Nursing homes play a crucial but frequently underappreciated role in the modern healthcare sector. These facilities are made to offer patients long-term care, often replacing and supplementing the treatment they receive in hospitals and clinics. Although many patients with severe physical and mental disabilities also receive care in nursing homes, patients who are typically elderly do so as well.
Nursing homes will be required to overcome a number of difficulties and risks as the US population ages quickly. Nursing homes must also follow best practices to deal with the constantly evolving healthcare industry, in addition to purchasing insurance to help mitigate some risks.
Patients who are unhappy
A home health care nurse may not be well received by all people. These people frequently perceive home care nursing as an infringement on their privacy or a threat to their independence. Although it may seem uncommon, these patients have been known to attack their nurses with great force, especially when provoked by a painful procedure like a blood draw.
Residents' deaths
Patient deaths are cited by nurses as a major source of stress. Nurses often develop an emotional bond with patients in home care. They spend more time with patients and their families than other healthcare professionals. Many nurses experience grief, with some patients making it harder than others. RNs can deal with patient death using a variety of strategies.
Patients who receive professional nursing care from RNs also receive emotional support. They have to engage in challenging discussions with patients and their families. This affects the emotional well-being of the nurses.
Insufficient Support
All nurses, but new nurses in particular, require easy access to a strong support system they can lean on for advice and assistance. Due to the more solitary nature of their work, some nurses may feel that this is lacking in the environment of home health care.
Insufficient medical technology
After administering medication, nurses working in homes without a sharps container run the risk of getting hurt by a needle. Home health care nurses are advised to always have their own disposal products on hand to help prevent these incidents.
Long Shifts
One of the many ongoing difficulties in nursing has been the long hours. Because nursing is a 24/7, round-the-clock profession, nurses frequently have busy schedules. These lengthy hours may entail working multiple consecutive 12-hour shifts, being on call, or putting in extra time. The schedules of nurses are demanding, and working more than 40 hours per week is not unusual.
This can eventually make nurses feel worn out. Nursing can be hampered by stress and exhaustion (both mental and physical), which increases the risk of expensive medical errors. New issues arise when a nurse juggles a family and a career on top of the difficulties in nursing. It can be difficult to give 100% of your attention to the needs of someone else after a demanding day of seeing patients.
Home health nursing is frequently stressful and difficult, which causes high rates of turnover among home health care specialists. While it is impossible for home health agencies to eliminate all of the difficulties that might be faced by their staff, they can take a number of measures to make sure that they feel supported. Home health agencies give nurses the tools they need to advance their careers and take on challenges with assurance by providing professional development opportunities. This boosts retention rates and job satisfaction in the home healthcare industry.
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