“Hey nurse, please help,” and the nurse runs towards the patient without delay. This tells us a simple reality – nurses are hospitals’ foundation of medical care.
From proper patient care to offering health education, to even advocating for patients in times of need, the roles of nurses have only evolved with time.
However, their indispensable nature has now led to the demand for nursing services at home too. Private home nursing, alongside traditional nursing, can be seen as a recipe for wellness.
With perks like constant monitoring coupled with 24/7 patient care, patients often consider these nurses part of their family.
However, before selecting a private home nurse, it is important to know what to expect, because the care that a nurse can provide at home will be determined by the environment and facilities available.
Contents
Defining Private Home Nursing and Hospital Nursing
While the uniform and etiquette remain the same, there is a stark difference between private home nursing and hospital nursing.
Private home nursing, also referred to as private nursing, is about providing one-on-one care to the patient, depending on the patient’s needs. For patients, it offers the perk of a familiar environment and makes the services flexible.
The extent of services can range from simple caregiving tasks to complex advanced medical services, such as IV administration and operating procedures.
Hospital nursing, however, focuses on patient care within a structured environment. Fast-paced medical facilities are accessible at a hospital, with a “team” of nurses assigned to help the patient.
The scope of services is much broader, with even the most complicated emergency procedures possible to perform quickly.
The difference lies in the setting and scope of responsibilities. At home, nurses offer customized care to a single patient, while hospital nurses manage multiple patients inside a fast-paced, resource-rich environment.
Work Environment: Private Home Nursing
Private home nursing offers more flexibility to the nurse, providing an autonomous environment in which these nurses find it comfortable to deliver personalized care. Not beholden to the rigid schedule of hospitals, nurses can focus their energy on one patient. This often leads to better care continuity and establishing a stronger nurse-patient relationship.
Other advantages include scheduling flexibility. Nurses can set their schedules based on the patient’s needs and their own availability. This autonomy makes patient care more adaptable, with medication schedules tailored to the patient’s requirements.
However, not everything is positive with private home nursing. Both patients and nurses may feel isolated. The irregular hours during nights and weekends may disrupt personal duties.
Then there is the matter of safety, as working in unfamiliar neighborhoods can be an issue. Despite these challenges, many nurses consider private home nursing more impactful and fulfilling.
Patient Care: Private Home Nursing
With private home nursing, patient care is much more personalized. As nurses care exclusively for a single patient, care plans are more customized, focusing on an individual’s medical, emotional, and physical needs. Nurses can adjust their schedules accordingly, ensuring that therapies and routines consider the emotional state of the patient.
This approach is particularly effective for developing a positive relationship between patients and nurses, as well as with family members.
As nurses spend more time with the patient, they develop a more profound understanding of what the patient is experiencing. Furthermore, family members can become actively involved in the care process, which further strengthens these bonds.
That said, private home nursing has some limitations. Lack of equipment is the primary concern, and when specialist support is needed, a proper decision must be made to transfer the patient to the hospital.
Furthermore, as nurses have to rely on themselves to solve problems, selecting the right nurses for this job is crucial.
Work Environment: Hospital Nursing
In hospital nursing, the work environment is much more structured and team-oriented. Collaborations with specialists, doctors, and other healthcare professionals can happen quickly, and comprehensive patient care is readily available. Protocols are clear, and workflows are streamlined.
Furthermore, working in a hospital setting means patients and nurses have easy access to advanced equipment and specialized facilities. With a team of nurses as backup, patients’ minds are more at ease.
That said, the work environment at the hospital can be challenging. While the team is always there as backup, situations within the premises can be stressful. However, hospital nursing still offers a resource-rich environment, which is ideal in most conditions.
Patient Care: Hospital Nursing
Patient care in hospital nursing follows a more standardized approach to healthcare. It is consistent and efficient, and the facilities available at the hospital make addressing the diverse needs of patients easier. Furthermore, nurses must adhere to established protocols at the hospital, which streamlines treatments and minimizes errors.
Access to specialized equipment is another main reason why patients often prefer hospital nursing. The presence of advanced technology makes it easier for nurses to provide precise healthcare services. Furthermore, with access to specialist teams, hospital nursing is suitable for those with chronic conditions that often require immediate attention.
That said, hospital nursing sometimes faces issues with high patient-to-nurse ratios, which limit the time a nurse can spend with each patient. Such a setting does not allow time for personalized healthcare, which may lead to diminished levels of patient care at underequipped healthcare facilities.
Conclusion
Whereas private home nursing focuses on establishing nurse-patient connections and providing personalized medical care, hospital nursing offers a more holistic approach through technology and a large team.
Both are valuable depending on the circumstances, making it up to the patient to decide the kind of services they need.
