Home Visit

While conducting an assessment of the patient’s situation, the
nurse evaluates the need for future visits and the frequency with
which those visits may need to be made. To make these judgments,
the nurse may find it helpful to consider the following
factors:
• Current health status: How well is the patient progressing?
How serious are the present signs and symptoms? Has the
patient shown signs of progressing as expected, or does it
seem that recovery will be delayed?
• Home environment: Are worrisome safety factors apparent?
Are family or friends available to provide care, or is the patient
alone?
• Level of self-care abilities: Is the patient capable of self-care?
What is the patient’s level of independence? Is the patient
ambulatory or bedridden? Does the patient have sufficient
energy or is he or she frail and easily fatigued?
• Level of nursing care needed: What level of nursing care does
the patient require? Does the care require basic skills or
more complex interventions?
• Prognosis: What is the expectation for recovery in this particular
instance? What are the chances that complications
may develop if nursing care is not provided?
• Patient education needs: How well has the patient or family
grasped the teaching points made? Is there a need for further
follow-up and retraining? What level of proficiency
does the patient or family show in carrying out the necessary
care?
• Mental status: How alert is the patient? Are there signs of
confusion or thinking difficulties? Does the patient tend to
be forgetful or have a limited attention span?
• Level of adherence: Is the patient following the instructions
provided? Does the patient seem capable of doing
so? Are the family members helpful in this regard, or are
they unwilling or unable to assist in caring for the patient
as expected?
With each subsequent visit, these same factors are evaluated to
determine the continuing health needs of the patient. As progress
is made and the patient, with or without the help of significant
others, becomes more capable of self-care and more independent,
the need for home visits may decline.