I’m Mao, a visiting nurse.
Do you think about a manners for Home Nursing ?
I surprisingly know many junior nurses who don’t have a chance to learn manners.
I’m worried about it and thinking sorry for them.
Therefore, I will explain the general manners as a nurse and special tip and rules for visiting patient’s home.
If you are interested in Home Nursing, please check the link below.
Home Nursing Manners Are As Important As Care
Japan is gradually becoming an aging society, and people who need nursing and spend a time at their home will increase for future.
Visiting nurses can be called “professional” who has an important occupancy in social to support such people.
So that, manners when visiting a patient’s home are so important in the work field of Home Nursing and we should learn manners.
In addition to general language and courtesy, if you are not cautious about “visiting homes” and have a sense of urgency, you may lose the trust of your patients.
Most of cases, not only the patient are in their home but also the patient’s family and/or relatives are in too when you visit.
They carefully watch the nurse what to do for care with manners too.
If you are not good at manners, you will receive the complain from them and brand of your Home Nursing Station may lose the relationship.
Of cause caring the patient is most important job as nurses, but in Home Nursing, manners are as important as care too.
You should know manners will be a powerful skill that can gain the trust of patients and will be highly evaluated by your manager at work.
I know since nurses are so busy, there are few people who learn manners on holidays and their free time.
No problem. I will tell you about manners in this page.
What Is Important Mind For Home Nursing?
The patients expect to spend a time in their home that they have stayed comfortably.
In this fact, entering nurse may make the patients mental stress.
Following are some points that nurses should keep mind for visiting.
1, Manners are based on the heart for consideration of others.
2, Patients and family are always looking at nurse.
3, Just be natural.
Manners are based on the heart for consideration of others
Even thought many books for manners say many opinions, I will say “Manners are not rules.”
Manners are what we think the consideration for others.
If you always try to make the patient feel comfortable, it will naturally appear in your facial expressions, language, and attitude.
Regarding to special manners in Japan, we have been educated to use proper Japanese in the school.
You still may be wondering, but there is absolutely no need to use formal language.
It is most important to use minimum polite language when talking with the patients, such as “-desu” and “-masu.”
On the other hand The visiting nurses is carefully managed by the schedule at Home Nursing Station, so if the next time is approaching, they will be hasty and will not be able to afford to do our work politely.
Even at such times, it is important for visiting nurses to care without forgetting the consideration of the patients.
If you run over time and are late for your next visit, do not mind.
That is not your responsibility, but the responsibility of the workplace that manages the schedule.
If necessary, immediately inform the administrator that the arrival at the next visit will be delayed and propose them to improve arrangement of schedules.
Patients and family are always looking at nurse.
A nurse’s job is to care of patients.
Our job is to observe patients closely and provide necessary care, so we are a professional that requires observation skills.
On the other hand, don’t forget that patients are also observing nurses closely.
Of course, not only the patient, but also the family and relatives are closely watching what kind of person the nurse is.
Most of nurses may forget this fact.
In case of Home Nursing, there are many wealthy people often use it, and they tend to dislike nurses who have no manners or common sense.
Don’t think that “Nurses have nothing to do with manners” and have a positive attitude to learn.
Just be natural.
Even though I have experiences for Home Nursing, I still get nervous on my first visit.
Home Nursing Station has a local rules for care but the quality of care is depended on the nurse who actually cares for the patient.
So I repeatedly said it’s important to learn manners, but it’s difficult to explain that proper manners is not always important.
The conclusion that I came to through my experience of Home Nursing is, “How we interact with patients in a natural way”.
You should just be a natural as you are.
Manners That Visiting Nurses Should Know At Minimum
I will explain the manners that you should know at least as a visiting nurse.
Visiting nurse is an advanced professional that requires a high level of medical knowledge and skills, as well as high skills such as manners and hospitality.
As important items, there are three categories: “Before the Visit”, “At the Time of the Visit”, and “At the Time of Leaving”.
Before the Visit
As a nurse, it’s a matter of course, but make sure you’re well-groomed before your visit.
In addition to basic issues such as messy hair, dirty uniforms, and broken makeup, many patients are concerned about nail length and odor.
A nurse’s hand is an important part that often touches a patient, so it is good manners to keep the nails neatly trimmed.
Also, avoid using overly scented perfumes or fabric softeners.
Visiting Nurse is a professional that is synonymous with cleanliness, so if you are not good grooming, you will give the impression that the service itself is bad.
People often judge people based on their appearance.
There is an opinion that “a person is not what it looks like!”, but appearance is an important factor that influences the first impression.
Dirty work clothes and disheveled hair are points that are often seen by patients, so be especially careful.
Also, try to contact the patient before the first visit.
「I will visit you at 10 a.m.」
With just one contact, the impression from the patient after that should change considerably.
At the Time of the Visit
Focus on patient care during your visit.
This is because one of the common etiquette violations when visiting is to have your work smartphone ringing over and over again.
In recent Home Nursing Stations, there are many cases where you keep in touch with colleagues and seniors on LINE, so there are cases where smartphone notifications keep ringing even while taking care of patients.
Therefore, basically keep your smartphone in silent mode, and if possible, set it so that it does not ring.
Even if you don’t care at all, there are times when the patient can’t help and gets annoying about it.
If there is an emergency call that must be answered, I will ask it to the patient before corresponding.
At that time, leave out from patient and answer the phone once, and apologize to the patient politely after calling.
Also, when using consumables such as tissues and wet wipes at the patient’s home, be sure to decline before using them.
It’s best to bring your own if possible, but I think you may be allowed to use it if absolutely necessary.
It is very rude to use it without permission, so please use it after refusing a word.
In the toilet situation, it can be said that it is a problem for visiting nurses.
Most of the Home Nursing Stations forbid the use of toilets in patient’s home from a hygienic point of view.
That said, nurses are human too, so there are times when it can’t be helped.
In that case, get permission from the patient or family before borrowing.
At the Time of the Leaving
When the patient’s care is completed and leaves from patient’s home, say “Thank you very much. Next visit is Monday, October 10th. It’ll be one week later “.
The final greeting is also an important point to make the person feel glad to have you come, so don’t let your guard down until you go out to the patient’s home and out of sight.
In this way, we build a relationship of trust between the patient and their family.
Once you get used to the patient after a few visits, you won’t have to worry about it that much, but it’s better to be especially careful the first time you visit.
I explained the flow and the manners I want you to wear at a minimum.
Conclusion
I explained the manners that you should know at least as a visiting nurse.
Did you understand how important manners are to visiting nurses who go into patient’s home and take care of patients ?
In my case, since I started working for Home Nursing, I have experienced many failures, and I have also been pointed out by senior nurses.
I’ve said many times that the best manners are what the other person thinks, and I still feel that this is exactly so.
And I think that even if there are only a few people who have become nurses, they have the qualities to do so.
I hope that it will be useful for active nurses who are considering changing jobs to home-visit nursing and students who are about to become nurses in the future.
Visiting nurse is a fascinating job. Please consider it.
