How to Become a Home Care Nurse: Step-by-Step Career Guide

One of the advantages of a nursing career is the diversity of choices; for instance, you can major on being a home care nurse or an emergency room nurse. The home care path gives you independence and provides a flexible work schedule when compared to working shifts at the hospital.

According to the Dubai Health Authority, most of the patients admitted in health centers could be discharged if home care nurses were available. The services are based on the patients’ condition.

The Details of Home Care Nursing

Home care nurses provide treatment for patients in their homes. There are different types of people who require home care nursing services, for instance, the elderly, physically challenged, and those with terminal illnesses. Some of the services of this profession include:

• Conducting a health assessment and creating a unique plan for treatment
• Cleaning wounds and helping to manage discomfort and pain
• Detect symptoms and prevent hospital visits
• Provide support and encouragement

There are different types of home care nurses, for instance, pediatrics, psychiatrists, and community health workers.

A Step by Step Guide to Become a Home Care Nurse

Before you become a home care nurse, you must have the passion and possess excellent communication skills so you can interact and understand the patients and their families. The following steps will enlighten you on the procedure of becoming a home care nurse:

1. Get Relevant Education

If you want to become a home care nurse, you need to complete a Bachelor’s degree, a diploma or an associate’s degree in nursing. These programs equip you with knowledge such as laboratory work which helps you to tests for different ailments. You will also go through an internship which allows you to work with patients and other medical practitioners.

To improve your skills at this level, look for facilities that offer home volunteering programs. These opportunities provide prospective nurses with experience by giving them a chance to work with patients. It can also help the nursing students to decide whether to continue with this career.

2. Get Licensed

After completing your studies, you need to register with the Dubai Health Authority to start working in Dubai. You need to have the correct documents as proof of your training; then you need to scan the documents and create an account at the DHA platform. Fill the form and upload your documents. Download and sign the authorization letter and upload it with your name and date. If your application is eligible, the next step is to take the Dubai Prometric Exam. Upon qualification, you will get your eligibility letter which expires after one year.

Ensure that you revise for the exam because the maximum, number of attempts you can get is 3. Get familiar with the procedures and requirements.

3. Experience

To increase the chances of getting employment as a home care nurse, you should have at least have some experience after your graduation. Learn basic tasks that are included in nursing, for instance, feeding patients, helping them to maintain sanitary conditions, and making beds. You can gain this experience by applying for a nursing assistant position at a nursing home. You can also volunteer at the facility to develop your work ethic and sharpen your skills.

Internships take a short period, and you end up with a lot of knowledge and experience. They also increase your chances of getting a job at the facility.

To gather more experience, you can request to job-shadow an experienced home care nurse. This way you will learn valuable lessons and acquire skills that the nurse has developed over the years.

Tap into mentorship programs through your nursing school you might know somebody that can help you to push your career forward. It could be your former professor or a qualified nurse whom you’ve known for an extended period. These professionals can give you advice and provide good references for you.

4. Get the Job

After getting your degree and acquiring the experience you are set to enter the job market. You can do this by using various methods like sending resumes, but there are also other ways to get a job. Like other careers, in nursing the more people you know, the higher your chances of getting employment. You can start by joining an association like the Emirates Nursing Association which empowers, champions for nurses’ rights and helps to improve their working conditions.

Becoming a home care nurse can be a very fulfilling career for anyone who enjoys working with patients by providing individualized treatment. Your job will bring into contact with patients from different backgrounds, age, and conditions. Therefore, you need appropriate education, experience, and good conduct. If you are passionate about caring for people in their homes; by providing different services like administering medication and helping them to cope with the different condition then becoming a home care nurse would be a wise move.