HOME VISIT

The home visit is an important aspect of public health Nurse’s to meet the health needs to patients
and family and the purpose of public health nurse is for health supervision of the public. On each
visit the nurse is supposed to provide the maximum degree of service both technical and educational
that the patient and family may gain interest not only in getting well but in staying well and
attaining optimum.

The vast majority of sick people are at home service require both the:

1. Skill knowledge of preventive and therapeutic measures.

2. Teaching ability, judgment and a full understanding of human relations.

CONCEPT OF HOME VISIT

 In India as a community health nurse she /he should have weekly fixed program in different
areas /villages.
 In case of emergency tentative visits can be planned and arranged.
 Her visits should be included the following services to pregnant mothers, intra-natal mothers,
postnatal mothers, newborn care, infants care, toddler care, preschool children, Anganwadi,
acute and chronic communicable disease patients, Like chicken pox, measles ,mumps
,tuberculosis poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis cholera, hepatitis-B, malaria, leprosy,
allergic, patient, etc.
 Non-communicable disease like diabetes mellitus ,hypertension ,RHD ,mental illness,
cataract, disabled by birth, etc. nongovernmental organizations, panchayat officers,
Ayurvedic, homeopathy/other health care providers, school visit, etc. special consideration to
old age peoples windows and separated families.

PURPOSES OF HOME VISIT

1. To help and secure early medical diagnosis and treatment for the sick.
2. To render nursing care for the sick, teach through demonstration and supervise care for sick,
teach through demonstration and supervise care given by relative and attendants.
3. To assist the family to carry out medical, sanitary and social procedures for the prevention of
disease and the promotion of health.
4. To help and secure adjustment of social condition affecting health.
5. Try to understand and consider the emotional factors influencing the attitudes of the patient and
family.
6. To share community activities for the development of adequate public health facilities and
program.

PRINCIPLES OF HOME VISIT

1. Home visit should be planned on the basis of need.
2. Respect the person’s feelings and needs at the time of the visit.
3. After establishing rapports, collection of date is an essential factor about the home and the home
environment, understand and other person’s point of view.
4. We have to be sure of the scientific soundness of the subject, we discuss.
5. Safe technical skills should be used while doing the nursing procedures.
6. We should understand the agencies, polices and rules.
7. Working knowledge of the community resources is very much essential.
8. Joint plan is needed with the person and family.
9. Quality is more important than quantity.
10. Evaluation is an essential factor in daily work.
11. Record the work performed by public health nurse in each visit.
12. Our approach should be a kind with which we have to gain confidence from family members.

IMPORTANCE OF HOME VISIT-

1. Home visiting is the backbone of all MCH services. Even if the individual or pregnant mother is
attending the antenatal clinic regularly, she must be paid at least one home visit by the health
workers of Community Health Nurse. More visit are required if the delivery is planned at home
only.
2. The vast majority of sick people are in the home especially the old age group.
3. Investigation can be done to rule out the source of infectious disease.
4. New health problems can be identified.
5. Follow-up services could be done on some problem identified in the health centres, schools,
primary health centres, or in the hospitals.

ADVANTAGES OF HOME VISIT-

1. Home visit permits the nurse to see the family background of the situation.
2. Family members will be relaxed in their own surroundings.
3. Home visit will provide an opportunity to observe the environmental and social condition at
home and her teaching will be more realistic in the actual situation.
4. Family practices also can be observed by the nurse.
5. Nurse can contact other members of the family in the home who have greater influence and
control over the members under our care.
6. The nurse will have an opportunity to look for new health problem and observe actual care
given by the family members.
7. Home visit permits the family members feel free to ask question and this is an opportunity to
assess the health- seeking behaviour of the family members.
8. Thus home visit is expected to have high, productivity in changing the health behaviour.
 STEPS- IN HOME VISIT

Establish a friendly

Make a survey and prepare a map

Collection ofEstablish
data and goals
analysis

Establish goals

Prepare a plan of action

Nursing interventions

Interpretation of results

Follow-up

Evaluation

APPROACH
The character of the first visit often decides the relationship of patient on later visit. Therefore, extra
care is needed in making the first contsce.

1. A friendly approach and genuine evidence of interest will readily gain his confidence and
cooperation.
2. Observe ordinary rules of courtesy.
3. Introduce self by name and hospital represented.
4. Explain reason for visit, when greetings patient inquires about her conditions.
5. Do not enter house putting shoes on without family’s permission.

STEPS-
1. The first step is to establish a friendly rapport with the family members through courtesy,
graciousness, and genuine interest explains the purpose of the visit.
2. Observe inside and outside of the home and nearby surrounding to discern good and bad
factors that may influence the situation. Make a survey and prepare a map of the area with
details of location of villages, distance, type of occupation, population, roads, existing health
services, numbers of schools, water sources.
3. Prepare a family folder, health cards, individual card and home visit register.
4. Identifying the families, individuals and their health status, educational status, immunization
status, antenatal, postnatal mothers, newborn, under-five and sick people etc.
5. Analyze the data and interpretation of information in such a way as to provide a clear picture
of the health situation in the family.
6. Objectives and goals are needed to guide effort. Unless objectives are established, there is
likely to be haphazard activities. Once the problems, resources and objectives have been
determined, the next step is fixing properties.
7. Planning process is the preparation of the detailed action or plan to complete in all respect for
the execution of a project of implementation of an activity. Use bag technique; treat minor
aliment, dressings, physical assessment, and undertaken immunization health education of
physical instruction and testing of urine.
8. Interpretation involves the action taken for the family members, should be explained the food
of bad factors or consequences to them in such a way for better progress.
9. Follow-up or monitoring is the day-to-day activities during home visit to ensure that they are
the proceedings as the planned.
10. Evaluation is to assess the activities performed by the nurse / health workers of the stated
objectives of plan. Its efficiency and its acceptance by all the family members involved.