Constant attention by a good nurse may be just as important as a major operation by a surgeon. -Dag Hammarskjold, second Secretary-General of the United Nations.

A British nurse during the 19th century, Florence Nightingale is considered to be the founder of modern nursing as we know it. She came into prominence during the Crimean war as the leader of a nursing team that took care of dying and wounded soldiers. Her intervention led to a drastic improvement in the quality of nursing and its practices. Little did she know that her vocation would grow into prominence by leaps and bounds in the succeeding years. These days, nursing is considered to be the noblest profession on this planet and nurses are synonymous with care and compassion.

Nurses are the first line of treatment in any setting, be it in a clinic, hospital or home. Their ranges of services are encompassing and their dedication unparalleled. Therefore the demand for them to provide the same level of qualitative care at homes of patients arose in the recent past. Now the option of in-home care by nurses is availed by hundreds of thousands of patients in the United States. Here are some of the services provided by an in-home nurse:

Wound care – Wounds that do not heal in time can turn infectious. Nurses are trained in wound care protocol to provide the best care. They are trained in providing sterile wound dressing and pain management. The nurses can take care of all wounds such as infected wounds, postoperative wounds, vascular wounds, and chronic wounds.

Postoperative care - Nurses provide comprehensive care to patients at their homes after surgeries of any nature. The daily care includes Sutures/staples evaluation, dialogue with the patients and medical teams, managing medication, and so on.

Medication management – It entails looking after both oral medications as well as IV fluid and electrolyte infusion. The nurses are well equipped to administer IV infusions in a sterile process.

Elder Care – Taking care of elderly people is one of the many specialized services within the nursing domain. Skilled nurses take care of the physical, medical, and emotional needs of the elders, suffering from a variety of medical conditions. The nurses double up as teachers and counselors providing holistic day to daycare.

Critical care – Highly trained and experienced nurses treat patients with acute medical conditions or injuries at home. They monitor and manage the very ill and wounded. Such nurses are quick to react, skilled, and calm in stressful situations.

Palliative care – Nurses offer specialized care to reduce or eliminate symptoms related to various illnesses such as cancer and Parkinson’s disease. These in-home nurses perform a range of duties that support the well-being of patients.

Post-delivery care – Nurses serve new mothers and their infants at home. They educate & train the mothers on caring for their infants and at the same time, they look after the newborn infants. It enables the mothers to rest, recover, and prepare for their role ahead.

As you can observe, nurses provide a wide range of services in the homes, in relaxed and comfortable surroundings. For all medical conditions, nurses are trained, skilled, and experienced to provide the right treatment to ensure the well being of the patients.