Home Visit

04/21/23 1

A home visitA home visit is a purposeful interaction in a home (or residence) directed at promoting and maintaining the health of individuals and the family (or significant others).

A major distinction of a home visit is that health professional goes to the client rather than the client coming to the health professional

04/21/23 2

Home visiting involves a process of initiating relationships with family members, negotiating & implementing a family-focused plan of care, & evaluating health outcomes & family satisfaction

04/21/23 3

A home visit is a purposeful interaction in a home directed at promoting and maintaining the health of individuals and the family.

Home visit is the process of providing nursing care to the client’s own setting. The setting may be in a single or multiple unit structure and may be located in a rural or urban setting.

04/21/23 4

Efficiency is increased when community & public health nurses wisely manage their time and equipment.

A comprehensive range of community nursing services is provided by Community Health.

The main focus of this service is to enable people to be cared for in their own homes rather than as patients in hospitals.

Home health care, broadly denied, refers to all of the services and products provided to clients in their homes to maintain, restore, or promote their physical, mental, and emotional health.

Its purpose is to maximize the client’s level of independence and to minimize the effects of existing disabilities through non-institutional services.

Its primary goal is to use these supportive services to decrease rehospitalization and prevent or delay institutionalization

04/21/23 6

Basic goals of home visit:Basic goals of home visit:

Promoting support systems that are adequate and effective & encouraging use of health-related resources.

Promoting adequate, effective care of a family member who has a specific problem related to illness or disability.

Encouraging normal growth and development of family members and the family and educating the family about health promotion and illness prevention

Strengthens family functioning and relatedness Promoting a healthful environment Case finding and referral Health promotion and illness prevention

04/21/23 7

04/21/23 8

AdvantagesAdvantages1) Home setting provides more opportunities for

individualized care

2) most people prefer to be cared for at home

3) environmental factors impinging on health, such as housing condition & finances, may be observed and considered more readily

4) Information collection and understanding lifestyle values are easier in families' own environment

04/21/23 9

5) Participation of family members is facilitated

6) Individuals and family members may be more receptive to learning because they are less anxious in their own environment and because the immediacy of needing to know a particular fact or skill becomes more apparent

7) Care to ill members in the home can reduce overall costs by preventing hospitalizations & shortening the length of time spent in hospitals or other institutions

8) A family focus is facilitated

04/21/23 10

DisadvantagesDisadvantages

1. Travel time is costly2. Distraction such as TV and noisy children

may be more difficult to control3. Clients may be resistance or fearful of the

intimacy of home visits4. Nurses safety can be an issue

04/21/23 11

Phases of RelationshipsPhases of Relationships1. A pre-initiation or preplanning phase2. an initiation or introductory phase3. Previsit activities4. A working phase5. An ending phase6. Post visit activities

04/21/23 12

Principles for Home Visiting Principles for Home Visiting

Planned with purposeRegular & flexibleEducativeGive opportunities to nurses to perform

skillsVoluntary participation and collaborative

relationships. Promote personal and program goals.

Address multiple goals, long-term as well as short-term gains in health status.

Include sensitivity to client diversity. Address realistic expected outcomes. Evaluation focuses on outcomes, cost-

effectiveness, and processes used.

Nursing Care Is More Nursing Care Is More Interdependent with Interdependent with

FamiliesFamiliesBecause families have more control over their health in their own homes, & because change is usually gradual, greater emphasis must be placed on mutual goals if the nurse & family are to achieve long-term success.

Except in emergency situations, the client determines the priority of issues with which to be dealt

Families are sometimes unaware of what they do not know. The nurse must suggest health related topics that are appropriate for the family situations

04/21/23 15

Challenges of Home VisitsChallenges of Home Visits

Unforeseen events

Client diversity

Multiplicity of problems

Maintaining balance

What can I expect during a What can I expect during a home visit?home visit?

1. Parenting education and support 2. Information regarding their child’s

health. 3. Safety information. 4. Developmental information. 5. Nutrition education. 6. Community resources. 7. Assistance with appropriate referrals as

needed

04/21/23 17