How To Become a Home Health Nurse
Registered nurses (RNs) have a wide variety of workplaces to choose from for employment, ranging from hospitals to specialized clinics and community-based care. One path that continues to gain popularity among nurses who are seeking greater flexibility and personal connection is home health care.
Professional fulfillment in home health nursing often comes from the blend of autonomy, demand, and the ability to build meaningful one-on-one relationships with patients. The American Nurses Association (ANA) emphasizes the urgent need for nurses driven by the aging baby boomer population and increasing chronic conditions. If you’re wondering how to become a home health nurse, this guide will walk you through the role and responsibilities and how to enter the field.
What Is a Home Health Nurse?
A home health nurse is a registered nurse (RN) that provides medical care in patient’s homes, most often following a hospital discharge or as part of a long-term care plan for chronic illness, disability, or age-related needs.
A Day in the Life of a Home Health Nurse
The day-to-day schedule of a home health nurse varies but typically includes driving to several patients’ homes. Rather than moving between several patients at once, you can give your undivided attention to one individual.
Much-needed care is provided outside of traditional settings, allowing home health nurses to build rapport and trust in unique ways. You’ll often start your day by reviewing patient updates and planning the most efficient route for visits, keeping both care quality and travel time into consideration.
What Skills Do Home Health Nurses Have?
Time management, critical thinking, and compassion are crucial for home health nurses. Job duties include:
- Reviewing care plans
- Performing in-home assessments
- Documenting each visit
- Managing medications
- Dressing wounds
- Monitoring vital signs
- Educating patients and caregivers on treatment plans
Unlike in hospitals or clinics, home health nurses work largely independently, often coordinating with physicians and other providers remotely. Each patient visit allows for focused, personalized care.
Why Choose Home Health Nursing?
Nursing is a diverse and rewarding field in any setting, but home health offers unique advantages that appeal to many RNs.
1. Home Health Nurse Salary
Although earnings can vary depending on region and experience, the home health nurse salary is competitive. According to recent industry data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, RNs earned a median annual salary of $93,600 in May 2024. Compensation for home health nurses will typically include mileage reimbursement or travel stipends as an additional monetary benefit.
Home health organizations may also offer performance bonuses or retention incentives, especially in areas facing a shortage of qualified nurses. This can further enhance your earning potential while allowing you to grow professionally in a supportive environment.
2. Flexibility and Autonomy
Home health nurses enjoy flexible scheduling, often working weekdays with autonomy to set their own patient visit times within the boundaries of the prescribed visit needs determined when managing the patient case. This flexibility makes the role fitting for those with family responsibilities or other commitments, which can sometimes be accommodated within the requirements of a home health nursing schedule. Home health nurses are generally not tethered to a rigid shift, so there is the potential for greater control over your work-life balance.
3. One-on-One Patient Care
Perhaps the most fulfilling aspect of home health is the deeper, personalized connections you can build with patients and their families. Unlike in fast-paced hospital environments where interactions may be unintentionally rushed or fragmented, home visits allow for a different dynamic that creates an environment for truly meaningful engagement.
The focus of home health care includes illness management, but more importantly, you are helping someone live safely and independently at home. The home setting allows nurses to gain a holistic view of a patient’s health by observing living conditions, family dynamics, and barriers to care that might go unnoticed in clinical environments.
Is Home Health Nursing Right for You?
Before learning how to become a home health nurse, it’s important to consider if nursing is the right career path for you, and whether home health is the best fit for your personality and values. Nurses who thrive in home health tend to have a few traits in common:
- Confident and comfortable with autonomy
- Adaptable and resourceful
- Compassionate and person-centered
- Strong communication skills
In home health nursing, you may often work by yourself without immediate access to a supervisor or team. Confidence in your skills and decision-making is important. You will often coordinate with doctors and family members remotely, so clear and concise communication is critical.
Every home environment is different. You may be managing care in a small apartment one moment and a rural home the next. Practice often helps nurses grow comfortable entering patients’ personal spaces with respect and support. If these qualities resonate, keep reading to learn how to become a home health nurse and begin a career that blends independence with compassionate care.
How to Become a Home Health Nurse
Becoming a home health nurse involves several steps, starting with your nursing education and hands-on clinical experience. You can pursue nursing as a second career by following the steps in this guide. Meeting home health nurse requirements involves completing an accredited nursing program, passing the national licensure exam, and gaining practical experience that prepares you to deliver care independently in patients’ homes.
1. Complete a Nursing Education Program
Your first step is to earn a nursing degree from an accredited school. You can pursue an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), or an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program to earn your BSN quickly if you already hold a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field. Choosing a nursing program for your goals and life is an important step of its own.
2. Pass the NCLEX Exam
Once you’ve graduated with your nursing degree, you must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). This standardized test ensures that you have the knowledge and judgment to practice safely as an entry-level registered nurse.
Many nursing programs, like the one offered at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, prepare you thoroughly for the NCLEX-RN through integrated test prep, coursework, and clinical practice.
3. Gain Clinical Experience
While you can technically enter home health care directly after earning your licensure, many employers prefer or require at least 1 to 2 years of bedside experience, particularly in medical-surgical or critical care units. This time helps you strengthen your clinical judgment and learn how to manage complex patients independently.
4. Connect Professionally
After completing clinical experience, new nursing professionals can greatly benefit from joining a professional nursing association. These associations help new nurses stay informed about industry standards, best practices, and emerging trends, which can accelerate professional growth and build confidence in clinical settings. Membership in specialty groups like the Home Care Association of America (HCAOA) provides valuable networking opportunities and resources tailored for career development.
Now that you know how to become a home health nurse, you can take the steps toward this rewarding future. This career offers a competitive nurse salary, autonomy, and the chance to truly make a difference in your patients’ lives.
Start Your Nursing Future at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine
If you have a bachelor’s degree and you’re ready to take the first step toward becoming a compassionate, confident home health RN, consider applying to the hybrid ABSN program at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine. With an online-based curriculum and built-in clinical support, Saint Joe’s is uniquely positioned to help you transition into nursing, whether you’re entering for the first time or exploring nursing as a second career.
Features of this program include:
- 100% online coursework
- 2 campus immersions
- Completion in just 15 months
- Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Visit the program page to learn how our accelerated nursing program can help you prepare for a career that brings health and hope to patients and families wherever they call home.