At the same time as home healthcare is expanding at an astounding rate, home health nurses are facing ever-changing problems. Since nurse safety ensures both their physical and psychological safety as well as their job satisfaction, it is crucial for the industry’s long-term growth. Continue reading to discover why nurse safety is a key component of home health’s expansion and the advantages that investing in this field offers to patients, staff, and the sector overall.
The Growing Need for Home Health Care
In-home care is becoming increasingly popular in the healthcare sector as a substitute for conventional hospital or clinic-based therapy. The aging of the population, improvements in remote monitoring technology, and patient preferences for familiar environments are all contributing reasons.
According to an AARP survey, 77% of persons over 50 wish to continue living in their homes as they get older. A crucial role is played by home health workers, particularly nurses, in this expanding trend. But it also brings with it fresh safety issues that may affect their health and the standard of care they provide.
The Reasons Behind the Growing Concern for Nurse Safety
In contrast to the regulated environs of clinics and hospitals, home health nurses frequently work in unpredictable environments. Examples of typical difficulties are:
Unpredictable patient homes: Unlike hospitals, home settings can differ greatly, and nurses may come across biohazards like mold and secondhand smoke, dogs, uneven flooring, or inadequate lighting. In an anonymous poll on environmental working circumstances, 78% of home health nurses reported feeling threatened by a firearm, hazardous surroundings, and drug-seeking family members in addition to the reasons mentioned above when they were on a house visit.
Industry Violence: Due to the uncontrolled nature of the industry, home health nurses are five times more likely to be injured by workplace violence than employees in all other industries combined. They are also more likely to be subjected to verbal and physical abuse from their patients. 82% of nurses report having encountered some form of workplace violence in the past 12 months, according to National Nurses United. Verbal threats (68%), physical threats (39%), and being pinched or scratched (37%), were the three most prevalent forms of violence.
Geographic isolation: Nurses usually go to far-flung places where they might not have easy access to supplies or support right away. The response time will increase with the distance between the residence and a police station or hospital.
Increased dangers associated with working alone: Since many home health nurses work alone, there is a greater chance of workplace violence or emergency situations when prompt support may not be available. Just 17% of nurses say that their employer has added more staff members to lower the likelihood of violence, and only 30% say that their firm has personnel on hand 24/7 to respond to workplace violence.
Maintaining a solid and committed workforce depends on providing these nurses with a safe working environment. By increasing retention rates and increasing the field’s appeal to aspiring medical professionals, this in turn promotes the growth of home health.
Nurse Safety and the Development of Home Health
There are repercussions from investing in nurse safety that go beyond the health of the nurses. Home health growth can be directly impacted by putting nurse safety first in the following ways:
Better Patient Outcomes: Safe working environments improve concentration and staff morale, which in turn leads to more efficient, focused care. Better patient satisfaction and loyalty result from this.
Decreased Turnover Rates: A expensive problem that impairs patient care and growth is high turnover among home health nurses. The median turnover rate for home care providers was as high as almost 79%, according to the Home Care Association of America. It is anticipated that replacing a single home care provider will cost more than $2,000. Making the workplace safer aids in keeping qualified nurses on staff, which reduces the cost of hiring and training new staff.
Enhanced Industry Appeal: As safety protocols advance, the field attracts more prospective employees, especially those who might have been deterred from pursuing it because of safety worries.
Important Techniques for Improving Nurse Safety
Enhancing nurse safety necessitates a comprehensive strategy. Home health agencies can take into consideration the following successful tactics:
Mobile technology and personal safety devices: Giving nurses GPS-enabled gadgets or personal alarms enables real-time tracking and emergency notifications. In addition to facilitating communication between nurses and their teams, this technology can speed up emergency response times.
Strong Training Programs: Giving nurses situational awareness and de-escalation skills training helps lower the risk of workplace violence. They can react to possible threats more skillfully when their training is updated on a regular basis.
Improved Scheduling and Support Systems: Especially for nurses who work in high-risk regions, reducing isolation through buddy systems or local check-ins can lessen vulnerability.
Explicit Safety Protocols: A safer and more reliable work environment for nurses is achieved by establishing and disseminating explicit standards for home visits, particularly with regard to patient handling, transportation, and emergency procedures.