Scrubs in Home Care
There has always been a debate in home health care about uniforms vs. wearing street clothes for safety measures as well as ease of care. One of the biggest arguments against street clothes is enforcing a professional look or dress code. Remember, you represent your company when you go out to see your patients. You also represent yourself as a professional.
In making home visits, there is also the personal factor. Some of the homes you visit are less than ideal. How many times have you experienced the need to go straight home and shower for an hour, scouring every inch of your body before you can stop itching or imagining things crawling all over you?!! We've all been there-- or will have been there before your home care career is over.
Scrubs offer a great option. They are professional and yet commonplace enough not to draw undue attention to you in the community as you get to your patient's homes. They can be laundered in strong detergents and hot water, and unlike your nice personal attire, not be ruined.
Support Home Health Care Legislation
Home Health Care Planning Improvement companion bills have been introduced in both the US House of Representatives and the US Senate to bring Medicare into the 21st century and allow APRNs (NPs, CNS, and Nurse Midwives) as well a Physician Assistants (PAs) to certify patients for home health care and to sign the Plan of Care as well as supplemental orders.
Please take a moment to write to your Senators and Representatives asking them to support these bills. HR2267 was introduced in the House by Representatives Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) and Greg Walden (R-OR). The Senate bill (S227) was introduced by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Kent Conrad (D-ND).
The American Nurses Association has made it simple to email or send snail mail to your Congressional reps with a canned email message that you can edit if you you prefer and send directly from the ANA site.
Read more about the bills at Nurse.com.
Join us on FACEBOOK
We have set up a new page on FACEBOOK for home health professionals. LIKE the page and then start or join in a discussion to network with other home health professionals.
Thanks
Kathy
Why is Health Care Going Home?
Here's an interesting commentary from the New England Journal of Medicine about why home health care will be exploding in the future of health care.
