Module Components

• Overview

Topics

• Definitions
• Why Do Home Visits
• How to Conduct Home Visits

Nurs 467 - Public Health Nursing

Module 7: Home Visiting

Overview

In public health nursing, assessment, planning, and evaluation of health programs are population-based. However, the actual implementation of these health programs can be with individuals, families, groups, populations, or entire communities. When programs are implemented with families, family residences are a special place for delivering this care via home visits. A home visit is a “purposeful interaction in a residence directed at promoting and maintaining the health of individuals and the family” or household members (Smith, p. 300). Baccalaureate-prepared nurses represent one of the few health disciplines that receive education regarding home visits for improving family health. This module will provide you with background information about home visiting as a community/public health nurse intervention.

Objectives

At the conclusion of this module, the learner will:

• Describe the purposes of home visits.
• Provide examples of family-focused home visitation health programs.
• Describe the phases of a home visit including pre and post visit activities.
• Compare and contrast the nurse-client relationship in a home with nurse-client relationships in inpatient settings.
• Describe ways to promote safety when making home visits.
• Describe advantages and disadvantages of home visits.