The nursing department is one of the largest employers in the healthcare sector. There are about 100 nursing specialty roles, from home-care and school nurses to highly skilled and experienced nurses who work in emergency care and with surgeons. Their qualification and experience are the key factors determining where they can be employed and how much they earn. Nurses can continue their education and work in managerial and supervisory roles as they grow.

Types of nurses based on qualifications
Nursing roles can be classified into three categories – non-degree, degree and advanced degree. This categorization is done based on their level of professional qualification.

Non-degree nurses
Non-degree nurses must have completed certification programs and can be employed as Certified Nursing Assistants and Licensed Practical Nurses. They can work as nursing assistants in healthcare clinics, hospitals, home healthcare services, and retirement communities. Licensed Practical Nurses can find employment in various healthcare facilities, work as home healthcare nurses, and allied healthcare services like diagnostic testing centers and research facilities.

Degree nurses
Degree nurses have a 2-year associate degree or a 3 or 4-year undergraduate degree in a nursing-related field. A nurse with an associate degree can work in entry levels jobs like a pediatric or a clinical nurse, as an oncology nurse, or as a care coordinator. With an undergraduate degree, they can work in multiple roles as a school or university nurse, public health or occupational health nurse, or legal nurse consultant.

Advanced degree nurses
Advanced degree nurses must have completed a 2-year master’s program in a nursing-related field. They learn specialized skills, and the master’s degree has a tailored curriculum according to their chosen specialization. After completing their master’s degree, they can work as clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse midwives, nurse practitioners, or a certified nurse anesthetist.

Nurses with some experience and keen on working in managerial and leadership roles can also proceed to do MBA or Doctoral degrees in nursing.

Duties of home-care nurses
Home-care nurses provide one-to-one care for patients at their homes. The patients can be seniors, people with disabilities, people recovering from surgeries, and patients diagnosed with critical illnesses. They also work with pregnant women, new mothers and children who need continuous professional care. They may be directly hired by the patients’ families or assigned by a facility responsible for their care.

Licensed Nursing Assistants (LNAs) assess the patient’s needs and provide timely and appropriate care by administering oral or intravenous prescription treatments. They also record the patient’s vital signs, and blood exams, if necessary. They can also help them with mobility and carrying out their day-to-day activities. They regularly report the condition of their patients to the supervising medical officer.

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) help with patients’ routines, bathing, dressing, feeding, changing linen, and serving or feeding them.

Skilled Nursing Providers or Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), are licensed by their state. They evaluate the care given by families and can also provide professional care like administering intravenous treatments, changing dressings, training and educating family members and other caregivers on patient care. LPNs may also be qualified to provide physical, occupational or speech therapy.

Fees for hiring home care nurses

The median hourly wage of nursing assistants like LNAs and CNAs who have received at least 75 hours of training is around $14.30 per hour.
The median hourly fees for home-health skilled nurses or LPNs are $24
Registered nurses with an associated degree have the necessary national and state licenses is $36.48 an hour. They provide direct care, operate professional equipment and assist the visiting doctors in procedures.

Most health care insurance covers the cost of hiring home care nurses.

Where to find home care nurses?
Here are three ways to find home care nurses:

Through an agency
If you are looking for a home care nurse, you can work with agencies that provide such services. The benefit of hiring a nurse from an agency is that they are pre-screened, and you can be sure they have the necessary certifications and experience. If the nurse needs some time off, they immediately send you a replacement or backup. They can provide more qualified, experienced nurses if the patient needs advanced care or if the patient’s condition changes. The agency provides necessary insurance covering the costs and expenses if the nurse suffers any injury in your home. When you hire a nurse through an agency, you pay the agency, and they pay the nurse, and you will not have any financial relationship with the nurse. Nurses hired through agencies follow the employment rules set by the agency.

Through a registry
Home health care registries connect families with home care nurses who send candidates that fit the families’ requirements. You can look for a good fit and pay the nurse directly. You can create convenient schedules and rules for them. You become the employer and are responsible for paying the salary of the home care nurse.

Referrals
You can ask for referrals from friends, families, colleagues and communities. If any of them have hired the services of a home care nurse and have been satisfied with their work, you can get their names and contact numbers. You can set up interviews, understand if they have the right experience to care for the patient and hire them accordingly.