8 Advantages of Working in Home Health Care

In the past, healthcare was administered in a limited number of settings. Care was provided in a hospital,  clinic, or doctor’s office. That may have been the case years ago, but today, clinical settings can also include minute clinics and even the patient’s home. Nursing and therapy healthcare professionals have more career choices than ever.

As with any profession, there are pros and cons no matter where you work, but if you are looking for a change, it is time to consider home health care. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nursing careers in home health alone are growing at a rate of 15% and show no signs of slowing down. Let’s take a look at some perks of being a home health care provider.

Advantages of Working in Home Health Care

1. Home Health Care is Growing

If you are a clinician looking for a new opportunity, home health care is the perfect option. As noted by the BLS data above, the growth in home health care means that there are opportunities all over the country. In most cases, all it takes is two years of clinical experience, and you become eligible for a home health position.

2. Have More Flexibility

One of the greatest benefits of a career in home health is having more control over your schedule. Once you have a caseload, you develop the schedule according to what works best for you and your patients. You have control over your work hours and days off.

3. Become a Better Clinician

In home health care, you are working independently. Typically, that means you are alone with your patient forcing you to become resourceful when facing a challenge. Having this much autonomy in your clinical life leads to the development of stronger skills.

4. Home Health Care Features Relationships

When working in home health care, you find yourself making a greater difference in the lives of your patient. When you are spending so much one-on-one time with your patient, you can’t help but develop a personal relationship with them. Essentially, you are almost a member of their family because of the connection you are making with them.

5. Helping Clients in the Comfort of Their Home

Whether caring for an elderly patient, helping someone recuperate after an injury, or manage a chronic illness, you are allowing them to do it in the most comfortable setting for them. Given the choice of a care setting, most people prefer to be at home when they are ill or injured. As the person responsible for allowing this to happen, you will sense their appreciation and gain personal satisfaction.

6. Better Pay and Other Perks

As demand for home health care continues to rise, better pay and other unique benefit packages are following suit. This can include being paid for drive time and also a guaranteed salary based on hours instead of units. Pay and benefits vary, so it is important to find a package that suits your needs.

7. Access to the Latest Technology

As home health care options continue to expand, more technology is being introduced to facilitate recovery and treatment in a home setting. Home health clinicians typically learn to become technologically savvy because of the independent nature of their work.

8. Specialization is Possible

In home health, clinicians have the opportunity to focus their careers on something they are the most passionate about. Because of the growing need and availability of opportunities, you may find that you can focus on only treating particular types of patients with similar medical needs.

Challenges in Home Health

While the benefits of home health are many, it is important to identify some of the challenges. For example, home health care requires more documentation than you see in a typical clinical setting. Some clinicians may feel overwhelmed with the paperwork at first, but once you develop a system that works for you, the charting and documentation become a normal part of your routine. It is also worth noting that clinical documentation should be completed during the visit to avoid having it impact your home or personal time.

If you like to be autonomous and want more control and flexibility in your schedule, a home health career may be right for you. Supplemental Health Care has an exclusive Home Health Division with hundreds of opportunities available right now. Reach out to homehealth@shccares.com or contact an experienced recruitment professional today.