HOME HEALTH SAFETY

Made Sumarwati, MN
 Nurses who provide in-home care to patients face many of
the same on-the-job safety concerns as their colleagues who
work in controlled facility environments, like a hospital.
Safety Concerns:
•  traveling from home to home,
•  encountering pets,
•  observing drug use,
•  walking on poorly maintained sidewalks to a patient’s home.
•  Providing care in a small space
•  Lifting without the convenience of an adjustable-height bed or
mechanical lift
Proper safety for the home healthcare nurse:
•  Begin with a thorough assessment of the home to identify potential
risks.
•  Prior to the patient’s discharge from the facility, someone should
complete the assessment and develop a plan to mitigate or
eliminate any risks at pts’ home.
•  Annual safety training and ongoing in-service education should
include personal protection techniques, fire safety, body
mechanics, infection prevention measures, proper use of
equipment, and instruction on how to report any suspicious or
threatening behaviors within the home setting.