A Day in the Life of a Home Health Nurse: It’s Not What You Think
She starts her day before the sun comes up. Coffee in one hand, tablet in the other, GPS already open. First visit is at 7:30. She’ll spend the next 10 hours driving through neighborhoods, stepping into strangers’ homes, and handling everything from blood pressure checks to emotional breakdowns. People think home health nursing is simple. A few visits. A few notes. Home by lunch. But the truth? It’s relentless. Every patient is different. The first might be recovering from knee surgery and struggling to shower alone. The next is a diabetic with wounds that will not heal. One family wants to know every detail. Another barely makes eye contact. No two houses feel the same. No two patients follow the same rules. Some are grateful. Others are angry, scared, or confused. She is part therapist, part social worker, part detective. She watches how a patient moves. She listens for things unsaid. She checks the fridge. She peeks at pill bottles. She asks about bowel movements while holding som...
