Home Nursing

Get information to help your home health and long-term care agency stay compliant
By Lea Terry, Freelance Journalist / Copywriter Home health and long-term care are two of the most rapidly growing areas within the nursing field. Nurses and other health care professionals who work in these areas enjoy a close-knit atmosphere and the ability to form a bond with their patients.
 

But working in the nursing home business is also a challenge, because the laws regulating this area change frequently, making compliance a full-time job. The emotional demands are also great, because nurses don't send patients home with their problem fixed. Instead, they care for these patients until the end of the patients' lives.

Home health and long-term care services include:

1. Visiting nursing
2. Home health care / home nursing
3. Assisted living facilities and nursing homes
4. Hospice

Join professional associations for home care and nursing home administrators

By joining state and national associations for nursing homes and home health agencies, you can connect with other long-term care professionals and learn about the newest legislation and how it might affect you.
Try: The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging is geared toward aging services professionals from not-for-profit organizations who want to serve as advocates for both residents and facilities. Or you may want to join your state's nursing home association, such the Louisiana Nursing Home Association or the Pennsylvania Health Care Association.

Stay informed of state and federal nursing home regulations

With the widespread reports of nursing home abuse over the last several years, state and federal agencies began enacting stricter regulations and guidelines for nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. Nursing homes are scrutinized like never before, so if you're a nursing home administrator, you'll want to make complying with these laws your top priority.
Try: At the NHRegsPlus website, search for regulations by state. Or, subscribe to the Nursing Home Regulations Manual, which offers advice on staying compliant with the latest changes to nursing home law.

Seek out resources specifically for home nursing businesses

While home health businesses and nursing homes share a similar mission, their needs and the regulations governing them differ slightly, so it's a good idea to consult with agencies and groups dedicated to helping home health agencies thrive and stay compliant.
Try: The Home Health Agency Center at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services offers manuals, educational resources and links to information about home health regulations. The National Association for Home Care and Hospice represents home care agencies and hospices. And the Home Health Nurses Association provides information and resources for nurses working in home health.

• If you're a nurse who's seeking more independence, you may want to start a home nursing business. These enterprises are growing in popularity among nurses who now would like to be their own boss. In many cases, they don't even need to rent office space at first, instead coordinating everything from their home and sending out nurses and home health aides to clients.