Finding the right nursing organisation for the care of you or your loved one is no small decision. Community nurses not only have a major role to play in physical care but also play a role in the psychological support and emotional wellbeing of you or your loved one.
There are a number of important factors you can look for and questions you can ask when looking for the best home nursing providers for your needs.
Are they accredited?
Accreditations in nursing are important as they are a great indicator of quality and standards adhered to by the nursing provider and any of their affiliates. For example, Vital is accredited through the Australian council of healthcare standards, this ensures that the care support and nursing and support staff entering your home are of the highest standard.
Many of these accreditations are optional which means not many organisations have obtained them. We are committed to providing care and support services which encompasses a high level of accountability to you at all times.
What is their availability and support at short notice?
More often than not, you or your loved one with see the same familiar faces. This helps build rapport and gives the nurse a good solid understanding of your needs. But what will happen if you need care or support at short notice? Understanding how many nurses an agency has and how stretched they are is important because it impacts your care. So, therefore, asking home nursing providers questions around their nurse and support staff availability and how quickly you receive care should you need it on short notice, are all crucial questions that will impact your care.
What are the different levels and expertise of the nurses?
Also, keep in mind there are different levels of nurses so ask questions around the expertise of the nurses and the level of nurses the provider employs. For example, at Vital we employ registered nurses. A lot of nursing providers don’t place a heavy focus on registered nurses, they focus on assistant nurses who are not as qualified and have less experience when managing your care needs.
For more complex cases, quality nursing providers like Vital also employ clinical support specialists which include a team of senior registered nurses, nurse educators and nurse practitioners. Asking the level of experience and specifically, the level of nurses and the qualifications they have will ensure you find a nursing provider with the highest level of expertise.
How are their interpersonal and communication skills?
Finally, nothing beats the emotional intelligence and the empathy of a nurse that truly cares. When you are in the final stages of selecting a community nursing provider, ask to speak to the nurse most likely to visit you or your loved one at home. A great nurse has excellent interpersonal and communication skills and works well in a variety of situations with different people but also places you at the centre of all decision making.
There are obviously many other factors that will be important to you so make sure you do your research. If you have any further questions or would like to speak to a nurse, please call us on (02) 9703 5661 or contact us today.
