a care provider, allowing you to manage your long-term care needs and live life to the fullest.
Please keep in mind that if your loved one has a medical need, then you should hire a private nurse instead of an in-home caregiver. Keep reading to learn about the differences between both, when you should hire a nurse for home care, and how to hire the ideal private nurse for your loved one.
As you consider hiring a nurse for your loved one, it’s best to know what the differences are between a nurse and a caregiver.
While nurses are sometimes referred to as caregivers, there is a major difference between the two. Keep in mind that there can be overlapping similarities too.
In-home caregivers provide non-medical assistance to older adults in their homes, or any place they call home (e.g an assisted home). Companion caregivers, home health aides, and Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) fall under this category.
They provided the needed support for seniors to age safely and happily at home. These include companionship, and helping with activities of daily living such as bathing, toileting, grooming, eating, and transferring. They also assist with household chores like meal preparation, laundry, washing the dishes, cleaning, and maintaining the home.
Home health aides and CNAs can assist with non-medical tasks such as medication reminders, wound dressing, and monitoring vital signs.
Private nurses are licensed and registered nurses, who hold a nursing degree or diploma in nursing. They have passed the state board exams and met all other requirements mandated by the nursing board of the state.
They provide medical care and work closely with doctors to ensure the medical needs of the patient are met. They can administer medication, operate medical equipment, monitor health status, give medical advice to the patient and family members, and help with post-surgical care.
The first step to answering this question is identifying the type of care your loved one needs.
Is it medical or non-medical care?
Take for instance your loved one who wants to age at home, but they are lonely and struggle with providing their own personal care. In this case, a caregiver is the best choice.
However, if your loved one is battling a chronic illness, they are about to be discharged from the hospital after a life-threatening surgery, or they have other related medical needs that require constant attention, then a private nurse is the best choice.
However, in some cases, when you’re hiring a private nurse for home care, you can also hire a caregiver that takes care of basic tasks such as personal care, maintaining the home, and providing companionship.
In other cases, you could have a 24-hour nurse, who will take on the responsibilities of a caregiver alongside her responsibilities.
If your loved one requires some form of medical care; whether it’s wellness checkups or constant medical care, and still wishes to age at home, then a private nurse is necessary to provide such medical care.
With a private nurse, you get quality medical care as you would in a hospital setting or clinic. Since nurses work closely with doctors, they are better suited to understand the instructions of your loved one’s physician.
Additionally, they can monitor your loved one’s health status for worsening symptoms, and quickly relay it back to the physician. These can be symptoms that you or a caregiver wouldn’t otherwise catch.
Handling complex medical equipment is also a big plus. Say your loved one has medical equipment installed in their home, a private nurse can read and handle that equipment in a professional manner.
Here are more ways a private nurse can provide assistance to your loved one:
If you’re looking for a private nurse for hire, there are 2 major ways you can go about it.
A Nursing agency or a nurse concierge company is a good choice when it comes to hiring a private nurse. The agency does all the work for you including screening and vetting the nurse even before you come to hire them. They also handle the payment, and provider supervision and resources to empower the nurses to provide the best care.
Below are some pros and cons of hiring from an agency.
Pros include:
Cons include:
To hire a private nurse from the ideal nursing agency or concierge service, the following steps are vital.
Step 1: Conduct a search and compile a list of agencies to consult
To compile your list of agencies to consider, you can search online, and receive recommendations or referrals from friends, families, or a local senior center.
For online search, you can type in keywords like “nurses for hire near me” “private nurse for hire near me,” or “nursing agencies near me.”
As you search, check for reviews and ratings on Google and Yelp. Only add to your list agencies that have more positive reviews and a high rating (at least a 4-star).
Step 2: Set up a consultation with the agency
This can be over the phone or in person. You can ask most of the questions listed above, and any other questions you might have.
Step 3: Insist that you meet the nurse ahead of time
This is important so you can decide if they going to be compatible with your loved one. Some agencies may have a kind of test, where the nurse comes to your loved one’s home and help around or spend time with them for an hour or so. This can also help gauge compatibility.
You can also ask your loved one if they are satisfied with the nurse, or if they see her as a good fit.
Step 4: Make your decision
Your decision should be based on the amount of info you have. Go with the agency that answers most or all of the questions posed above (including others you may have), and the one where the nurse is most compatible with your loved one.
Staffing services, local registries, and connections may help you find a private nurse for independent hire. Hiring independently has its own pros and cons. Let’s take a look at some below.
Pros include:
Cons include:
In addition to your questions, also make requests for the following.
The steps for finding the best independent private nurse will be similar to those for an agency we have already looked at. Make your decision based on solid information — if they check most of your boxes based on the above questions and compatibility with your loved one.
I’ll quickly add that you should conduct the interview in the home of your loved one, so you can at least gauge if they will be compatible with your loved one.
Whether you’re hiring from an agency or independently, you need to ensure you have the following in place.
What are the doctor’s orders for your loved one’s care? A private nurse must act according to the medical orders already prescribed. This should be in written form to allow for easy comprehension.
If you hire the nurse at the time of discharge from the hospital, the nurse can accompany you to receive the orders directly. If not, you can make a request from your loved one’s physician if it isn’t available.
This includes medications and medical equipment to help your loved one continue to recover and age at home. Are all needed supplies available? If not, it’s best to start getting them before the nurse resumes her duties.
In some cases, your private nurse may not be responsible for providing non-medical care. In other cases, your loved one will recover, and may no longer require constant medical care.
In such cases, a non-medical in-home caregiver will be needed to provide care with activities of daily living, home maintenance, and companionship.
Amy’s Eden provides professional in-home caregivers so families can give their loved ones all the support they need to continue to age safely and happily.
Since we offer a-la-carte services, you only have to pay for the services and hours you need. Whether that’s full-time, part-time, or a few hours only, we have got you covered.
Simply give us a call today, or submit an inquiry form to speak with one of our home care experts.
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