What is in-home nursing?

In-home nursing is a service that allows you to receive care from a qualified nurse in your own home. The nurse visits you based on your own schedule and needs, and provides medical assistance as required. Home nursing care is a popular substitute for entering a residential facility, nursing home or extended hospital stay, as it allows the person to remain at home whilst receiving the clinical care they need. 

Who is best suited to receiving home nursing services?

There are a number of different individuals that would be well suited to receiving home nursing services. This includes:

• Elderly people

• People with a disability

• People who require post-operative care

• People who require palliative care

• Those who require rehabilitation or recovery services

• People requiring medical care following a workers’ compensation claim

What can community nurses help with in the home?

Community nurses can help with a number of medical services. This includes:

• 24 hour, round the clock clinical care

• Post-operative care

• High intensity clinical care for people with disabilities

• Medication administration and management

• Pain management

• IV injections

Click here to see a full list of at-home nurse services offered by Focus Care.

Are the nurses qualified?

Nurses who provide at-home nursing are usually Registered Nurses (RNs) or Enrolled Nurses (ENs). This may vary depending on the level of care that is required. It is also essential that nurses which provide in-home nursing are AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) registered, meaning that they can legally practice nursing in Australia. At Focus Care, all of our nurses are AHPRA registered, and adhere to strict standards and policies to provide an utmost level of care.

What are the benefits of in-home nursing?

Receiving the care you need from the comfort of your home

The first benefit of in-home nursing is being able to receive the care you need from your own home. Travelling to and from hospital can be extremely stressful. More than two thirds (67%) of Australians who have recently travelled to and from hospital have found the experience to be quite stress-inducing, and this is heightened with the elderly or those with a disability or dementia.

This is particularly an issue for those with dementia, as studies have shown that if you have dementia you will stay in hospital longer when compared to those with similar clinical problems. This is because the unfamiliarity of a hospital stay can lead to a person with dementia experiencing extreme confusion and disorientation. Worsening symptoms such as these can lead to  a prolonged hospital stay.

By using home nursing care, you can avoid this stressful experience. Instead, home nursing services mean you can remain within the familiar surroundings of your home whilst being assured that your care isn’t being compromised.

Customised and personalised care

During a hospital or nursing home stay, nurses have to see many patients in one day, meaning that their time isn’t designated to you specifically. The quality of patient care decreases as the amount of patients a nurse has increases. Because of this, there is a lack of trust and personalised care being formed.

With in-home nursing, your care is one-on-one and individualised. Home nursing services mean that you and your loved ones have much more of a say in your own care. You can decide when to receive care, how you want to receive it, and on top of it all, you can build a relationship with your nurse that is tailored to your preferences.

Research by the Cleveland Clinical Journal demonstrates that a person who is seen by a clinician in the comfort of their own home more readily trusts that the health care team places their needs first. In-home nursing allows for this to take place to your exact liking.

Allows for increased social and leisure activity

Hospital and nursing home stays typically have set visiting hours and a schedule that needs to be adhered to in terms of social and leisure activity. With in-home nursing, these restrictions don’t exist. You can shape every day to your own liking - which means being able to have social visits and activities with family and friends as often as you please.  

Low levels of social activity involvement can have negative impacts on quality of life for those in residential care settings. If your social life isn’t being governed by an inflexible social schedule, you have freedom and autonomy over your own day-to-day life.

More affordable in comparison to other forms of care

In-home nursing care may sound daunting and expensive, but for those who require some form of extended nursing care, it is typically much more affordable in comparison to long-term residential care or extended hospital stays.  There are a number of payments that need to be made with residential care that are based on your income. At the bare minimum, a Basic Daily Fee is required for all residents.

If you’re receiving private care, Focus Care offers in-home nursing with no daily fee, meaning you simply pay for the services you require on an as-needed basis. If there are weeks where you need less assistance then others, we accommodate for that too! Needing less service means spending less – so you can receive just the right amount of care and nursing on an individual basis.

In-home nursing and COVID-19

COVID-19 can be scary for anyone, especially an elderly person or a person with a disability or dementia who may be more at risk. Private nursing services help with minimising the need to travel to a hospital and being around others for an extended period of time. Strict hygiene requirements have been put into place to ensure that your safety is the top priority.

Rest assured that Focus Care closely monitors NSW Health, Federal Government regulations, and World Health Organisation guidelines to ensure compliance with the latest recommendations. All of our home nurses have undergone, outside of their usual hygiene practices, additional Focus Care COVID-19 training and have also been provided with extensive PPE to use during services.

What if I don’t have a Home Care Package or NDIS Plan?

At Focus Care, our wide range of services include in-home nursing. If you don’t have a Home Care Package or NDIS Plan, all of our services are offered privately as well. Our private services include an initial, no obligation consultation, where we get to know you and your individual care needs. We will run you through all costs involved in detail. This allows for you to make an informed decision on whether or not you feel in-home nursing is the best fit for you.

How can Focus Care help?

Our AHPRA registered nurses are available 24/7 and their services can be tailored to suit your individual needs, right from the comfort of your own home. Call us on 1300 941 750, or contact us online, to see how we can make a difference to your care.