FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
Institute of Nursing
Skills Laboratory
HOME VISIT
OBJECTIVES:
After 3 hours of simulated situation, the student will be able to:
1. Discuss the nature of home visit, the purposes and principles
involved in doing a home visit.
2. Discuss the steps in conducting a homevisit.
3. Conduct a home visit to a family or client.
Definition:
HOME VISIT OR NURSING VISIT
➢ A professional contact made by the nurse to a patient or the family to provide the
necessary health care activities and to further attain an objective of the agency.
➢ The community health nurse doing home visits usually works as part of a home health
care team that can include social workers rehabilitation specialist, and home health
nurses and midwives.
➢ Cooperation and communication with other care providers are essential.
➢ The home visit is a family – nurse contact which allows the health worker to asses the
home and family situations in order to provide the necessary nursing care and health
related activities.
Objectives of Home Visit
1. Assessment
2. Nursing care
3. Treatment
4. Health education
5. Referral (if care fails)
Purposes:
1. To assess the living condition of the patient and his family and their health practices in
order to provide the appropriate health teaching.
2. To give nursing care to the sick, to a post- partum mother and new born with a view of
teaching a responsible member of a family to give subsequent care.
3. To have an accurate assessment of the living condition and adapt interventions accordingly.
4. To educate the family about measures for health promotion, disease prevention, and control of
health problems.
5. To detect, help, prevent and report the presence of communicable diseases.
6. To establish a close relationship between the health agency and the public for the promotion
of public health.
7. To make use of the inter-referral to promote the utilization community service.
8. To provide the family with greater access to health resources in the community by establishing
a close relationship with them, providing information and, making referrals if necessary.
Principles in Preparing for a nursing visit
1. A home visit should have a purpose or objective.
2. Planning for a home visit should make use of all available information about the patient
and his family through family records, knowledge of health center personnel and other
existing agencies that have given services to this particular family.
3. Planning a home visit should revolve around the essential needs of the client and his
family, but priority should be given to those needs recognized by the family itself.
4. Planning should be flexible and practical.
5. Planning for a continuing care should involve the client and his family.
Factors to Consider in Determining the Frequency of Home Visit
There is no definite rule as to the frequency of home visits. Since a given population in a
community is much more than what the nurse can handle, prioritization of needs for a home visit
is necessary.
The frequency of home visit should take into consideration the following factors:
1. Physical, psychological and educational needs of the client and his family.
2. To some extent, the policy of a given agency and the emphasis placed on the given health
program.
3. The acceptance of the family for the services offered and their interest and willingness to
cooperate.
4. Other health agencies and the number of health personnel already involved in the care of the
family.
5. A careful evaluation of the past health services given to the Family, and how the family makes
use of the nursing services.
6. The ability of the client and his family to recognize their own need, their knowledge of
available resources and the ability to utilize these resources on their own accord.
7. The need for the nursing care.
Examples:
Prenatal: 7th month pregnancyonce a month & below
8th month pregnancy twice a month
9th month pregnancy once a week
Postnatal Visit:
Daily home visit until the cord is off, then twice a week, until the baby is one month old. After one
month, require the mother to bring the baby to the health centers.
Morbidity:
As often as necessary
Home Supervision:
Spacing of home visits is based on the principle that the learning is more effective if the
learning periods are at frequent intervals.
Priorities:
1. Those expectant mothers who do not have a pre-natal checkup within reasonable distance from
their Home.
2. Those who for one reason or another, do not visit the clinic or the health care facility.
a. Those who have previous abnormal pregnancies.
b. Those who are mentally ill.
c. Those who are very poor.
3. Those for whom the clinic doctor request follows up visit at home.
4. Those who are going to deliver at home. The nurse needs to see the home conditions and
advise the mother what she should prepare for the delivery.
Preparation for Home Visit:
1. Assemble records and study the case to be visited.
2. List the names and addresses in duplicate form in the order of the visit. Take one list with you
to serve as your guide and leave the other copy in the health center for the supervisor to know
your whereabouts
Arrangement of Visit should be as follows:
1. Postnatal Cases
2. Prenatal
3. Clients with communicable diseases.
STEPS IN CONDUCTING HOME VISIT
1. Greet the patient and introduce yourself.
2. Explain the purpose of the visit.
3. Inquire about health and welfare of client/patient and other family members. Ask about any
health and health related
4. Observe the patient and determine the health needs.
5. Put the bag in a convenient place then proceed to perform the bag technique.
6. Perform the nursing care needed and give health teachings.
7. Record all important data, observation and care rendered.
8. Make appointment for a return visit
Advantages
• Provides own environment
• Relaxation
• Direct observation of environment and social factors
• Family practice
• Easily identity the influencing person
• Look for new problems
• Family feels free to ask questions
• Provides basic understanding of physical and emotional needs
• Changing the health behavior
• Guide to meet their needs
For questions/ queries regarding the activity you can contact me:
Email add:
vvasquez@feu.edu.ph
Cellphone #:
09563060906
Messenger:
Vilma Sabiniano Vasquez
VILMA S. VASQUEZ MAN, RN, RM
PROFESSOR
References:
Maglaya, A. S. (2009). Nursing Practice in the Community (5th Edition). Argonauta Corp. Cuevas,
F.P.L. (2007). Public Health Nursing in the Philippines. (10th Edition)