How To Become A Home Health Nurse – Forbes Advisor

Nursing can make a positive impact on patients’ lives. However, not all prospective nurses want to work in a hospital setting. If hospital work isn’t your cup of tea but you’re excited about pursuing a patient-focused career, use our guide to learn how to become a home health nurse.

Home health nurses are key to the overall care plan of patients who need regular healthcare but don’t require hospitalization or treatment in long-term care settings. These professionals provide care in patients’ homes, allowing clients to feel comfortable in their surroundings while still having a medical worker monitor their symptoms and care for their health.

Does this sound like the right avenue for you? Explore the typical education and experience requirements for home health nurses below.

What Is a Home Health Nurse?

Home health nurses care for patients in the patients’ home instead of in a nursing facility or hospital.

These workers aim to reduce patients’ risk of hospitalization for illness or injury by providing services like medical care, medication management, basic hygiene tasks and wound care. Home health nurses with specialized skills or certifications may also assist with tasks like physical therapy or dialysis.

Home health nurses usually work for home health agencies and may care for multiple patients each day. Some nurses are self-employed, contracting directly with patients and their families.

While home health nursing can be a gratifying career, it also poses challenges. Home health nurses typically don’t have control over the homes they work in, sometimes putting them in dangerous situations with aggressive pets or unhygienic surroundings. The independent nature of home health nursing may also feel lonely for nurses who prefer team-based environments.

Steps To Become a Home Health Nurse

Step 1: Earn an Associate or Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing

Home health nurses usually need registered nurse (RN) licensure. To become an RN, you usually need an associate or bachelor’s degree in nursing.

While both degrees cover introductory and advanced nursing topics, a Bachelor of Science in nursing (B.S.N.) usually dives deeper into important topics like nutrition, healthcare leadership, public policy and complex health concerns. Bachelor’s degrees may also offer specializations in subfields like gerontology and mental health, which can lead to more career opportunities.

A bachelor’s degree typically takes four years of full-time study, while associate degrees in nursing often take two years. Home health nurses opting for an associate degree can enter the field sooner, gain experience and pursue an RN-to-B.S.N. bridge program if they want to continue their education later.

Step 2: Pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX)® to Become a Registered Nurse

After completing their nursing program, graduates can sit for the NCLEX, an adaptive test that gauges candidates’ understanding of practical nursing skills and competencies. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing develops, maintains and updates the NCLEX.

Each state’s nursing board outlines specific requirements to sit for the NCLEX. Generally, these requirements include sending official school transcripts, completing an exam application and passing a criminal background
check. Some states also require candidates to pass a nursing jurisprudence exam covering the state’s nursing laws.

Step 3: Gain Experience as an RN

While completing a degree and passing the NCLEX can showcase to employers that a nurse has the knowledge needed to work as a home health nurse, candidates may also need a history of practical experience. Companies hiring home health nurses, including home healthcare agencies and medical organizations, often seek candidates with at least one year of clinical nursing experience.

Home Health Nurse Salary and Job Outlook

The average salary for home healthcare nurses is $71,059, according to Payscale data from April 2024.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not maintain specific salary data for home healthcare nurses, instead grouping them with all registered nurses. RN wages vary significantly between states. In 2023, California offered the highest average salary for RNs: $137,690 per year.

Other high-paying states include Hawaiʻi ($119,710), Oregon ($113,440), Washington ($111,030) and Alaska ($109,210). States with the lowest wages for RNs include South Dakota ($69,030), Alabama ($71,370) and Arkansas ($72,900).

The BLS reveals 5.7% of RNs work in home health services—the third-largest industry by employment for RNs. As the baby boomer population ages in the next few decades, the need for RNs and other medical professionals, including home health nurses providing care to older adults in their homes, will likely increase. The BLS projects 6% growth for RN jobs from 2022 to 2032.

Certifications for Home Health Nurses

While home health nurse jobs do not usually require specific certifications, several professional organizations offer credentials that can enhance your résumé and verify your knowledge of healthcare subfields like pediatrics or gerontology. Certification options for home healthcare nurses include:

American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Certifications

ANCC offers certifications in multiple healthcare specialties—like pain management and cardiovascular care—which can be ideal for home health nurses who want to highlight their skills in specific areas.

Many ANCC certifications, including the Gerontological Nursing Certification™ and the Cardiac Vascular Nursing Certification™, require a valid RN license, at least two full-time years of RN experience, at least 2,000 hours of clinical experience in your specialty area and a minimum of 30 hours of continuing education in that specialty. Additionally, each certification has an exam costing $295 for members and $395 for nonmembers.

Wound Care Certified (WCC)® Certification

The WCC certification from the National Alliance of Wound Care and Ostomy® (NAWCO) can highlight a home health nurse’s competence in wound care.

Candidates need an active RN license and must complete an approved skin and wound management course or hold another approved wound care-related certification. They also need at least 120 clinical hours in wound care with a NAWCO instructor or two full-time years/four part-time years of wound care-related nursing experience.

After meeting these requirements, candidates can sit for the exam. In addition to the $350 exam fee, applicants pay a $30 application fee.

Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission (NNCC)® Certifications

The NNCC offers two certifications relevant to home health nurses with RN licenses who specialize in nephrology.

RNs can pursue the Certified Nephrology Nurse (CNN)® credential if they have 3,000 hours of experience in nephrology nursing, at least a bachelor’s degree in nursing and at least 30 hours of continuing nephrology education within the past three years of applying. They also must pass a 150-question exam with a minimum 70% score. The CNN exam costs $350.

Certified Dialysis Nurse (CDN)® candidates need at least 2,000 hours of nephrology nursing care, 20 continuing education hours in nephrology and a minimum 70% passing score on a 150-question exam. Test-takers pay $350 for the CDN exam.

Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN)®

The Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) offers the CHPN credential for RNs who have relevant experience—at least 500 hours of hospice and palliative care experience within the past 12 months or 1,000 hours within the past 24 months.

After meeting this requirement, candidates must pass the CHPN exam, which is available online or at testing centers. The exam costs $285 for HPNA members or $415 for nonmembers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Becoming a Home Health Nurse