What is an in-home nurse?

An in-home nurse is a highly trained and skilled professional who provides private nursing care to clients in a home setting. From the comfort of their clients’ homes, in-home nurses conduct various procedures, including routine testing and monitoring vital signs. A skilled in-home nurse can also assist with chronic disease management and care coordination. They can also provide wound care, including changing bandages and dressings, as well as assist with medication management and infusion therapy. Receiving skilled care at home reduces worries around transportation, scheduling complications and exposure to additional germs. In-home private nursing care provides your loved one with high-quality medical care, accessible right from home - where your loved one is already comfortable. Get the compassionate medical care you need without the stress of leaving home.

Trusted In-Home Skilled Nursing from RNs, LPNs and LVNs

The Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) at BrightStar® Home Care make it possible for you or your loved ones to receive high-quality in-home skilled nursing care.

While all RNs, LPNs and LVNs are licensed medical professionals, their duties and qualifications differ slightly. LPNs and LVNs share the same responsibilities, and these two titles are used interchangeably. While most of the country uses the designation LPN, Texas and California use the term LVN, as these nurses were trained in a vocational program.

Characteristics	RN	LPN/LVN
Qualifications	Holds advanced degrees, allowing them to have a broader scope of practice	Has successfully completed an approved LPN/LVN training course
Duties	Performs advanced medical duties, such as assessing patient conditions Administers medication and treatment Develops care plans Manages complex patient cases	Provides basic medical care, such as checking vital signs and helping dress and bathe patients Administers medication and immunization
Skills	In addition to LPN/LVN skills, RN skills also include advanced medical care, such as: Starting an IV Drawing blood Administer chemotherapeutic agents	LPNs/LVNs possess a mix of hard and soft skills, including: Demonstrating empathy and compassion Performing CPR Strong decision-making skills, particularly in stressful situations Organization and record-keeping skills Remaining calm in the event of an emergency Strong communication skills

Our compassionate local care teams offer a wide range of home care services that help ensure your loved one can remain home safely for an extended period of time giving them the comfort and familiarity they desire and providing you with the peace of mind you’ve been looking for.

Skilled Nursing Services and Support

With oversight from your local BrightStar® Home Care Director of Nursing, experienced nurses perform in-home health assessments and a wide range of home care services that meet either short-term or ongoing medical needs. Services may include,* but are not limited to:

Blood sugar testing
Acute or chronic disease management
Home infusion therapy
Private duty nursing hospice assistance
Blood draws and injections
Medication management, including setup, administration and oversight
Ostomy and urinary catheter maintenance
Monitor and assess vital signs
Wound care

*Skilled nursing care availability varies by location. Contact your local BrightStar Home Care agency for a full list of available in-home care services

Skilled Care vs Non-Skilled Care

Skilled and non-skilled care can offer greater peace of mind when your loved one needs help at home. However, understanding the differences can help you better determine what type of care your loved one needs. The biggest difference between skilled care and non-skilled care is that skilled nursing care requires a licensed prescriber order and oversight by a medical professional.

Skilled nurses train and obtain licenses to provide professional medical care, including administering medication, caring for wounds, monitoring vital signs and more. Skilled in-home nursing care is integral for post-surgery needs, as well as for help with managing ongoing or chronic conditions or pain.

By contrast, non-skilled in-home care focuses primarily on the daily needs of a client to successfully support them throughout the day. A non-skilled home care professional can help their clients with walking or wheelchair assistance. They can also help clients tend to their personal care, lending a hand with bathing, grooming and toilet assistance. Non-skilled care duties also encompass lifestyle support, like housekeeping, meal preparation, laundry, grocery shopping, errands and companionship.

Some clients may need a mix of both non-skilled and skilled in-home care, or one or the other at different times.

The Cost of Skilled Nursing

If you’re thinking about in-home skilled nursing care for your loved one, BrightStar Care® offers several payment options. We accept private health insurance, military benefits, long-term care insurance (LTCi), and private out-of-pocket funds to cover the cost of care that insurance may not cover. We will work with you to find the best financing solutions to help you invest in your loved one’s care.

Find In-Home Skilled Nursing Care Near You

We offer many other services to meet your loved one’s unique healthcare needs. Please reach out to your local BrightStar Home Care team to ask about any other in-home medical or skilled nursing services your loved one may need. Contact your local BrightStar Home Care online or call 866.618.7827 — our local teams of healthcare professionals are ready to help.