Assessment of infections in home care patients

Infections can occur in any individual fairly rapidly. If the patient is hospitalized, frequent assessment by the nurse usually leads to early detection and treatment. In the home, patients are assessed less frequently, and therefore infections may go undetected for longer periods. Thus it is important for home care providers to assess patients who may be at risk for infection during each visit. Knowing who is at risk for developing a specific infection is an essential element in the assessment process. Such knowledge helps determine both the frequency and depth of patient assessment and the time necessary for the home health care provider to perform this activity. Additionally, family caregivers need to be taught information about infections (i.e., what to assess, how to prevent) whenever possible.