Home care workers are responsible for nursing patients in their own homes.
They are not qualified nurses, but are usually hired to take care of patients who are recovering from heart attacks, strokes and major operations, elderly and disabled people who are not able to care for themselves or those suffering from long-term diseases such as AIDS.
These situations do not require the services of a qualified nurse and hiring home-care workers is far more cost effective than hiring nurses, or keeping the patients in hospitals or clinics.
Home care workers are trained in basic nursing and first-aid as well as routine housekeeping, as assignments often call for a combination of the two.
Satisfying Aspects
- working with sick people
- knowing your work is making a difference in people's lives
- often free accommodation and board
Demanding aspects
- dealing with difficult, depressed or disturbed patients
- frustration of not being able to get through to certain people
Requirements
A home-care worker should:
- be able to acquire basic nursing and first-aid skills;
- have patience and compassion;
- be concerned about the well-being of the patient;
- be reliable and have integrity;
- be friendly;
- be neat and orderly.
School Subjects
No specific requirements.
Compulsory Subjects: None
Recommended Subjects: None
Training
Home-care workers usually receive in-service training.
Training as a nursing auxiliary is also applicable. For more information, refer to the alphabetical list of occupations to find details about Nursing Auxiliary.
Employer
- Families of private patients recovering from strokes, heart attacks and major operations
- Families of disabled persons
- Frail-care centres in retirement villages and old-age homes
- Special-care institutions